Éire Óg squeeze past Annacurra after decent battle
ÉIRE ÓG 0-12 ANNACURRA 0-11 BOTH Annacurra and Éire Óg made the trip to Ashford for their first foray into the Renault Senior Football Championship of 2017 and they could not have asked for better conditions on what was a glorious day.
Éire Óg started the brighter of the two sides, settling into championship mode quickly while Annacurra were lacking in urgency in the early exchanges. From the throw-in, the Greystones men won possession and worked the ball in to full-forward Billy Norman. Norman, 25 yards out to the left of goal, passed backwards to Pearse Kelly who showed great vision to switch the play to the unmarked Craig Smullen. The wing back moved within range and sent the ball over the bar for the opening score of the game.
Mick O’Brien had started brightly for Annacurra, ferocious in the tackle, and set up his sides opening score of the day when he won a mark from his own kickout and drilled a low pass in to Frank Clune who spun and slotted between the posts to level the scores.
This was a rare opportunity in the final third for Annacurra in the opening quarter as Éire Óg enjoyed the lion’s share of the possession. The Greystones men were composed on the ball in midfield, moving the ball well but a lack of movement inside was slowing down these attacks early on.
Clune and Enda King traded points before Éire Óg created the first goal chance of the day. Not for the first time Annacurra kicked away possession in their own half and the ball made its way to Enda King. King charged forward and could have slotted over but looked to set up a goal, passing across goal for an onrushing attacker.
However, Annacurra goalkeeper Michael Doyle was equal to the task and saved well, punching clear where Daniel Keane was lying in wait to slot over for a point.
While Annacurra did well to avoid this potential setback, moments later they were dealt a major blow when Elliot Robinson was shown a black card for bringing down Enda King just as he had appeared to get back goalside of his man.
Darren Hayden converted the resulting free and this was the first of three successive Éire Óg points to send his side three points ahead.
In truth, Eire Og should have held a much more commanding lead at this stage. Some wasteful shooting in good positions kept Annacurra well in the game and they took full advantage of this towards the end of the half, Alan Horan and Gearoid Murphy reducing the deficit to the minimum. Éire Óg began the second half as they had the first, with a score created by Billy Norman. On this occasion the big full-forward winning a free which Darren Hayden duly converted.
Moments later, Daniel Keane outpaced his man on the outside before cutting in and adding another score. Throughout the third quarter, Éire Óg were showing far more composure than their opposition on the attack. When their initial attack was repelled, Éire Óg had the composure to work the ball back out until a scoring opportunity presented itself. Annacurra struggled in this regard and this allowed Éire Óg to power into a five point lead.
Martin O’Brien was tasked with picking up Eire Og’s talisman Darren Hayden and while this proved to be relatively effective, Annacurra did miss O’Brien’s presence in midfield.
However, on a rare venture forward, O’Brien did produce a fine score to rouse his side’s spirits. Receiving the ball wide on the right, O’ Brien cut in and shaped to shoot off his left boot.
The Annacurra faithful gasped in unison, like a teenager peering through his fingers at a horror movie, afraid of what might come next but never daring to look away.
O’ Brien did not disappoint, fearlessly swinging over a majestic point off his supposedly weaker foot.
This sparked Annacurra into life for the final quarter, and a run of five unanswered points brought them within a point of Éire Óg entering the closing stages.
This scoring spree included some well worked scores from the likes of Nevan O’Sullivan, Gearoid Murphy and Clive Horan.
With Éire Óg on the back foot and looking nervous, Annacurra pushed hard for that elusive equaliser in the dying moments of the game but the chance looked to be gone when Stephen Kelly got out in front of Frank Clune.
However, annacurra recovered possession and were awarded a free right out on the left touchline, 30 plus yards out.
Up stepped Gearoid Murphy. The county Minor had already nailed two long range frees but a combination of the tight angle and an unfavourable crossfield wind resulted in his shot, and his team’s efforts, coming up just short.
Éire Óg move to the top of the table after Newtown and Avondale shared the spoils in the other fixture in this group, a result which leaves Annacurra very much in the mix with two rounds to go.
Scorers - Éire Óg: Craig Smullen 0-01, Darren Hayden 0-05 (5f), Enda King 0-03, Danel Keane 0-03.
Annacurra: Martin O’Brien 0-01, Alan Horan 0-01, Gearoid Murphy 0-03 (2f), Clive Horan 0-01 (f), Frank Clune 0-04 (2f), Nevin O’Sullivan 0-01
Éire Óg Greystones: Lorcan Treanor; Liam Maguire, Leon Brown, Peter Keane; Sean Horan, Stephen Kelly, Craig Smullen; Justin O’Brien, Pearse Kelly; Darren Hayden, Enda King, Daniel Keane; James Delahunty, Billy Norman, Dominic Reilly. Subs: Billy Cuddihy.
Annacurra: Michael Doyle; Liam Moules, Paul McDonald, Elliott Robinson; James Keenan, Martin O’Brien, Michael Healy; John Hynes, Alan Byrne; Mick O’Brien, Alan Horan, Gearoid Murphy, Clive Horan, Frank Clune, Shane O’Keeffe. Subs: Nevan O’Sullivan, Paddy Moules, Shane McAllister. Referee: Noel Kinsella (Kil
bride)