Craanford do enough
DIVISION 3
CRAANFORD combined a promising first half performance with a more lethargic display after the break to just about edge Clongeen by 3-7 to 2-8 in the All County League Division 3, Round3 encounter played at a windy and cold Craanford on Saturday evening.
The frequency at which the home side cut through the heart of Clongeen’s defence was a notable facet of an opening quarter that saw twice as many goals scored than points, with Craanford holding a 3-2 to 1-0 advantage by that juncture.
It was the Geeners who actually kick-started that goal-scoring spree when midfield duo Paudie Cullen and Shane Cahill linked up to play in Shane Kilkenny, and the full-forward just about found the net despite the ball holding up in some goalmouth surface water on the way.
However, Craanford hit back with a brilliantly worked goal a minute later when Matthew Nolan found Pat Murray in the open expanses and he transferred to Martin Doyle to side-foot home.
Eamonn Doran walloped the crossbar from another opportunity on 11 minutes, but when Padraig Redmond’s handpass towards Michael Lyons eluded its intended target two minutes later, Jamie Doyle reacted to finish soccer-style to the net. Murray chipped over when in the clear before Martin Doyle latched on to Lyons’ under-hit point attempt to fist in their third goal through a hole in the netting.
The goalscorer turned provider for John Lancaster to make it 3-3 to 1-0 after 16 minutes while Doyle was soon denied his hat-trick when his close-range punt was cleared off the line by a defender. Murray notched a confident point on 20 minutes, but Clongeen gave themselves renewed hope when Cahill fed Daryl Murphy off his left shoulder and he goaled with a low finish.
Murray also saw a ‘45 fumbled over the bar for a point, with a few in the stand mistakenly believing it had dropped under the bar as Craanford led by 3-5 to 2-1 at the interval.
Jamesie Rochford kicked the point of the day two minutes into the new half, and also added two more as Craanford endured their longest dry spell of the day. Murray eventually tagged on two frees to keep the hosts noses in front, while all Clongeen could muster in response were points from Murphy, Cullen (free), Shane Cahill and Stephen Bennett as Craanford hung on. CRAANFORD: Derek Finn; Padraig Redmond, Pat Kenny, Michael Sinnott; Ger Lyons, Jim Kenny, Eoin Doyle; Ollie Doran, Matthew Nolan; Eamonn Doran (0-1), Pat Murray (0-5, two frees, one ‘45), Michael Lyons (capt); Jamie Doyle (1-0), Martin Doyle (2-0), John Lancaster (0-1). Subs: Pat Lancaster for Ger Lyons (blood, 8-13), Pat Lancaster for Eamonn Doran (49), Stuart Byrne for Sinnott (temp, 55-58).
CLONGEEN: Ricky Rochford; Stephen Dundon, Donal Whelan, Seamus Keating; Richard Rochford, Enda Murphy, Tom Donovan; Paudie Cullen (0-2 frees), Shane Cahill (0-1); Daryl Murphy (1-1), Paudie Cahill (capt), Leon Stafford; Stephen Bennett (0-1), Shane Kilkenny (1-0), Jamesie Rochford (0-3, one free). Sub: Marty Reville for Dundon (HT).
REFEREE: Paddy Brady (Realt na Mara).