Reds rule roost with late flurry
Monageer move up table
MONAGEER-BOOLAVOGUE leapfrogged Glynn-Barntown on the Enniscorthy Farm Systems Junior football championship Group B table when they struck the last three points in an entertaining game of swaying fortunes in St. Patrick’s Park, Enniscorthy, on Thursday.
Cathal Walsh (free), Paddy Breen and Matthew Dunne got the vital scores for the men in red who overcame a missed penalty to claim their first success of the campaign after a loss and a draw in the opening two rounds.
A very youthful Glynn-Barntown side came into the game with a 50 per cent record, and they seemed to be in serious trouble after 19 minutes when they trailed by 0-8 to 0-1.
Full-forward Matthew Dunne and midfielder Seán Roche claimed the first two points for the eventual victors, and both ended up picking off an impressive five apiece from play.
Glynn-Barntown got the lifeline they needed in the shape of a Jack Brazzill goal from a Fionn Cooney lay-off in the 21st minute, but they still trailed by 1-10 to 1-4 at halftime after Monageer-Boolavogue replied with a well-worked score.
Cathal Walsh found Mick Sweeney who in turn picked out Dunne, and he unselfishly played a return pass to Sweeney who finished from close range.
The only negative aspect of that opening half from the Enniscorthy District side’s point of view was a black card for corner-forward James Sweeney, but their first quarter dominance didn’t count for much on the re-start.
The introduction of the Carroll brothers ignited the Glynn-Barntown challenge, with Daniel kicking a quick point after Jack Brazzill had converted a free.
And when a left-footed shot by Fionn Cooney flew through a hole in the net to narrow the gap to the minimum (1-10 to 2-6), it was clear that we were going to have a game on our hands.
Although Seán Roche and veteran centre-back Chris Daly steadied Monageer-Boolavogue somewhat with points, Michael Carroll netted with his first touch for their rivals in the 44th minute, applying the finish after David Roche’s initial attempt was parried at close range by Niall Finn (3-6 to 1-12).
Glynn-Barntown surged ahead with two points (one free) from Dylan Lyne, but there was another kick left in Monageer-Boolavogue as the prolific Seán Roche pointed again.
A foul on Mick Sweeney led to a penalty in the 54th minute, but Matthew Dunne’s first attempt and his rebound kick were both saved by Adam O’Leary-Murphy before Roche tapped over a levelling point (1-14 to 3-8).
Matthew Dunne and Daniel Carroll then swapped scores and a draw looked likely, but Monageer-Boolavogue had other ideas as those late successful kicks from Cathal Walsh (free), Paddy Breen and Matthew Dunne left them with three points on the table, one better than the opposition.
Monageer-Boolavogue: Niall Finn; Morgan Gahan, Brian O’Loughlin, Arran Breslin; Ian Hawkins (capt.), Chris Daly (0-1), Paddy Breen (0-1); Seán Roche (0-5), Damien Fenlon (0-2); Mick Sweeney (1-0), Shane Kehoe, Micheál Gahan (0-1); James Sweeney, Matthew Dunne (0-5), Cathal Walsh (03, 2 frees). Subs. - David Mernagh for J. Sweeney, black card (27), Stephen Murphy for Breslin (47).
Glynn-Barntown: Adam O’Leary-Murphy; Barry Ryan, Shane Codd, Shane Doyle; Matthew Banville, Richie Ryan, David Roche; Cormac Rowe, Ben O’Shea; Dylan Lyne (0-4, 1 free), Pádraic Wafer, Fionn Cooney (11); Jack Brazzill (1-2, 0-2 frees), Aaron Kehoe, Ian Moran. Subs. - Garbhan MacCormack for Doyle (17), Daniel Carroll (0-2) for O’Shea (HT), Michael Carroll (1-0) for Brazzill (43), Darragh Nolan for Kehoe (49), Jamie O’Shea for Cooney (60), Conor Clarke for R. Ryan (60+2).
Referee: Martin Armstrong (Starlights).