Semi-final by skin of teeth
Glynn-Barntown march on
ELEVEN second half points were enough to scrape Glynn-Barntown past Shelmaliers and into the semi-finals of the Tom Doyle Supplies Senior Football Championship at Bellefield on Saturday afternoon last.
The Killurin club trailed by double-scores at the break (0-6 to 0-3) having played against the breeze, then did just enough in the second period to see off a Shelmaliers side that seemed to get better the more substitutions they made.
There is a clear momentum building behind Glynn-Barntown. After losing their first two games they have now won four straight and are playing good, fast football. Having Mark Fanning back in the attack is certainly a welcome bonus too.
While his eventual position inside might slightly displace the dangerous Robert Dempsey, that’s a welcome problem for Glynn to have to deal with. It’s one their opponents last week, Shelmaliers, would love to have.
There have been question marks about the Hollymount sides ability to produce a main score-getter but they simply don’t grow on trees. With two points, Tommy Barron, an attacking wingback, was their top scorer from play and it’s difficult to win games in those circumstances.
The over-the-water side kicked the opening two points in the first four minutes. Derek Walsh popped over a free that was soon followed by a bursting run and finish by the returning Brian Malone.
One way to defeat the breeze is to kick powerfully and true, Michael O’Regan did just that with a bullet free from 40 metres into its teeth. The kick easily reached the protective netting behind the goal, a sign of things to come.
O’Regan levelled it up after nice work by Alan Cowman and Robert Dempsey. However, Shelmaliers scored four-in-a-row between the 11th and 22nd minute as they eased their way clear.
Still, Glynn defended fairly well in that spell. Three of those points were frees, given for little grabs and tugs and kicked by Walsh (2) and Adam Whitmore. Glen Malone did flight a nice score to end that run and make it 0-6 to 0-2.
Robert Dempsey added a late point, and saw another attempt hop out off the crossbar, as his side stayed right in contention at the change-around, 0-6 to 0-3 behind.
Too much space was afforded to Aaron Murphy, twenty metres out, and he took full advantage in the 32nd minute. Mark Fanning immediately responded cutting in from the right before O’Regan nailed a free from just inside the ‘65 that would have been good from halfway.
Following points from Craig Doyle and Fanning, a brace from O’Regan finally drew Glynn-Barntown level in the 45th minute (0-9 each). Then, just a minute later, the powerful figure of Michael Doyle put his side ahead for the first time.
Between the 46th and 54th minute it was all Shelmaliers pressure but they couldn’t find a score. Their challenge looked to be petering out when Glynn kicked four points in three minutes, the pick coming from Fanning, to open up a 0-14 to 0-9 lead.
At that stage, having not scored for sixteen minutes, it looked like Shelmaliers would need goals to drag themselves back into the tie. Maybe that was in Glynn minds when they started sitting in deep preventing goals, allowing those tricky 25 metre shots against the breeze.
Suddenly Shelmaliers starting hitting their targets. Brendan Barron and Barry O’Connor pointed to leave a goal between the sides going into added-time (0-14 to 0-11). Tommy Barron took his over, rather than take a chance, moments later.
When Conor Hearne became the fourth Shelmaliers substitute to score eyes focussed strongly on referee Anthony Tobin. His whistle went after Graham Lawlor-Ryan’s next kick-out to send Glynn-Barntown into the last four by the skin of their teeth.
GLYNN-BARNTOWN: Luke Rafter; Stephen Lyne, Padraig Donnelly, Nigel Usher; James Stafford, John Lacey, Alan Cowman; Michael Doyle (capt, 0-1), Brendan Doyle; Rioghan Crosbie, Craig Doyle (0-2), Mark Fanning (0-3); Robert Dempsey (0-2), Michael O’Regan (0-5, 4 frees), Barry Doyle. Subs. - Robert Tierney for Stafford (23), Matthew Joyce (0-1) for B. Doyle (52).
SHELMALIERS: Graham Lawlor-Ryan; Andre O’Brien, Eoin Doyle, Ciaran O’Shaughnessy; Tommy Barron (0-2), Brian Malone (0-1), Graham Staples; Stephen Banville (capt), Glen Malone (0-1); James Gordon, Simon Donohoe, Aaron Murphy (0-1); Derek Walsh (0-3 frees), Adam Whitmore (0-1 free), Colin Cleary. Subs. - Craig McCabe (0-1) for Whitmore (35), Brendan Barron (0-1) for Gordon (44), Barry O’Connor (0-1 free) for Walsh (50) Conor Hearne (0-1) for Cleary (54).
REFEREE: Anthony Tobin (Geraldine O’Hanrahans).