Match Reports 6-28-09

Youngsters defeat the Shamrocks

Tír na Nóg 6-17 Boston Shamrocks 1-5

By Ciaran Molloy

The ladies of Tír na Nóg met with the Shamrocks for Sunday’s opening game in Canton this weekend. The clash of the two sides represented a repeat of last years final which Tír na Nóg eventually won to take top honours. One gathered that the Shamrocks were out for revenge before the match began, and it was clear that the game was being eagerly anticipated by both sides and everyone in the audience.

The Shamrocks task to make amends began in the worst possible way, letting Tír na Nóg open the scoring with a well taken goal through the prolific Catriona Treanor. There were immediate signs of a fight back with two points from Shamrocks forwards McGrath and Harris and one felt that a hard fought contest was in store. These signs evaporated soon after however, with five scores coming in quick succession for Tír na Nóg, including 3 points in as many minutes by the skilful Amanda Brosnan and another goal from Treanor.

The Reds of Tír na Nóg, went on to dominate the rest of the first half with more fine scores from the ever impressive pairing of Traenor and Brosnan, and the industrious Aisling O’Gorman dictating from the back. Their cause was aided by the serious looking injury to Shamrocks forward Patricia Doherty mid way through, and this loss in the forward line led to a half time scoreline of 4-8 to 0-4 in favour of Tír na Nóg.

From here they kicked on and continued to storm through the tiring Shamrocks team with incredible vigour, particularly through the middle. The Shamrocks responded to a barrage of scores with a goal from Jennifer McGuinness but this was barely a consolation after such a drubbing. The Shamrocks ladies battled in vain and will be very disappointed with the eventual scoreline of 6-17 to 1-5.

Many impressed for Tír na Nóg, not least the formidable partnership of Traenor and Brosnan in the forward line who were hard to separate for their endeavours. For the Shamrocks, the midfield pairing of Corrigan and Maguire had their work cut out for them and deserve credit for their commitment throughout.

Junior A Football

The Celtics, boasting the talents of St. Christophers regular Danny Kinneally, were unable to overcome the challenge of Kerry. The side completely made up of home grown players did score three goals but could not prevent six hitting their own net, their defensive frailities ultimately costing them the match in the end.

The MacAnespies totally outplayed Armagh in a completely one-sided game right from the very beginning. The game was effectively over as a contest when the Macs, who were supported by a very strong outfit, scored their first goal with only ten minutes on the clock and the game became a foregone conclusion after that with wave after wave of attacks from the Tyrone side.

Donegal give Shannon the Blues

Donegal 1-10 Shannon Blues 0-6

Two sides fiercely contesting the race for senior championship honors met in Canton this Sunday in front of a considerable audience. Donegal and the Shannon Blues were neck and neck in the league standings with the former just ahead in 3^rdplace by two points.

The torrential rain seen on the day previous ensured that conditions were not perfect for playing, but luckily the rain remained at bay for the game. The water that remained on the pitch made it a rather scrappy affair, with many niggly fouls occurring and not much free flowing football on show. With a superior short hand-passing ability typical of Donegal football, the men in yellow roared to a five point lead beginning five minutes in with a fine point from play by Eddie Mannion. This was compounded by a free kick on the edge of the semi circle shortly after, before corner forward Cormack Mullans added a third with good play down the right wing, spinning his man and punching over.

Donegal continued in this rich vein of from adding two more scores, while defending valiantly at the back to keep the men from the Shannon quiet. The Blues forwards struggled to make a breakthrough for most of the first half, eventually finding the target with two points from play just before Donegal’s sixth brought the referee’s half time whistle and the score standing at 0-6 to 0-2 in favour of the Tír Chonaill men.

The second half began with a more frantic pace as the Blues seeked to recover the gap that remained at the interval. They started positively, with a point soon after half time. The side may have wondered if this was an opportunity lost however, as the forward appeared to be inside his man and one on one with the goalkeeper, simply taking the easy score when a goal may have been on. This was highlighted somewhat soon after as Donegal took the initiative further away from their opponents with a well taken goal from the potent Mannion in the full forward line.

The Blues responded to this with another point but it was clear that Donegal had more in the terms of ability across the pitch and this was reflected in the dominance asserted by Donegal from start to finish and capped of a good all round display with a convincing victory of 1-10 to 0-6.

Donegals forwards produced some fine scores, while their midfield worked tirelessly to secure the win. However, the watertight defending would have kept even Saturday night’s rain from getting through and for this Laois man Cahir Healy and Donegal’s Mark McGowan receive the plaudits.

Cork Hurl past Fr. Toms

Fr. Tom Burke’s 2-9 Cork 2-11

Cork came to Canton this Sunday with only a win in mind and duly obliged with some superb Hurling against a defiant Fr. Toms side in a stirring encounter at the Irish Cultural Centre in the day’s only clash of the ash.

The Game remained tight right up to the very end with both fighting tit-for-tat throughout. This was what was expected by the many in attendance as both sides came into the game aiming for their first points of this year’s campaign.

Fr. Toms led at half time thanks to a superbly taken goal from half forward Fran Keenan right before half time. Both sides had been working hard to stay in close contact with Tom’s equalising three times with corks first three scores. The outfit took the advantage onto the field in the second half but the close battle continued from the restart. Cork won the most possession and indeed the game with a superb period in the third quarter, scoring two goals in row, with O’Donovan and Noonan combining well to instigate the scores. This was added to with a further three points in succession and any response from Fr. Toms was futile in the end, with Cork climbing from bottom of the table, leaving the winless Tom’s in their wake.

Wolfe’s set the Tone in Canton

Wolfe Tones 2-12 Connemara Gaels 3-5

The Wolfe Tones entertained Connemara Gaels in Sundays headline act in Canton with the sides deadlocked on two points each at this early stage of the season. The Gaels went into the match looking to take advantage of having a game in hand over their counterparts by taking full points in this encounter.

With two very physical and athletic teams on display, this provided a rip-roaring contest. The Wolfe Tones took full advantage of early pressure by converting three early chances into points, the second of which produced a brilliant save from Gael’s goalkeeper Chris Kerr. There was a clear determination in the Wolfe Tone’s play after narrowly losing to Donegal in the corresponding fixture last weekend.

This was soon evident on both sides as tackles flew in thicker and faster, with the Gael’s Michael McGill and Tone’s Conor Canning receiving cautions for being a little overzealous in their tackling soon after one another. This produced a little break in play and one which clearly suited Connemara knocking Wolfe Tone’s off their stride as the game progressed. This was soon obvious when the recently booked McGill slipped in to punch a dropping ball to the corner of the net, levelling matters and bringing Gaels straight back into contention. The impetus had swung from the Tone’s to the Gaels, and despite pulling one point back, the Wolfe Tone’s again conceded a goal to undo their earlier good work.

Credit where credits due and from here the Wolfe Tones came out fighting, kicking three points to the Gael’s one, with Sayers, Farrell and McCabe all contributing. Again the momentum had changed hands, and the Tone’s used this pressure to greater effect the second time by finding the net with a goal of their own courtesy of Marty Farrell . The sky blues saw out the remainder of the first half, adding two more scores to make it 1-9 to 2-1 at half time.

The Gaels refused to back down and came out for the second half looking to make a battle of it. McGill opened the second half with another point from a free and from here both traded two points each as the struggle for scores continued. Again, tempers began to get the better of the sides and the game threatened to boil over with some less than friendly challenges but the referee did well to keep the game under control, showing the yellow card to a Wolfe Tones corner back for one particularly unsavoury attempt to tackle.

The Wolfe Tones continued their bullish ways and were rewarded when corner forward Farrell burst on to a loose ball before rounding the stranded goalkeeper to finish to an empty net. This should have been the insurance score for the Tones who were now leading by seven with fifteen remaining. However, the sending off of half-back Derek Scullane for a second bookable offence led to a free which eventually led to a goal for the Gael’s finished by Conor McGill after a goal mouth scramble.

From here the Gaels threatened to find the equaliser, making for a tense finally, but it was not forthcoming. The dominant spells enjoyed by the Wolfe Tones were enough to seal another victory, keeping the Gaels at a safe distance behind, bearing in mind their playing one game less at this stage of the season.

There were many good performances but Wolfe Tone’s midfielder Gary Sayers and Connemara Gaels’ forward Michael McGill reserved the best for either side.