Maudlintown make hay
A BLISTERING start that produced two well-executed goals inside the opening four minutes laid the foundations for this very impressive 16-point victory for St. Mary’s (Maudlintown) over a depleted Bannow-Ballymitty side in the Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate football championship Group A game in Clongeen on Saturday.
On an ideal evening for football, St. Mary’s warmed to the task, producing a quality show that suggests they will have a real say in the destination of the title in the autumn.
Bouncing back from their narrow opening round defeat to Horeswood, the Wexford town side played the game at pace.
Their ability to hold and move possession quickly saw them outstrip their opponents and, given the quality of their football right through the 60 minutes, they fully merited their comprehensive victory.
After Niall Murphy had pointed Bannow-Ballymitty in front inside 60 seconds of the start, St. Mary’s hit back with two explosive attacking movements that produced two excellent goals in a 30-second spell.
The opening goal arrived on four minutes when Todd Hynes finished superbly to the net after getting on the end of a sweeping three-man move.
They returned to the attack immediately on the kick-out, with Graham Carty put in possession to career through the defence before planting an unstoppable shot to the roof of the net, giving his side a 2-0 to 0-1 lead with less than five minutes gone.
With the eventual losers failing to score after that initial Murphy effort, it was only the superb goalkeeping of Philip Murphy that kept his side in the game, restricting St. Mary’s almost single-handedly to a 2-4 to 0-1 interval lead.
Realistically, it was going to take a special effort from Bannow-Ballymitty to get back into the game, but they lacked the forward power to threaten the opposing defence, while as the half progressed St. Mary’s produced all the quality football.
While it was turning into a totally one-sided game it was a reflection on the quality of the Mary’s play that won over the small attendance, particularly the movement that led to their third goal.
After two Todd Hynes pointed frees immediately on the resumption had extended their lead, they continued to power all over their rivals.
That move six minutes from the end led to Graham Carty bringing a superb save from ‘keeper Murphy, but Jason Swords responded quickest to the breaking ball to fire first-time high into the corner of the net.
That gave his side a 3-11 to 0-4 advantage, as their opponents could only manage a further late point from a Micheál Murphy placed ball.
St. Mary’s: Darren Lambert; Gary Murphy, Alan Lynch (0-1), Tre Long; Ross Lynch, Mark Doyle, Jamie Thomas; Dermot Flood (0-1), Graham Carty (1-1, 0-1 ‘45); Gavin Cullen, Eddie Pitman (0-1), Pierce Dooley (0-1); Jason Swords (1-0), Donal O’Leary (0-2), Todd Hynes (1-5, 0-4 frees). Subs. - Cian W helan for Dooley, Leon Nolan for Hynes.
Bannow-Ballymitty: Philip Murphy; Mark Colfer, Robert Mageean, Pádraig McCormack; Mark Wallace (01), Micheál Murphy (0-2, 1 free, 1 ‘45), Nicky Doyle; Conor Furlong, Arthur Sweetman; Conor Anglim, Niall Murphy (0-1), Robert Cogley; Jon Reville (0-1), Richie Walsh, Art Murphy. Subs. - John Mernagh for Colfer, Conor Neville for A. Murphy.
Referee: Pat Kehoe (Rathgarogue-Cushinstown).