Murphy inspires Coolera to seven point win
NIALL Murphy hit over ten points as Coolera/Strandhill topped Group 2 of the Belfry Senior Football Championship on Sunday with a 1-12 to 1-05 win over Calry St. Joseph’s.
Gary Cadden was the only other scorer for Coolera, scoring 1-02 on the day.
With 15 minutes played, Calry held a 1-02 to 0-01 lead, but pulled themselves back on level terms before half-time.
Such was Coolera’s dominace, Calry could only muster up three scores in the second-half, albeit conditions at Markievicz Park did not help matters.
Darragh Cummins’ second minute goal gave Calry an early lead, but the deficit was reduced when Gary Cadden hit over Coolera’s first point of the day.
Sean Murphy could have netted for John McPartland’s side early on, but his shot smacked the crossbar.
Bryan McGovern and Conor Griffin hit over to extend Calry’s lead, before Niall Murphy registered his first score of the day on 18 minutes. A point from Cadden was followed by two Murphy scores to bring the sides level at the interval.
The brilliant Niall Murphy hit over four unanswered points after the interval, before Calry finally got on the scoresheet for the second-half. Griffin’s point, however, was followed almost immediately by a Cadden goal, which took Coolera into a 1-09 to 1-03 lead, before Murphy’s point extended that even further.
Noel Kearins’ side dragged themselves back to within fivepoints of their opponents, but Murphy restored the seven point lead with ten left on the clock.
Things could have been very different for Calry, however, should their 60th minute goal have been allowed to stand, but referee Barry Judge wasted no time in disallowing the goal.
Calry St. Joseph’s will now play Tourlestrane in the quarter-final, while Coolera Strandhill will take on Eastern Harps. St. Mary’s face Coolaney/Mullinabreena and Tubbercurry have received a bye.