Starlights seconds expose gulf in class
THE GULF in class was reflected on the scoreboard as Starlights sauntered to a 2-16 to 0-6 victory of Shelmaliers in the opening round of the Enniscorthy Farm Systems Junior football championship battle of the second-strings of the last two Senior champions in Ballymurn on Sunday.
Play largely meandered back and forth in an insipid opening to this Group B tie, but as soon as the Bellefield-based side got their noses in front on nine minutes, they never looked back thereafter to register a straightforward win.
Seasoned campaigner Eamonn Furlong opened their account when Anthony Larkin drop-kicked the ball towards the square and he beat Aodhán Foley to it to fist into the net.
The goalscorer added a point two minutes later while another player with plenty of Senior experience, Tommy Foley, wriggled free to kick a point on 15 minutes.
Foley also finished a move that began from a Furlong mark, while further points from Lee Jordan and Paul Byrne stretched the lead to 1-6 to nil after 24 minutes.
Larry Stout registered a fine opener from the left side for Shelmaliers, while a punt at goal looked to be on for substitute Stephen McGuire who instead chipped over the bar as they brought their first-half total to a miserly 0-2.
And Starlights were in total control by the interval with a 2-6 to 0-2 advantage after Paul Byrne was impeded for a blatant penalty which ‘Tucker’ Foley crashed home via the underside of the crossbar.
The most notable talking point of the second period is the fact that Starlights scored as many points off the bench as Shelmaliers managed for the entire game, with Lee Murphy (three), Lenny Connolly and Conor Ronan (two) all contributing on their introductions.
The pick of the bunch came from Murphy after a fine team move on 49 minutes, but it was long past being competitive before then.
Starlights: Garry Murphy; Michael Delaney, Joe Cullen (capt.), Chris Doyle; Brendan Doyle, Ed Tobin, Craig Foley (0-1); Jason Russell, Eamonn Furlong (1-1); Anthony Larkin (0-2), Dayle Donohoe, Lee Jordan (0-1); Anthony Russell, Paul Byrne (0-1), Tommy Foley (1-4, 1-0 pen.). Subs. - Lenny Connolly (0-1) for Jordan (33), Conor Ronan (0-2) for B. Doyle (33), Seán Breen for A. Russell (43), Lee Murphy (0-3, 1 free) for Byrne (47), William Doyle for T. Foley (53).
Shelmaliers: Aodhán Foley; Mark Doyle, Adam Hearne, Aaron Doyle; Dan Campbell, Robbie Staples (capt.), Adam Kelly; Eoin O’Leary, Chris Cowman; Mark Power, Larry Stout (0-1), Hugh Peter Manley; Thomas O’Connor, Ryan Hanrahan, John Forde (0-1). Subs. - Stephen McGuire (0-4, 3 frees) for Hanrahan (24), Paul McCleane for Kelly, inj. (36), Hanrahan for Campbell, inj. (42), Mark Flood for Stout (47), Darragh Howlin for M. Doyle (49).
Referee: Damien Donovan (Volunteers).