Muirhevnamor defeat sets up exciting finale to title race

PREMIER

MUIRHEVNAMOR 2 NEWFOUNDWELL 4 STRIKER John Kermode blew the title race open on Thursday night last as Muirhevnamor passed up a golden opportunity to tighten their grip with Navan Cosmos deducted the points they won in their recent game with Boyne Harps.

Kermode’s hat-trick in this clash at the Muirhevnamor astro pitch between the first and third placed teams, closed the gap between Newfoundwell and the leaders to just two points, and opens the door to Bellurgan and Cosmos as any one of four teams still in with a chance of ending up as champions.

The home side still remain out in front but they performed like a team inhibited by being virtually within touching distance of lifting the title, and if they fall short they will rue this defeat and conceding a last gasp equaliser at home to the current champions Navan.

Runners-up last season Newfoundwell were fighting to stay in contention. A defeat would have meant they couldn’t catch the leaders with two games left to play. However, their form now if anything is more in keeping with potential champions than the other contenders.

Billy Smith fired the home side in front with a little over ten minutes played when he tucked a spot kick low inside the post after Paudie Hearty was sent tumbling in the visitors’ penalty box by goalkeeper Keith Martin.

Newfoundwell instantly responded with a header by the troublesome Ciaran Carroll when Adam O’Connor outpaced the home defence down the left as he ran onto a clever free kick. Carroll dashed into the penalty box but from close to the near post couldn’t direct his cross on target.

However, Kermode scored the first of his goals with a terrific strike just over the half hour mark from near the 18 yard line, and the home side were fortunate to go in level at the break.

Carroll headed shortly after against the home crossbar, and Kermode showed lovely footwork to evade two home defenders in the box and then having composed himself in space dragged his shot wide on virtually the stroke of half-time.

However, with under ten minutes played in the second half Craig O’Connor deservedly put the Drogheda side ahead with a well placed low shot across goal into the far corner of the net when he got in behind the home defence.

Within two minutes the leaders equalised with Brendan Hughes (above) bundling Jimmy Cooney’s’ corner kick over the goal line.

But Newfoundwell remained the better team and David Cooney did well to keep out a thumping shot from Kevin Bull from outside the penalty area, although it was straight at him.

The latter was a little fortunate that a free was awarded out when he knocked the ball over his goalkeeper and into his own net when challenged by a Muirhevnamorr player.

Muirhevnamor throughout struggled to curb Kermode and he worked his way into a threatening position, but two defenders managed to snuff out the danger.

However, he pulled away shortly after from a couple of opponents to enter the box and made no mistake to make it 3-2 on 67 minutes.

Muirhevnamor wrung the changes, bringing on three substitutes, and shuffled the pack, with Philip Duffy bringing control and order to their play in mid-field. But they lacked coherence and invention as they pressed to get back on terms. The one time they managed to prise open the resolute Newfoundwell defence was when Mickey O’Kane slipped a pass from inside the box to the left of goal to the unmarked substitute David Mahoney whose shot was saved at the near post by Martin.

Kermode sent Carroll clear through the middle and Cooney was compelled to dash to the edge of his penalty box and the striker shoved the ball past him but wide of the yawning home goal to waste a glorious chance of wrapping up the points.

Kermode obliged three minutes into stoppage time when Brian Kermode collected the ball close to half way near the right touch line. The Muirhevnamor defence was wide open with pushing players forward and he charged past a couple of defenders into wide open space and passed to his completely unmarked brother at the back post to sweep the ball into an open goal. MUIRHEVNAMOR: David Cooney, Brian Begley, Chris Caulfield, Paul Mallon. Steven Smith (Philip Duffy 74), Gary Clarke (David Mahoney 68), Mickey O’Kane, Jimmy Cooney, Billy Smith, Paudie Hearty, Brendan Hughes (Ray McCann 59). Other subs Adrian Rafferty, Craig Dixon, Conall Mulvenna.

NEWFOUNDWELL: Keith Martin Stephen Murray, Adam O’Connor, Daryl McDonagh, Kevin Bull, Ross Reid, Brian Kermode, Roy Kierans, Ciaran Carroll, John Kermode, Craig O’Connor. Subs Gary Smith, Jordan Duffy, James Carter, Mason Moran, Lee Dowd.