Classy Carty helps Dunlavin to win over neighbours
DUNLAVIN STRATFORD/GR 3-14 2-6
DUNLAVIN recovered from a shaky start to completely dominate this Intermediate football championship clash against Stratford-Grangecon in Baltinglass on Sunday evening.
Enterprising play filled with ambition and packed with pace proved to be just the job for last year’s beaten finalists who will be looking to go one step further this season and make that step up to Senior having hopefully learned from their errors that saw them lose out to Hollywood in the decider less than 12 months ago.
The potential to do that is certainly there despite this being the opening game in the campaign and the win coming against a brave Stratford-Grangecon side who ran out of steam and ideas after making a superb start with two early goals.
This was very much a new look side for Dunlavin with only six of last year’s starting 15 taking to the field in Baltinglass and it is one that will require a very good performance from an opposing team to stop.
Key to this win before a reason- able crowd in Baltinglass were the performances of Gary Allen, Shane Carty, Cian O’Sullivan and Eoin Murtagh, with Carty catching the eye with his high octane and hungry approach that saw him bag 2-4 over the 60 minutes and spray some beautiful ball all over the field.
O’Sullivan’s pace and tenacity, Gary Allen’s creativity and Murtagh’s immense presence all contributed handsomely to the victory with decent showings from Sean Phelan, Aaron Phelan and Paul Murtagh as well.
It was Stratford-Grangecon who looked like causing something of a shock early on. Goals from Jason Bolger and the very impressive Ross Coogan from the penalty spot gave them a 2-1 to 0-2 lead early on. Bolger was looking full of beans early on and was enjoying plenty of space out the field as Eoin Murtagh maintained his position on the 45.
But Dunlavin were looking threatening going forward and when Shane Carty rifled home to the back of Patrick Cronin’s net twice in quick succession and added a point with 20 minutes gone you got the sense that there was only going to be one winner.
Dunlavin took a 2-7 to 2-1 lead into the break having dominated midfield after those early moments and when midfielder Gary Allen finished to the back of the Stratford-Grangecon net early in the second half it was curtains in terms of anything like a comeback at 3-10 to 2-3.
Stratford-Grangecon battled hard for the remainder of this game. Despite running out of steam in certain sectors they are a much fitter and much improved team from last season and they will cause plenty of headaches as the championship progresses.
The majority of their scores for the rest of the game arrived from the boot of Ross Coogan who kicked some mighty frees and he was joined on the score sheet by Mark Murphy who swung over a beauty.
Points from Eoin Murtagh and a few hundingers from Shane Carty completed the scoring for Dunlavin who march on to face Tinahely in the next round. How they fare in that clash will give them a true reflection on where they are.
Questions regarding their defence that were raised following last year’s Intermediate final will have to be answered when they come up against Alan Costello’s unbeaten side.
Stratford-Grangecon will have a chance to bounce back when they take on Ballinacor in the next round.
Scorers – Dunlavin: Shane Carty 2-4, Gary Allen 1-3 (2f), Cian O’Sullivan 0-5 (4f), Shane O’Rourke 0-1, Eoin Murtagh 0-1.
Stratford-Grangecon: Ross Coogan 1-4 (3f), Jason Bolger 1-0, Diarmuid Cronin 0-1, Mark Murphy 0-1.
Tom McGuirk; Harry Coleborn, Sean Phelan, Louis Caplis; Mark Reid, Eoin Murtagh, Daryl Huntley; Gary Allen, Aaron Phelan; Shane O’Rourke, Paul Murtagh, Marty Caplis; Cian O’Sullivan, James Walsh, Shane Carty. Subs: Timothy Metcalf for S O’Rourke, Barry Miley for A Phelan.
Patrick Cronin; Joseph O’Neill, Eoin O’Neill, Ian Moore; Marcus Hanbidge, Patrick Walsh, Ruairi Phelan; Michael Mangan, Matthew Manley; Mark Murphy, Jason Bolger, Alan Norton; Diarmuid Cronin, Ross Coogan, Kieran Byrne. Subs: Shane Byrne for J O’Neill, Larry McGrath for A Norton.
Liam Cullen (Hollywood)