Flanagan key for lakesiders
Big win for Valleymount
VALLEYMOUNT KNOCKANANNA 1-18 0-13
VALLEYMOUNT further enhanced their credentials as one of the favourites for the Arklow Bay Hotel Junior ‘A’ Football Championship title after they recorded an impressive victory over a disappointing Knockananna in Joule Park, Aughrim, last Saturday evening.
This was a fully deserved victory for the west outfit who showed real confidence and a strength in depth over the course of the hour with the foundation of the win being laid by a powerful midfield showing from Declan Cahill and Stephen Flanagan.
The Valleymount men were helped in their cause by a stretched Knockananna outfit who displayed weaknesses in too many positions and who failed to come to terms with the Valleymount onslaught, especially in the second half against the wind.
Eugene O’Brien’s men did battle gamely over the 60 minutes with fine performances from Paddy Byrne and Dereck Kavanagh but too many of their key men only imposed themselves on the game sporadically, and while the introduction of Kevin Tyrrell did offer the Reds something extra up front in the second half, the arrival of Johnny Wybrant, with a heavily strapped leg late on, proved too late to have any real effect on the outcome.
A strong Valleymount start saw them open up a 0-03 to 0-01 lead after nine minutes of action in sunny Aughrim.
Derek Reid opened the scoring before Dereck Kavanagh replied with a converted free but James Fitzpatrick and Shay Geoghegan rattled over points thanks to the influence of the midfield pairing of Cahill and Flanagan.
Knockananna registered two wides before the always reliable Paddy Byrne slotted over a beauty with 12 gone and then two Dereck Kavanagh points pushed Knockananna out to a 0-04 to 0-03 lead.
Valleymount went up through the gears. A Cahill point was followed by a Shay Geoghegan goal and then Liam Miley and Derek Reid raised white flags either side of a Paddy Byrne free for Knockananna and Valleymount led by 1-06 to 0-05.
But better was still to come. A pointed free from Brian Miley, a savage score from Flanagan and a lovely effort off his left from Liam Miley pushed Valleymount further ahead before the break with a superb Dereck Kavanagh point closing the first half scoring and leaving Valleymount in control at 1-09 to 0-06.
Knockananna took a while to return to the field from the dressing room and they were a shuffled pack when they emerged but it seemed to have little effect on proceedings with Brian Flynn and Derek Reid both pointing early on.
Half-time substitute Kevin Tyrrell grabbed his first after five minutes and he added his second 12 minutes later after a pointed free from Dereck Kavanagh and a fine effort from Lorcan Tyrrell which left things looking far healthier for Knockananna with Valleymount leading 1-11 to 0-10.
Jack Slattery entered the fray for the west outfit around this time and he was to have a major impact on the latter stages of this encounter.
Derek Reid and Cahill pointed before Slattery fired over from a free. This was followed by a Brian Flynn effort which was answered by Dereck Kavanagh but Valleymount always had a little too much in the tank for a weary looking Knockananna outfit.
Flanagan and Slattery increased Valleymount’s lead before Darren Flynn pulled one back after good work from Johnny Wybrant but that was as good as it was to get for Eugene O’Brien’s men.
Another point from the fist of Stephen Flanagan after 34 minutes ended the scoring at 1-18 to 0-13 and the final whistle sounded moments later, heralding a deserved victory for Valleymount outfit who face a tough task next weekend when they take on Kilcoole.
– Valleymount: Derek Reid 0-04, Shay Geoghegan 1-01, Stephen Flanagan 0-03, Declan Cahill 0-02, Liam Miley 0-02, Brian Flynn 0-02, Jack Slattery 0-02 (1f), Brian Miley 0-01 (f), James Fitzpatrick 0-01.
Knockananna: Dereck Kavanagh 0-06 (2f), Paddy Byrne 0-02 (1f), Lorcan Tyrrell 0-02 (1f), Kevin Tyrrell 0-02, Darren Flynn 0-01.
David Richardson; Mark Carroll, Steven Cahill, Eamonn Mahon; Brian Miley, Darragh Browne, William Kavanagh; Stephen Flanagan, Declan Cahill; Liam Miley, James Fitzpatrick, Brian Flynn; Mick Richardson, Derek Reid, Shay Geoghegan. Subs: Jack Slattery for M Richardson (45min), Shane Hughes for D Cahill (59min).
John Farrell; Aaron O’Neill, Declan Whelan, Paddy O’Keeffe; Paddy Byrne, Garry Bradley, Darren Flynn; Tristan Maher, Padraig Lancaster; Stephen Hinchy, Keith Corrigan, Edward Bracken; Alan Byrne, Lorcan Tyrrell, Dereck Kavanagh. Subs: Kevin Tyrrell for S Hinchy (H/T), Declan O’Keeffe for E Bracken (39min), Johnny Wybrant in for P Byrne (50min, inj), Dylan Tracey for A O’Neill (57min), Joe Byrne for J Farrell (62min). Matty Dowling (Carnew)