Gorey shine in top two tussle
Leaders have game in hand
NAOMH EANNA KILMORE
NAOMH EANNA won the battle of the unbeaten sides in Group A of the Joyces Expert Intermediate ‘A’ football championship in Hollymount on Saturday.
Trailing by two points at the break, the Gorey side’s class shone through as they kicked on to take control of the group with an impressive eight-point win.
It appeared to be going to plan right from the off for Naomh Eanna. William Cullen struck two between the posts before Seamus O’Donnell rounded his marker and finished high into the net.
However, Kilmore were keen to make sure their opponents knew they were in a game as they raised the green flag twice in three minutes.
Daithí Moore fired in off the post before Paddy Byrne placed calmly into the side of the net.
Kilmore were solid for the remainder of the half. Daithí Moore, Tom Byrne, Tommy Cousins and Conor Moore ensured that their side led at the interval (2-6 to 1-7).
But, Gorey proved to be far superior after the re-start. By the time Kilmore had scored again, Naomh Eanna had 3-15 on the scoreboard.
Lee Kinsella and Cullen got five minors between them before David O’Brien fed Charlie McGuckin to finish low into the net.
Cullen added two more points before Gorey’s third goal took the game away from their opponents. Cullen fed Kinsella who rounded the ‘keeper and finished into an empty net.
Kilmore did offer one last late burst.
Tom Byrne scored his side’s only point of the half before they hit the net twice, with Daithí Moore and Tom Byrne both finishing low as they made the scoreline look respectable.
Naomh Eanna closed out the game with a trio of points. Peter Trvaers and David O’Brien were on target before substitute Gary Molloy got in on the act.
Gorey sit top of the group despite having a game in hand on the rest of their competitors. With this match coming against the struggling Réalt na Mara on Saturday, they will fancy their chances of extending their lead at the top of the table.
Naomh Eanna: Barry Kinsella; Seamus O’Donnell (1-0), Daniel Sunderland, Joseph O’Connor; Jack Cullen, Pádraig Doyle, Eoin Molloy; Brendan Travers (0-1), John O’Brien; Charlie McGuckin (1-0), Peter Travers (capt., 0-3), Seán Doyle; David O’Brien (0-3, 1 free), Lee Kinsella (1-3), William Cullen (0-7, 1 free). Subs. - Gary Molloy (0-1) for McGuckin (52), Eoin Conroy for Cullen (55).
Kilmore: Shane Cassidy; Shane Goff, Tommy Cousins (0-1), Robbie Cousins; Conor Moore (0-1), Denis Kenny, Páraic Reville; Paddy Byrne (1-1), Tom Byrne (1-2); Criostóir Reville, Daithí Moore (capt., 2-2, 0-1 free), Tom White; Mark Sinnott, Noel Casey, Aaron Kielthy. Subs. - Aaron Goff for Sinnott (31), Graham Mernagh for Casey (48), Kevin Keating for Reville (48).
Referee: John O’Loughlin (Monageer-Boolavogue). A FRANTIC last ten minutes which saw Cloughbawn score four goals was the highlight of this Joyces Expert Intermediate ‘A’ football championship Group A game in Oylegate on Sunday.
In a tense encounter in which the referee had to be on this toes to manage, Cloughbawn finished strongly to run out five-point winners.
Cloughbawn made the early running and could have had a couple of goal chances, but Réalt na Mara goalkeeper Kiran Gigi made some smart saves.
Réalt na Mara were guilty of some wayward shooting early on but they burst into life in the 16th minute when Johnny Sinnott was on the end of a sweeping move to find the net and put them ahead by 1-1 to 0-1.
There were some big hits in the opening period and a lot off-the-ball tussles but not much quality play.
Cloughbawn wing-back Gavin Murphy did his best to inject some life into the game with an excellent run and point in the 25th minute, and as the half-time whistle went Réalt na Mara were ahead by 1-4 to 0-4.
The second period began with a Patrick Naughter free, and ten minutes in the Gorey District side got their second goal when Shane Quinn was on hand to tap in after the Cloughbawn goalkeeper fumbled a high ball, putting his team five points ahead.
The game turned with eight minutes to play when Cloughbawn were awarded a penalty which full-forward Martin Kehoe expertly converted to narrow the gap to two points.
Cloughbawn then made it a one-point game and, with the final whistle approaching, Colm Kehoe went on a superb run and found Páidí Kehoe who buried a shot in the top corner to put them 2-10 to 2-8 in front.
The madness did not end there though, and there was still time for Martin Kehoe and Bob Whitty to find the net for Cloughbawn and Patrick Naughter to get a consolation goal for Réalt na Mara, with the Enniscorthy District side snatching victory on a final scoreline of 4-10 to 3-8 to move on to four points.
Cloughbawn: Paul Foley; James Dempsey, Colin Doyle, Aaron Byrne; Harry Kehoe (0-1), Johnny Cullen, Gavin Murphy (0-2); David Doyle-Murphy, Barry Kehoe; Luke Cummins, Colm Kehoe (0-1 ‘45), Stephen Dooley; Bob Whitty (1-2), Martin Kehoe (2-4, 1-0 pen., 0-2 frees), Páidí Cullen. Subs. - Páidí Kehoe (1-0) for P. Cullen, inj. (26), Kyle Murphy for Dempsey (30).
Réalt na Mara: Kiran Gigi; Eddie Redmond, Seamus Doyle (0-1), Aidan Murphy; John Doyle, Colm Cosgrave, Johnny Sinnott (1-0); Colm Kennelly, Stephen Redmond; David Doran, Killian Doyle, Adam Fleming; Seán O’Brien (0-1), Patrick Naughter (1-5, 1-4 frees), Shane Quinn (1-1). Subs. - Jimmy Murphy for Fleming (53), Harry Byrne for Sinnott (57), Eoin Corcoran for Quinn (58).
Referee: Mick Lanigan (Shelmaliers).