‘Ducker’ does the needful
‘DUCKER’ HAWKINS gave Ferns St. Aidan’s the breathing room they needed when he fired home a late winning goal after Clongeen’s delayed rally in this Amber Springs/ Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate football championship Group A game in Bellefield on Saturday.
While the eventual winners always looked stronger, Clongeen gave them something to think about late on, putting them on the back foot and really making them earn their win.
Ferns coped well however, and after substitute Hawkins found the net, Ryan Nolan hit the insurance score going into injury time.
Clongeen opened the scoring through Paul Curtis, a point after two minutes that would be the only time they led in the game.
From here Ferns began to show what they were made of with scores from Jonathan Dwyer, Ryan Nolan, John Breen and a tidy finish from Paul Morris who could have had a goal moments later only for his effort to barely roll wide.
Indeed, Ferns could have been further in front only for some wayward shooting in the second quarter.
Curtis and Leon Stafford reduced the gap before the impressive Nolan gave his side a two-point lead at the break.
The second-half was a tame affair with Peter Nolan and Morris finding the range within ten minutes of the re-start, and it would be a further ten minutes before Clongeen replied through substitute Joe Toomey.
Curtis traded scores with Brian O’Neill, before Clongeen began upping the ante.
However, they tried in vain, and after an easy chance was missed with only minutes remaining, Tomás ‘Ducker’ Hawkins was on hand to rattle the net, ensuring his side’s second win of the campaign along with Clongeen’s second defeat.
Ferns St. Aidan’s: Ivan Meegan; Anthony Dwyer, Pádraig Bolger, Brian O’Neill (0-1); Keith Breen, James Tonks, Peter Nolan (0-1); Patrick Breen, John Breen (0-1); Paul Morris (0-2), Peter O’Toole, Derek Thorpe; Ben Cowman, Jonathan Dwyer (0-1), Ryan Nolan (0-4). Subs. - Tommy Dwyer for Bolger, Tomás Hawkins (1-0) for Cowman, Eoin Murphy for O’Toole.
Clongeen: Ricky Rochford; Stephen Curtis, Barry Foxe, Donal Whelan; Tom Donovan, Anton Stafford, Marty Reville; Cathal Murphy, Paul Curtis (0-3); Adam O’Sullivan, Shane Kilkenny, Robert Farrell; Jamesie Rochford, Stephen Bennett, Leon Stafford (0-1). Subs. - Ger Foxe for Bennett, Joe Toomey (0-1) for J. Rochford.
Referee: Eddie O’Sullivan (Kilanerin).