Powerful showing from Stratford-Grangecon

IFC SEMI-FINAL AND IFC RELEGATION PLAY-OFF

STRATFORD/GR AN TOCHAR 1-14 0-08

STRATFORD-GRANGECON secured their Intermediate status and pushed An Tochar towards relegation with a nine-point victory at Hollywood which unfortunately did not match its LA namesake in terms of the weather; the wind and cold being unpleasant elements for those in attendance.

Indeed the wind had a big bearing on proceedings, blowing from one end to the other and giving both teams an advantage in each half.

Stratford-Grangecon must have been delighted to go in level at half time having faced the wind and used to great effect in the second half, building a lead that An Tochar could not tear down.

An Tochar’s greatest chance to level the match was in the 49th minute when Brendan Kennedy made a barnstorming run through the Stratford-Grangecon defence and found Eoghan Marah beside him. Marah’s goal bound shot was straight at Patrick Cronin however and within seconds Stratford-Grangecon had the ball over the bar at the other end, a four point swing.

An Tochar wouldn’t score again while Stratford-Grangecon, who had Diarmuid Cronin sent off for a second yellow just after that point, would reel another five to add gloss to their win.

Stratford-Grancon’s ability to pin An Tochar back in their own half was the major difference between the teams. Even in the first half with the wind An Tochar had all but two of their outfield players inside their 45 at times and in the second half against the wind, with their midfield and half forward line helping out their defence, they had nobody to pass to up the field when they won the ball back.

It meant they had to try and work the ball out with short hand passes which didn’t work out too well or boot the ball long, handing possession back to the Stratford-Grangecon half backs who screened the An Tochar full forward line.

The game started score for score, David Cush opening the scoring for Stratford-Grangecon only for An Tochar’s very own Stephen Cluxton, goalkeeper Peter Byrne, to jog up the field and slot over a couple of frees in response. Back came Stratford-Grangecon and Colin and Shane Byrne regained the lead for their team with points into the teeth of the wind. The goal followed a matter of seconds later.

An Tochar were caught messing around with the ball and a poor pass gifted possession to Stratford-Grangecon. Ross Coogan played a delightful ball into space and a few hand passes later Diarmuid Cronin hit the top corner.

That would make it 1-03 to 2 points and would be Stratford-Grangecon’s last score of the half, coming in the tenth minute, but they ensured An Tochar couldn’t make hay while the wind blew.

Byrne and Liam Gaffney converted three frees between them to reduce the deficit to one by the fourteenth minute but they wouldn’t score for another twelve minutes as Stratford-Grangecon took control of possession and dominated the game. They didn’t score, the wind dropped four of their shots into the goalkeeper’s hands, but they kept the ball and did everything well.

Gaffney kicked over a free to level the match at half time, 1-03 to 6 points, but Stratford-Grangecon started the second half really well, hitting three points without reply by the 38th minute courtesy of Matthew Manley, Ross Coogan and Colin Byrne.

The teams traded points for the next ten minutes, Stratford-Grangecon always keeping An Tochar at arm’s length, never really giving them a glimmer of hope until Marah’s goal chance. When that was saved and Stratford-Grangecon kicked a point at the other end it was, for all intents and purposes, over.

An Tochar will hope they can muster up a performance in the relegation play-off against either Aughrim or Ballinacor, otherwise they will have to regroup in Junior A next year.

Scorers – Stratford-Grangecon: Diarmuid Cronin 1-00; Ross Coogan (2f) 0-03; Shane Byrne (2f), Patrick Walsh, David Cush, Matthew Manley, Colin Byrne 0-02 each; Jason Bolger 0-01.

An Tochar: Peter Byrne (4f) 0-04; Liam Gaffney (3f) 0-03; Brendan Swords (1f) 0-01.

Patrick Cronin; Patrick Walsh, Marcus Hanbidge, Adam Doyle; David Cush, Eoin O’Neill, Michael Mangan; Matthew Manley, Mark Landon; Shane Byrne, Kieran Byrne, Jason Bolger; Ross Coogan, Diarmuid Cronin, Colin Byrne. Sub: Ian Moore for Mark Landon (60 mins, BC).

Peter Byrne; Noel Power, Gavin Kenny, David Molloy; Stephen Connor, Brendan Swords, Eoghan Marah; Jamie Salley, Conor Short; Joe Gaffney, Brendan Kennedy, Liam Gaffney; Tom Kenna, Liam Kenna, Mikey Fanning. Subs: Colm O’Brien for Noel Power (38 mins); Eamonn Wolohan for Liam Gaffney (49 mins); Graham Sutton for Brendan Swords (51 mins); Hugh Kenna for Conor Short (60 mins).

Liam Cullen