Charlie on a winner
McGuckin kicks vital point for Gorey
NAOMH EANNA 1-8 TAGHMON-C’ROSS 0-10
CHARLIE McGUCKIN kicked the winning point in the first minute of added-time as Naomh Eanna came from behind to claim a deserved victory in the Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Intermediate football championship Group A in Hollymount on Saturday.
It was just rewards for the young forward’s persistence and resilience. McGuckin scored after being introduced for Brendan Travers in the first-half, but a nasty zero from three attempts stat was stuck to his name in the second period as the game moved into stoppage time.
Others, with less confidence, might have given up the opportunity, or might have put in a half-hearted attempt.
Not McGuckin, as the second he took possession there was only on thing on his mind, to dart into space and take his shot, and he duly delivered.
The winner was only possible after a dramatic 59th-minute goal. Gorey had dominated the second-half against a Taghmon-Camross side which tried to manage their way through the period, defending in numbers while rarely looking threatening at the other end.
The New Ross District team were aided in their quest for a second win by nine Naomh Eanna second-half wides that meant an 0-8 to 0-5 interval deficit had not narrowed (0-10 to 0-7) heading into the final moments.
Ian Carty had six of his side’s eight points in the first-half as they built a three-point lead. At the other end Naomh Eanna had notched three of their five points in a 90-second spell in the middle of the half, with Lee Kinsella, Seán Doyle and Gary Molloy scoring those.
They got within one when David O’Brien pointed a 52nd-minute free, just the second score of the half, but Taghmon-Camross came back with scores from Shane Doyle and Derek O’Hanlon to again lead by a goal.
In the 59th minute Gorey sensed they had numbers on the right. Eventually O’Brien burst past cover and smacked a low shot across goal, and a poaching Darragh Canavan fisted the ball over the line from two feet out to tie the contest.
That set up McGuckin to nab the winner and Gorey were able to keep possession with incredible patience to run out the remainder of the added-time as the Intermediate ‘A’ champs of 2018 beat the relegated Senior side.
Naturally, Taghmon-Camross came into this season as one of the favourites, but club members should be worried.
If a player is treated, by a mentor, with the level of disrespect that Mick O’Gorman was when coming off the pitch after giving his all for 40 minutes, then there are problems.
If an apology was not immediately offered up to the player back in the dressing-room after the game, those problems are huge and could start to undermine the club’s campaign.
Naomh Eanna: Kenneth Byrne; Joseph O’Connor, Simon Doran, Seamus O’Donnell; Brendan Travers, Pádraig Doyle, Aodhán Doyle; Jack Cushe, John O’Brien; Gary Molloy (0-1), Peter Travers (capt.), Seán Doyle (0-1); Lee Kinsella (0-2), David O’Brien (0-2, 1 free), Jack Doran. Subs. - Charlie McGuckin (0-2) for B. Travers, black card (20), Darragh Canavan (1-0) for J. Doran (54), Doran for O’Donnell, temp. (58-end).
Taghmon-Camross: Jack Dunne; Shane Doyle (0-1), Alan Nolan, Stephen O’Keeffe; Mark O’Gorman, Barry O’Gorman (capt.), Darren Carty (0-1); Mick O’Gorman, Derek O’Hanlon (0-1); Tom Banville, Ian Carty (0-6, 5 frees), Cathal Doyle; Stephen Stafford, Shane Lacey (0-1), Eoin Doyle. Subs. - Luke Sinnott for C. Doyle, inj. (27), Chris Cullen for Mick O’Gorman (40), Pete Murphy for Lacey (49).
Referee: John Carton (Monageer-Boolavogue).