Glyde Rangers return to decider
0-14 0-12
GLYDE Rangers once again showed remarkable resilience to reach the Junior Championship final for the third time year on the bounce.
The Tallanstown men don’t go away.
They have taken two losing finals firmly on the chin, so to come back again in search of Christy Bellew Cup shows remarkable courage.
Top heavy with scoring power, the sky blue side will go into the final hoping to avoid an unwanted sequence of three final losses in succession.
Na Piarsaigh themselves will feel that they left it behind, three marvellous goal chances down the home stretch from substitutes David Boyle and Ciaran Murphy, along with an Alan McCartney effort that forced Glyde net minder David Brennan into a smothering block. Those hat trick of near misses and thoughts of what might have been, will live long in the memory.
From Glyde’s point of view Ollie Flynn has guided them to the final with a sense of pragmatism, relying on his many forwards to pull them through. Once again Trevor O’Brien was to the fore, well aided by Brian Duffy with Alan Brennan and the returning Dion Conlon getting through a mountain of work.
Na Piarsaigh were full value for their 6-3 lead mid way through the half, John Garvey has come in late in the season and given the Dundalk side structure and it was paying off early on.
Lying deep and playing with four forwards up top, Garvey’s men were able to intercept and punish Glyde’s wayward foot-passing with Robbie Murphy landing an excellent brace.
It got better for Na Piarsaigh in this period, Alan McCartney helped himself to a bracce while Thomas Mallon whipped over the point of the match.
Glyde dug deep and ended the half with their noses in front 7-6, O’Brien with two before Ciarain Sheridan grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck with his first point of the game.
The big midfielder continued his dominance at the restart with a fine point only for Murphy and Mark Larkin to quickly level.
With Na Piarsaigh beginning their waywardness, Sheridan now playing inside, forced their attacking superiority, Niall Sharkey, Gareth Moran and O’Brien made it 12-8 with Brian Duffy crucially assisting having gone out the field.
McCartney and Larkin again reduced the deficit back, but the two point lead would remain with Duffy rewarded with his third point and O’Brien with Glyde’s final point of the game pushed their lead out to four as they braced themselves for the pulsating finish.
With that rub of the green that has deserted them in the past at this grade, Glyde duly hug on and look forward to yet another Junior final.
NA PIARSAIGH: Adam Molloy; Tommy Muckian,Thomas Moran, Eamonn McAuley; Shane Roddy, Conall Shields, Stephen McGuinness; Jarlath Lyons, Michael Woods; David Egan, Mark Larkin 0-4 (2f), Robbie Murphy 0-3 (1f), Paul Mallon 0-1, Alan McCartney 0-3(1f). Subs: Ciaran Murphy for Muckian (40), David Boyle 0-1 for Mallon (46), Paul Noone for K Moran (50), John Garvey for Egan (55), Fergal Mulholland for Murphy (55), Egan for C Shields (62).
GLYDE RANGERS: David Brennan; Kevin Moran, Conor McCullough, Fiachra Sheridan; Gerard Farrell, Mark O’Brien, Cein Sheridan; Ciarain Sheridan 0-3, Gareth Moran 0-1; Dion Conlon, Conor Sheridan, Alan Brennan; Trevor O’Brien 0-6(1f), Brian Duffy 0-3(1f), Niall Sharkey 0-1. Subs: Martin McArdle for Brennan (36), Barry Sharkey for Cein Sheridan (58), Aaron Devlin for McArdle (58).
REFEREE: Brian Brady.