An Tochar off to flying start
Shillelagh prove no match
AN TOCHAR SHILLELAGH 0-14 0-6
AN Tochar claimed a deserved opening victory in Group 3 of the Boom Platform Hire Junior A Football Championship with an eight-point victory over Shillelagh in Pearse’s Park, as both sides finished the game with 14 men.
Shillelagh started the stronger of the two sides with two early points from full-forward Daniel Behan, one from a free and one from open play.
An Tochar had two free efforts to counteract these points, but both were wide of the posts.
It was a lively opening to the game with hard hits and slaps from both sides became a regular scene.
Brendan Behan was through on goal early but his chance was smothered by An Tochar goalkeeper Peter Byrne.
An Tochar were dispossessed very easily in the first ten minutes of the game as many sloppy passes were made. It took them 13 minutes to post a score, after Brendan Kennedy pointed.
Goal chances were aplenty during the game, but the finishing was disappointing to say the least. Graham Sutton flashed wide ten minutes before the interval.
An Tochar scored five points without reply before referee Chris Canavan blew for half-time, with the pick of the scores coming from Brendan Swords and Conor Davis.
Two minutes before the break, Canavan awarded the Roundwood side a penalty after Eamonn Wolohan appeared to be pushed from behind. After a long discussion with his umpire and linesman, the decision was overturned and play restarted with a throw up by the referee.
So it was a four-point deficit that Shillelagh needed to overturn after the break but they suffered more setbacks as Gerard Byrne and Joe Gaffney both scored really well worked points.
Midfielder Conor Davis was a great asset for An Tochar as he dropped deep many times to collect the ball and more often than not found the perfect pass.
The closest Shillelagh got to An Tochar in the second period was three points, as they struggled to get a grasp of the game.
The Shillelagh defence was under pressure midway through the second half. Brendan Swords fired wide after being picked out by Conor Davis, who charged through the defence with a powerful run.
The pick of the scores was by Tom Kenna. A great catch from a long pass, he then swivelled goalwards and pointed excellently with his right boot. A merited point for the strong full-forward who had caused the Shillelagh backs problems with his mix of strength and mobility.
This point made the scores nine points to five in favour of the side from Roundwood.
After 44 minutes, An Tochar were reduced to 14 men as Liam Gaffney was shown his second yellow card after a rough challenge.
The yellow cards were shown on many occasions for both sides in what was a rather physical encounter, a typical Junior ‘A’ game.
An Tochar’s Brendan Kennedy had three goal chances in the last ten minutes of the game, the first of which was a low strike saved by the legs of Shillelagh goalie Laurie Cullen, after good team play.
Kennedy then had two 20-yard strikes with both smashing against the woodwork, one off the crossbar and then hitting the post.
Shillelagh corner-back Francis Simpson was shown his marching orders in the final minute of the game as he was a second yellow of the game. Chris Canavan’s yellow card was certainly busy during the contest.
It was a comprehensive victory for An Tochar against Shillelagh. Fitness was the main factor in the game as Shillelagh struggled in the final minutes of the game.
Both sides will prove a stern test for anyone in their group during the championship with a lot more from both sides still to come.
Final Score: An Tochar 0-14 Shillelagh 0-6
Scorers – An Tochar: Graham Sutton 0-3 (3f); Gerard Byrne 0-2, Brendan Kennedy 0-2, Brendan Swords 0-2, Conor Davis 0-1, Joe Gaffney 0-1, Tom Kenna 0-1, Liam Kenna 0-1, Gavin Kenny 0-1.
Shillelagh: Daniel Behan 0-3 (2f); Cathal Murphy 0-2 (2f), Brendan Behan 0-1.
Peter Byrne; Stephen Connor, Jamie Salley, Conor Short; Eamonn Wolohan, Colm O Brien, Joe Gaffney; Gavin Kenny, Conor Davis; Gerard Byrne, Liam Gaffney, Brendan Kennedy; Brendan Swords, Tom Kenna, Graham Sutton. Subs: John Kavanagh for Wolohan (46min); Liam Kenna for T Kenna (47min); David Kavanagh for Swords (53min); Noel Power for Connor (58min); William Halligan for O Brien (60min)
Laurie Cullen; Keith Collins, Sean Carroll, Francis Simpson; Noel Murphy, Daire Foley, Enda Foley; Paddy Hennessey, Raymond Murphy; Cathal Murphy, Gary Murphy, Robbie Elliott; David Whelan, Brendan Behan, Daniel Behan. Subs: Ger O Brien for R Murphy (HT); Cian Doyle for D Behan (56min)
Chris Canavan
VALLEYMOUNT BARNDARRIG 0-18 1-9
VALLEYMOUNT took the spoils in the Boom Platform Hire Junior ‘A’ Football Championship Group 1 opener against Barndarrig on Sunday evening last.
A blistering start by the west men in the opening half left the east coast side shellshocked. It was Martin Cullen with a powerful point, inside the opening 30 seconds, that got Barndarrig off the mark from the throw in.
However, the lakesider’s landed 11 unanswered points in a row to all but knock-out their opponents, with some breathtaking football.
James Fitzpatrick got the Reds off the mark with a point from a free in the third minute. Corner-back, Jeff Kemmy put Valleymount ahead in the next attack.
Liam Miley, who was dictating the early stages, landed a monster of a point from 55 meters out, but the west side registered a couple of wides and dropped a couple of efforts short into goalie Jamie Roe’s arms.
Declan Cahill furthered the lead with another point as Valleymount were in total control at this stage with 15 on the clock.
Valleymount were dominant up the centre, with Stephen Flanagan, Liam Miley, Declan Cahill, Jamie Miley to Steven Byrne in fine fettle.
Liam Miley was pulling all the strings, building attack after attack, with some powerful interlinking football as full-forward Steven Byrne was the target man.
A trio of points from James Fitzpatrick,Michael Richardson and Steven Byrne increased the score to 0-7 to 0-1.
Michael Murphy broke through and was about to score but a great interception by Steven Cahill cleared any danger.
Centre forward Jamie Miley soloed 40 meters through the Barndarrig defence and split the posts with ten minutes left in the opening half.
Stephen Byrne pointed before Michael Richardson landed another beast of a point.
Barndarrig introduced a couple of subs to try and stifle the wave after wave of the lakesiders’ attack. Mark Carroll went off injured with Brian Flynn replacing him.
Jamie Miley landed his second point of the evening. Michael Murphy was fouled going through and pointed the resultant free kick for Barndarrig’s last score of the half. James Fitzpatrick closed out the first half with a pointed free to leave it 0-12 to 0-2 in favour of Valleymount at the break.
Both defences were called into action early on with some powerful blocking by each side. Michael Cullen landed a smashing point in the fourth minute but Valleymount responded immediately with Michael Richardson pointing after good work by Jamie Miley.
Steven Byrne smashed an effort of the foot of the post, as Valleymount went for the jugular. Declan Cahill and Jack Miley pointed to put the score 0-15 to 0-3.
Jamie Roe drew a powerful save from the boot of James Fitzpatrick as Valleymount went for the knockout blow.
Full-forward Martin Cullen split the posts from a 45 in the next play after good work by Paul Ryan and Jacques McCall.
However, a brace of points by Valleymount closed out the third quarter leaving the Reds leading by 14 points and they seemed home and dry going into the final quarter.
Barndarrig moved Michael Murphy into full-forward and what an effect it caused. Barndarrig started to settle into the game and pointed from the next two attacks, from the accurate boot of Murphy. Ben Quinn and Michael Cullen found a bit of momentum for the N11 men and when Jeff Kemmy fouled Michael Murphy in the box, a penalty was signaled.
Michael Murphy dusted himself off and found the bottom corner of Paul Miley’s net to reduce the lead to 1-7 to 0-17 going into the final ten minutes.
It was all Barndarrig now at this stage and a brace of points by Michael Cullen and Michael Murphy reduced it to a five-point game.
A shell-shocked Valleymount seemed out on their feet on this big pitch with three minutes left and they introduced a couple of subs but could not add to their tally with a couple of wides going into injury time.
James Fitzpatrick pointed a free for Valleymount in the second and final minute of injury time to close out the game.
Worryingly for Valleymount, this was their first point since the 45th minute, but they will be delighted to have two points on the board, with Knockananna up next in line for the Reds, as Éire Óg Greystones seemingly have withdrawn from the JAFC after giving Newcastle a walk-over.
Barndarrig will regroup with both Newcastle and Knockananna to play to progress to the latter stages.
Scorers - Valleymount: James Fitzpatrick 0-4 (2f), Michael Richardson 0-3, Jamie Miley 0-2, Declan Cahill 0-2, Steven Byrne 0-2, Jeff Kemmy 0-1, Jack Miley 0-1, Liam Miley 0-1, Gary Walshe 0-1, Brian Flynn 0-1.
Barndarrig: Michael Murphy 1-5 (p, 2f), Martin Cullen 0-2, Micheal Cullen 0-2.
Paul Miley; Robbie Behan, Steven Cahill, Jeff Kemmy; Mark Carroll, Stephen Flanagan; Liam Miley, Declan Cahill; Gary Walshe, Jamie Miley, William Kavanagh; James Fitzpatrick, Steven Byrne, Michael Richardson. Subs: Brian Flynn, Darragh Browne, Shay Geoghegan.
Jamie Roe; Joesph Toomey, James Quinn, Kevin Cullen; Cahaill Keegan, James Cullen, Pat Redmond; Ben Quinn, Michael Cullen; Philip Kinsella, Michael Murphy, Paul Ryan; Jacques McCall, Martin Cullen, Andrew P. Kavanagh. Subs: E. Ver Veen, John Kennedy.
Darragh Byrne (Bally- manus)