Brief blitz proves vital as Anne’s beat Volunteers
JAFC
EIGHTEEN minutes of clinical attacking was enough to see St Anne’s past Volunteers and into the Junior A Football Championship semi-final in Kilmore on Sunday lunchtime last.
The Group B table-toppers had real difficulty putting the underdogs away. The Pairc Charman boys gave it everything they had but in the end that run of 1-9 to 0-2 from the start of the second half proved too much to overcome.
Playing with the breeze, Volunteers took the game to their opponents from the first whistle. Alan Browne’s energy was a big bonus for his side, he opened the scoring with a free after Aaron Smyth was fouled.
Ian Maguire doubled the advan- tage before the excellent Graeme Holmes replied. Mick Arthurs made it 0-3 to 0-1, Neil Furlong claimed the fourth score for his side, getting the last touch on Aidan Roche’s booming, bouncing effort.
Twice St Anne’s cut the advantage to two, with score from Jess Codd and Holmes, but both times Volunteers bounced back with frees to take a three point, 0-6 to 0-3 advantage in at the interval.
Four points in five second half minutes, with Holmes kicking another treble, turned a deficit into a lead for St Anne’s. James Nolan scored a nice point to tie it at 0-7 each but that was the last time the Wexford Town club were level.
St Anne’s put a string of scores together with David Kelly firing home the crucial goal in the 45th minute. Volunteers again made a late run to pull within four with three points in a row from Nolan and Aidan Roche (2) but Roy Nunn tied up St Anne’s last four spot with an injury time over.
ST ANNE’S: Neil Roche; Sean Redmond, Tomás Byrne (capt), Gavin O’Brien; Vincent Carroll, Joe O’Connor, Paul McDonnell; Graeme Holmes (0-7, 5 frees), Tony McDonnell; Jim Dwyer, Conor Hannigan, Kevin Redmond; David Kelly (1-2), Jess Codd (0-2), Roy Nunn (0-2). Subs. - Wayne Hayes for Redmond (53), K. Redmond for Holmes (60).
VOLUNTEERS: Darragh Hayes; Aaron Goland, David O’Connor (capt), Luke Carty; Aaron Smyth, Jason Nolan (0-4, 1 free), Ian Maguire (0-2, 1 free); Jason Kehoe, Aidan Roche (02); Gary Nagle, Paul Daly, Alan Browne (0-1 free); Noel Kehoe, Neil Furlong (0-1), Mick Arthurs (vice-capt, 0-1). Subs. - Declan Dennehy for N. Kehoe (31), Roger Doyle for Carty (52).
REFEREE: Bob Treacy (Clongeen).