Doughty defenders seal win
Piercestown-Murrintown shut up shop to defeat Glynn
A HEROIC defensive effort ensured Piercestown and Murrintown took the Rackard League boys’ football Roinn ‘A’ title over Glynn in an icy St. Patrick’s Park recently.
The champions were under serious pressure for long spells but defended their goal with incredible guts to keep a talented Glynn outfit at bay. It all started in goal, with the sensational Rían O’Dowd leading by example.
The quality of a goalkeeper and how safe he is between the posts can spread confidence through a defence, and O’Dowd put in just that kind of assured performance. Nothing was going to better him and nothing did, it just wasn’t going to happen.
While he had shots to save, the six in front were absolutely superb. Paddy Walsh led by example at full-back and he had pace and heart either side, with Rúairí Pettitt and Leon Cullen ably assisting for the clean sheet.
Seánie Duggan, Kevin O’Mahony and Conor Doyle were the initial battering ram and had to deal with the opposition’s strongest line.
Meanwhile, Cian O’Dowd and Caleb Whitty had a hugely intense battle in midfield with Rory Goff and Oisín McDonagh which neither side really won outright.
A quick start was vital, and Piercestown-Murrintown got it with three important scores in nine minutes.
The silky footballer Adam Connick notched the first and Whitty added a free, yet it was Connick’s goal from Cian O’Dowd’s pass that proved to be the critical score.
With Cian Donovan creating havoc, Colin Carley knocked over a pair of frees to cut into the margin.
However, Charlie Conway flighted over the last point of the half as the boys in white and maroon trim went in 1-3 to 0-2 up at the interval.
Pressure was coming from Glynn early in the second-half, but Piercestown-Murrintown were excellent on the counter-attack. Two Whitty frees increased the lead to six just seven minutes into the second-half.
O’Dowd made a fine save from Carley, while the lightning Jamie Stafford-Doyle forced Jarlath Kelly into a stop at the other end.
Glynn did start to chip away, with Oisín McDonagh and Carley (two) edging them within a goal.
A fourth Whitty free after a foul on O’Mahony made it 1-6 to 0-5, but Oscar Ramsey responded in kind.
That set up a frantic last few minutes. Piercestown-Murrintown had to repel several big chances with O’Dowd at the forefront, but they held on to take the Roinn ‘A’ title.
Piercestown-Murrintown: Rían O’Dowd; Rúairí Pettitt, Paddy Walsh (joint capt.), Leon Cullen; Conor Doyle, Kevin O’Mahony, Seánie Duggan; Cian O’Dowd, Caleb Whitty (joint capt., 0-4 frees); Evan Jones, Charlie Conway (0-1), Aaron Mullally; Adam Connick (1-1, 0-1 free), Jamie Stafford-Doyle, Jack Crotty. Subs. (rolling) - Conor Newport, Evan Devereux, Jack Feery, Ralph O’Gorman, Bobby Somers, Hugh O’Brien, Peter Kenny, Alex Norval, Darragh O’Rourke, Joe Radford, Charlie Mullan.
Glynn: Jarlath Kelly; Niall Taaffe, Callum Kennedy, Conor Reardon (capt.); Jack Butler, Oscar Ramsey (0-1 free), Calum McGuire; Rory Goff, Oisín McDonagh (0-1); Cian Donovan, Colin Carley (0-4 frees), Kevin Whelan; Rúairí Corley, Billy Walsh, Jack Browne. Subs. (rolling) - Cian Cooney, Oisín Harte, Shane Kennedy, Oisín McCarthy, John Turley.
Referee: John Diskin (Bannow-Ballymitty).