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Village look impressive after dismantling of Avondale
DEFENDING champions Rathnew sent out a clear message to all challengers that they intend on retaining the Miley Cup with every fibre of their being following their 5-11 to 2-7 dismantling of Avondale in their opening joust of the 2018 Renault SFC in Jole Park Aughrim on Friday evening.
Initially, it didn’t look like that as Avondale made a dream start when Eamonn Kearns launched a long high ball in on the Rathnew full-back line almost straight from the throw in. Conor McGraynor rose for the ball, flicked it down to Oisin McGraynor who quickly transferred inside to centre forward Ryan Cahill who managed to squeeze a shot past Peter Dignam to put the Rathdrum side into the lead within a minute.
However, the old Irish maxim “Tus maith sin leath an obair” (a good start is half the work) didn’t hold true in this game. Rathnew gradually worked their way back and were ahead by eight minutes with points from Jody Merrigan, Ross O’Brien, Nicky Mernagh and Mark Doyle.
Both sides were making liberal use of the long-kicked pass into their full-forwards. Likewise, both goalkeepers were sending long kicks out to the four rangy midfielders – Rathnew’s James Stafford and Theo Smyth and the Avondale duo of Barry Sheehan and Eamonn Kearns. This led to some fine high fielding and broken ball around the midfield area but also left the play very loose and open. It was a throwback to a time when the football was kicked more often than transferred through
the hand.
Jody Merrigan added another point and on the quarter hour mark came the champions’ first goal. Mark Doyle put Leighton Glynn through on goal; the centre forward drew the goalkeeper and tucked the ball safely away.
Mark Doyle added a point before Eugene Dunne got Avondale’s second score – a point after eighteen minutes. Rathnew were playing very comfortably and added two more points from Mark Doyle and Nicky Mernagh.
Five minutes before the break Conor McGraynor landed the game’s first pointed free with a great kick from close to the sideline.
With the interval fast approaching, Rathnew corner-back JT
Moorehouse gained possession in midfield and launched a long ball into the Avondale goalmouth. The goalkeeper and defenders got their signals crossed and Nicky Mernagh ran on to a high bounce and guided the ball to the net. The half-time score stood at 2-8 to 1-2 with the entire Rathnew total coming from play.
Rathnew got the start Avondale did not want them to get in the second period. Straight from the throw in, they attacked, and Leighton Glynn went straight through to land his side’s third goal.
Conor McGraynor responded with a pointed free but by the tenth minute Rathnew has added another 2-1. Mark Doyle got the point, and the goals came from Theo Smyth and Eddie Doyle.
This effectively ended any prospect of an Avondale revival but to their credit they continued to compete and added points from Oisin McGraynor (2), Conor Byrne, a converted 45 from Conor McGraynor, who finished the game with a fine goal.
Surrounded by defenders, he managed to get in a shot across the goalmouth and in off the upright. Peter Dignam, in the champions’ goal, denied another couple of goal attempts with brilliant close in saves.
But in truth, Rathnew played a possession game for most of the second half adding two further points from Graham Merrigan and a converted 45 from Jody Merrigan.
The entire Rathnew total of 5-11 came from play with the exception of that final score from the 45. There was no score at all in the final five minutes as the game wound down to its inevitable conclusion.
Scorers – Rathnew: Leighton Glynn 2-0, Nicky Mernagh 1-2, Eddie Doyle 1-0, Theo Smyth 1-0, Mark Doyle 0-4, Jody Merrigan 0-3, Ross O’Brien 0-1, Graham Merrigan 0-1.
Avondale: Conor McGraynor 1-3, Ryan Cahill 1-0, Oisin McGraynor 0-2, Conor Byrne 0-1, Eugene Dunne 0-1.
Rathnew: Peter Dignam; JT Moorehouse, Jamie Snell, Paul Merrigan; Enan Glynn, Ross O’Brien, John Manley; James Stafford, Theo Smyth; Graham Merrigan, Leighton Glynn, Eddie Doyle; Nicky Mernagh, Mark Doyle, Jody Merrigan. Sub: Danny Staunton.
Avondale: Brian Burke; Sean Cullen, Paudie Geogheghan, Liam Kinsella; Adam Benson Byrne, Shane Byrne, Saoirse Kearon; Eamonn Kearns, Barry Sheehan; Eugene Dunne, Ryan Cahill, Conor Byrne; Ross Ward, Conor McGraynor, Oisin McGraynor. Subs: Sean McGraynor, Dean Gahan, Shane Beever, Shane O’Neill.
Referee: Eugene O’Brien (Aughrim).