Decent second half enough to push Ashford over the line
ASHFORD EIRE OG 1-09 1-07
THE wintry and stormy conditions of Friday last, September 9, didn’t bode well for the Junior ‘A’ football quarter-final between Ashford and Eire Og played at the An Tochar ground in Roundwood on Friday night.
However, by match time the rain had cleared and the winds had abated. Underfoot conditions were greasy and wet but both teams coped well with these.
Ashford had first use of the apparent advantage of playing towards the dressing room end.
They got into their stride quickly but were off the mark with a couple of early efforts. Eire Og went into the lead with a James Smullen free after six minutes.
Aaron Nugent equalised two minutes later but Ashford continued to waste good chances. Nugent put them ahead with another free after 12 minutes but, despite the play being evenly balanced enough, this was the last score from Ashford for the half.
Eire Og were gaining in confidence and were settling more into the game. Leone Browne, Anto Byrne and James Cranley began to stabilise things in the middle third of the field.
The seasiders were much more economical with their scoring chances. James Smullen levelled the game from another free and by the 20th minute they led by 0-4 to 0-2 through further points from Emlyn Lynch and James Cranley.
At this stage Eire Og had recorded no wide but their opponents had eight recorded by the break. There was no further score from either side in the last 10 minutes of the half.
If Ashford had been pre-match favourites, it was obvious they needed to shake themselves up a bit as Eire Og were playing with the confidence of likely winners at this stage.
Mick Dickenson pulled a point back for Ashford in the first minute of the second period but Danny Webb responded for Eire Og in the sixth minute and James Smullen put them three points up a minute later. However, Ashford had obviously received a ‘roasting’ at half time and had upped the intensity of their performance considerably and their half backs and midfield were pushing towards the Eire Og end non stop.
Aaron Nugent was lively at full-forward and Mick Dickenson was covering a lot of ground around the field. Nugent scored two points from play and brought the sides level with a free in the 10th minute.
Another point from a Nugent free and one from play by Graham Mooney put Ashford two points up by the sixteenth minute.
At this stage Eire Og brought on Michael Walsh at midfield and placed Anto Byrne near the edge of the square.
A James Smullen point narrowed the gap again. Then after twenty minutes Eire Og went back into the lead. Danny Webb lobbed a high ball into the goalmouth, there was hesitation between goalkeeper and backs and Anto Byrne got his hand to the ball to guide it to the net.
With 10 minutes left, Ashford were now two points down. Despite intense pressure there was no score for the next six minutes and we then had a defensive mix up in the Eire Og defence and Aaron Nugent intercepted a pass near the goalmouth and promptly finished to the net to restore the lead to the black and amber brigade.
The same player added a point just before the end to leave Ashford winners by two points.
The Greystones men were very disappointed to be caught at the end.
They had put it up to Ashford for long periods and seemed to be going to get over the line.
However, Ashford’s second half improvement plus allowances for their first half wides total left them deserving winners in the end. But only just! Scorers- Ashford: Aaron Nugent 1-7 (4f), Mikey Dickenson 0-1 and Graham Mooney 0-1.
Eire Og: James Smullen 0-4 (2f), Anto Byrne 1-0, Emlyn Lynch 0-1, Danny Webb 0-1 and James Cranley.
Ashford: William Hender Philips; Iarla O’Donnell, Ronan Sugrue, Mick Taylor; Thomas Kearns, Wesley Manning, Danny Kavanagh; Joey Doyle, David Dowling; Graham Mooney, Brendan Manning, Ross Quinn; Mick Dickenson, Aaron Nugent, Colm Doyle. Subs: Mikey Traynor for Colm Doyle; Robbie Clarkson for Ross Quinn.
Eire Og: Eoin Eoin English; Matt Maguire, Pat Egan, Liam Maguire; Mick Dunne, Leon Browne, James Wood; Anto Byrne, David Behan; Eoin McTeague, James Cranley, Emlyn Lynch; James Delahunt, Danny Webb, James Smullen. Subs: Mick Walsh for James Wood, Dermot for James Delahunt, and Gavin Parslow for Mick Dunne.
Referee: P Bracken