Blue bandwagon on a familiar roll
THE blue bandwagon is on a familiar roll.
Next stop is the county final, but the GPS ultimately seems to be locked on to Joe Ward and SFC title number 21.
On the evidence of Saturday’s steady, if unspectacular, win over St Joseph’s, the winners of this weekend’s second semi-final between Dundalk Gaels and Naomh Mairtin will have their work cut out to deny Ronan Phillips’ men their place in Blues’ folklore.
After a bright start, the Joes just weren’t equipped to pull off another shock, in a season that has already exceeded all expectations.
They did pose some early questions, but just didn’t make it count on the scoreboard.
The Blues slowly ground them down and were on their way to yet another county final appearance long before the final whistle.
But the Drogheda men won’t be happy with the start they made. A hint of complacency coupled with Joe’s determined start saw them fall 0-4 to 0-2 behind after 17 minutes and it could have been worse for the Newfoundwell outfit.
When Alan Quigley is on song, the Joe’s are a threat to anyone and the corner forward kicked things off with a point and a free inside three minutes.
Ross Nally matched that feat to draw the Blues level, but the omens looked good for the Joes when Conal O’Hanlon and Ben Mulligan replied with a point apiece to make it 0-4 to 0-2.
The Blues’ just weren’t firing, but Stephen Moonan lofted over a super point from distance to cut the gap to the minimum and that seemed to awaken something in his colleagues.
Residing in his now familiar sweeper role, Colm Judge was restricted to defensive duties for most of the opening half, but his first foray into enemy territory was decisive.
The former Louth man was joined in attack by current county man Kevin Carr, who pierced the Joe’s defence with a strong run and played a neat one-two with Paul Moore before slapping to the net from close range.
The Joes hit back before the break with an O’Hanlon free, but without playing particularly well the Blues adjourned a point to the good at the interval, 1-3 to 0-5.
Among other items up for discussion in the Blues’ dressing room at half-time, Phillips no doubt urged his players to make a better start to the second period, and they duly obliged.
Crucially, they took a firm grip of the midfield sector, with John Kermode particularly impressive.
He helped himself to a couple of sweet long range points and so too did Ciaran Downey (inset), whose quickfire brace at the start of the half put a goal between the sides, 1-5 to 0-5.
Joes’ attacks were a lot more sporadic than they had been before the break, but a Conal O’Hanlon free kept them in touch.
But whereas as the Blues often hit deadends trying to penetrate the Joes’ defence in the opening half, they were almost shooting on sight now and Kermode’s brilliant double sandwiched an equally aduacious effort from midfield partner Andy McDonnell, putting five between the sides.
That left the Joes with a mountain to climb, but the threat of a late rally wasn’t completely eradicated until a Nally free, swiftly followed by a Hugh McGinn point, made it 1-10 to 0-6.
The Joes plugged away regardless and O’Hanlon added another free, but Jack Mulligan’s injury-time score arrived some 45 minutes after Ben Mulligan had kicked their previous point from open play.
That underlined just how comfortable an evening it had become for the Blues who managed to have the final say with a late Derek Kierans free. They’ll be watching Sunday’s second semi-final with interest, but whoever comes through it will have their work cut out in the final. NEWTOWN BLUES: Jason Lowney; John Connolly, Fergal Donohue,
Niall Costello; Kevin Carr 1-0, Cormac Reynolds, Stephen Moonan 0-1; Andy McDonnell 0-1, John Kermode 0-2; Conor Branigan, Colm Judge, Robbie Carr; Ciarán Downey 0-2, Ross Nally 0-3 (2f), Conor Moore. Subs: Emmet Carolan for C Reynolds (40), Hugh McGinn 0-1 for C Moore (43), Derek Kierans 0-1f for Branigan (51), Paul Moore for J Kermode (57).
ST. JOSEPH’S: Robert Samson; Alan Lynch, Ben Mulligan 0-1, Stefan Potts; David Kieran, Shane McQuillan, Cian McGuinness; Peter Brennan, Adam O’Connor; Craig Doherty, Conall Smyth, Daire Smyth; Alan Quigley 0-2 (1f), Conal O’Hanlon 0-4 (3f), Alan McKenna. Subs: David Mernagh for B Mulligan (35), Killian Staunton for C Doherty (46), Jack Mulligan 0-1 for A Quigley (53), Oísin McGuinness for D Smyth (56).
REFEREE: Paul Kneel. Pictures: Colin Bell