Carnew march on after dogged battle in Balto
DARCY SAND INTERMEDIATE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
CARNEW EMMETS S’FORD-G’CON 1-9 0-10
CARNEW EMMETS made hard work of their passage through to the quarter-finals of the Darcy Sand Intermediate Football Championship when they were pushed all the way by Stratford-Grangecon in Baltinglass last Sunday afternoon.
Waiting for James Hickey’s men in the next round are last year’s beaten finalists, Kilmacanogue, and a performance like this one is unlikely to be good enough to see Carnew Emmets book a lastfour berth.
But hurdles have to be crossed, and each brings their own tests and difficulties, and Carnew cleared this very tricky one by a narrow margin of two points while not playing anywhere near their full potential.
Their route was made all the more hazardous by a dogged and determined Stratford-Grangecon who are, unfortunately, in that dreaded ‘transition’ phase like many rural clubs.
Indeed, they lined out without Kieran Byrne and at least one of the O’Neill brothers for the first time in a very, very long time but gave this battle their everything and wouldn’t have been flattered with a shot at extra-time or a dramatic victory had things worked out differently.
Carnew started brightly, attacking Stratford-Grangecon down the flanks with John Doyle Jnr opening the scoring with a sweet point off the left that sailed over the black spot.
Stratford-Grangecon were asking questions but could only register three wides due to the hard work of Adrian Myers, Niall Osborne and midfielder John Doyle among others.
Then the goal chances started arriving for Carnew. A thundering run from Conall McCrea saw the corner-forward send the ball dangerously across the Stratford-Grangecon square where it came to John Kavanagh whose shot along the ground was a poor one.
This was followed by a long Owen Young ball that flew over the hands of Marcus Handbidge and into the waiting arms of John Doyle Jnr who rifled a shot directly at former Nemo Rangers man Jason Smyth who has taken up the referee’s whistle in Wicklow this year. The resulting 45 from goalkeeper Cormac Doyle was short but won by John Kavanagh who fired over with 11 on the clock.
Shane Byrne fired over Stratford-Grangecon’s opener after 12 after a sweet through ball from Paddy Cronin.
Carnew’s third goal chance of the half fell to John Doyle Jnr, again after a determined run from Conall McCrea under severe pressure, but Smyth saved the rushed shot, and their fourth came shortly afterwards when Owen Young displayed great vision when picking out an unmarked Pádraig Doran deep into Stratford-Grangecon territory but Jason Smyth spread himself superbly and thwarted the danger. Stratford-Grangecon attacked and hit Carnew on the counter with a bomb from Colin Byrne after a ball from Jason Bolger who was introduced early on for Larry McGrath.
Carnew were constantly tearing holes in the Stratford-Grangecon defence when they spread the play and Pádraig Doran could have went for goal after 21 when Conall McCrea picked him out with a lovely ball but the centre half forward drove over to make it 0-3 to 0-2 when really James Hickey’s side should have been well ahead.
A wasteful period followed for both before good work from Doran set up McCrea for a point after 27. Stratford-Grangecon hit back superbly with singles from Mark Murphy who was yet to really assert himself on the game and impressive midfielder Shane Byrne and we were all square at 0-4 apiece.
Pádraig Doran grabbed his second and then Carnew finally found a way past Jason Smyth when John Kavanagh trundled in on goal and slipped the ball under the Nemo Rangers man for the game’s opening major to leave it 1-5 to 0-4 at the break.
Stratford-Grangecon were level after 16 of the second half thanks to two Mark Murphy points and a Matt Manley single after a spurned goal chance from Mark Caplice. Mark Murphy didn’t have a quiet first half as such but he hadn’t dominated like he can, and this all changed in the second.
James Hickey began making changes early in the second. Justin House was the first to enter the fray, followed by Cillian Gilligan. It wasn’t that they weren’t asking questions in that third quarter, they clocked up three wides, it was just that Stratford-Grangecon were very much on the front foot.
Midfielder John Doyle stopped the rot after 22 minutes with a fine point after good work by Niall Osborne. Conor Wafer was their third substitute, coming on for Osborne who picked up a knock.
Mark Murphy and Conall McCrea fired wide and you got the feeling that Stratford-Grangecon were in a reasonably healthy situation here given that Carnew were proving unable to put them away.
John Doyle pointed his second after 27 to put two between the sides but it smacked of being a dangerous lead.
Cillian Gilligan gave them a semblance of security with a tasty effort but the excellent Mark Murphy bagged two points (one free) to pull them right back into it. Influential centre back Michael Mangan called for a penalty around this time as well but Diarmuid Haughian correctly called it a free outside the square.
Stratford-Grangecon drove hard at Carnew but they couldn’t find a breakthrough. Carnew attacked down the stand side and John Doyle won a free of the soft variety which was moved forward for dissent. John Kavanagh stepped up and delivered a beauty and the job was finally done.
Photos: Joe Byrne