Mattock too hot for Plunketts in one-sided clash
2-15 1-3
MATTOCK Rangers secured their place in the last four of the Intermediate Championship when they eased past the disappointing challenge of Oliver Plunketts in a one-sided affair at Dunleer on Saturday evening.
Ahead of this quarter-final many had tipped the Drogheda men as the dark horses of the competition given their impressive displays in the group stages. However, they were unable to recapture that form as Mattock cruised home without ever having to be at their best.
The game was all but over as a contest by the time the half-time whistle had sounded as the Collon side had built up a nine-point lead with the help of a Brendan Leacy goal. As a result the second half was a rather tame affair and the winners were never really troubled as a second goal from substitute Conor Leneghan sealed the win.
While it was easier than expected in the end for Mattock, the opening play of the game suggested otherwise as the Plunketts had the first score on the board through Cian Brady after just 15 seconds.
However, that early promise quickly disappeared as Mattock soon took control and their superior energy, pace and link-up play saw them dominate.
After Ben McKenna had levelled from a 40m free, they showed their ability to cut through the Plunketts defence when a quick move from the back saw Daire Englishby set up Leacy for a goal on five minutes.
That score seemed to knock the confidence out of the Plunketts and David Reid was central to Mattock taking advantage of that vulnerability as he landed three successive points and had a goal chance just wide to put his side 1-4 to 0-1 ahead at the end of the first quarter.
The Plunketts finally began to get some possession in the opposition half but four wides saw them miss the chance to close the gap and Mattock punished those errors with points Aaron O’Brien, Hugh Donnell and McKenna to make it 1-7 to 0-1 at the break.
O’Brien and Ronan Kilbane extended the lead with points inside three minutes before the Plunketts gave themselves brief hope when Dean Carolan collected a ball that came back off the post and despatched it to the net.
Within a minute he had crashed an effort off the crossbar before Trevor Walsh landed a free but the revival didn’t last long as Mattock replied with points in quick succession from Leacy, Ryan Leneghan and David Reid to extend the lead to 1-12 to 1-2 after 47 minutes.
The closing stages provided little entertainment for the spectators and Oliver Plunketts’ fortunes were summed up when an attempt at a point from Conor Leneghan sailed into the net off the post three minutes from time to complete the win.
MATTOCK RANGERS: Mike Englishby; Alan Caraher, Sean Gilsenan, Daire Englishby; Brendan Leacy 1-1, Niall McKeown, Ronan Kilbane 0-1; Aaron O’Brien 0-3, Hugh Donnelly 0-1; David Reid 0-6 (5f), Adrian Reid, Ben McKenna 0-2; Michael McKeown, Cathal Clarke, Terry Donegan. Subs: Ryan Leneghan 0-1 for N McKeown, Daniel Bannon for H Donnelly, JP Watters for C Clarke, Shane Maguire for R Kilbane, Conor Leneghan 1-0 for A O’Brien.
OLIVER PLUNKETTS: Luke Haggins; Cillian Matthews, David McTaggart, Barry Reynolds; Josh Cormican, Cian Matthews, Frank Daly; Trevor Walsh 0-1, Robert Brodigan 0-1; David Lambe, Dean Carolan 1-0, Adam Brodigan; Emmet Kelleher, Cian Brady 0-1, Kevin Keogh. Subs: Ben McKenna for J Cormican, Rory Taaffe for A Brodigan, Sean Rice for B Reynolds, Ricky Bateson for D McTaggart for BC, Sean Callaghan for D Lambe.
REFEREE: Anthony Briscoe.