Priceless win for reds
MATTHEW DUNNE was at his influential best as Monageer-Boolavogue notched a priceless maiden win in the Enniscorthy Farm Systems Junior football championship at St. Patrick’s Park on Friday, putting a slow start against Group A pace-setters St. Martin’s behind them to seal a 2-11 to 2-7 victory.
The Piercestown and Murrintown men had looked a cut above the rest of the teams in this particular group up to this tie, and began promisingly when building a 1-4 to 0-2 lead by the 14th minute.
Indeed, impressive braces from the youthful Jack Devereux, and Eoghan Rackard, preceded Devereux and Ciarán Redmond releasing Darragh Rossiter for a daisy-cutter finish to the dressing-room end net as Monageer-Boolavogue suffered some initial teething problems.
However, the erstwhile leaders wouldn’t score from play again for exactly half an hour as instead the Enniscorthy District side reeled off 1-7 in that time-frame, with two frees from Dunne and points from play by Niall O’Reilly and John Breen edging them to within 1-5 to 0-6 at the interval.
The lop-sided run of scores continued after the break as Damien Fenlon and Dunne (free) restored balance by the 34th minute before the latter cleverly flicked John Breen’s under-cooked attempt to the net and heralded a lead they wouldn’t surrender.
Kevin Price pegged back a goal for St. Martin’s on 44 minutes from the rebound after his penalty was well saved by Niall Finn, although a break-away run from Dunne set up Chris Daly for a postage-stamp goal nine minutes from time to seal the deal.
St. Martin’s are still guaranteed top spot in this five-team group but the rest of the qualification places are very much a lottery ahead of the final round of matches.
Monageer-Boolavogue: Niall Finn; Morgan Gahan, Conal Nolan, Ray O’Brien; Ian Hawkins, Brian O’Loughlin, Paddy Breen; Cathal Walsh, Chris Daly (1-1); Mick Sweeney (capt.), Damien Fenlon (01), Niall O’Reilly (0-2); Matthew Dunne (1-4, 0-3 frees), Shane Kehoe, James Sweeney. Subs. - John Breen (0-3) for Walsh, inj., Seán McCabe for O’Brien, Robbie Donnelly for Kehoe.
St. Martin’s: Brad Cohen; Pádraig Rossiter, Mark Maloney, Tony Kelly; Eoin O’Leary, Kevin Price (1-0), Adrian Ryan; Luke White (capt.), Peter Barry; Jack Devereux (0-2), Darragh Rossiter (1-0), Adam Cantwell (0-1); Ciarán Redmond (0-1 free), Philip Waters, Eoghan Rackard (0-2). Subs. - Martin Whelan for Ryan, inj., Ryan Murphy (0-1) for Rossiter.
Referee: Martin Armstrong (Starlights).