Doherty drives Donard to win over Annacurra
Early goals crucial for west side
DONARD-THE GLEN ANNACURRA 3-08 1-07
TWO early goals helped propel Donard-The Glen to a deserved victory over Annacurra in this entertaining Junior C football championship clash in Annacurra last Thursday evening.
The goals came from the boots of Stephen Doherty in the opening minute and an absolute ripper from full-forward Ed Flynn six minutes later after he collected a long ball from Laurence Daly in behind full-back Mark Doyle and blasted home to the top corner giving Sammy Walker no chance in the Annacurra goal.
At this stage it was 2-02 to 0-01, Annacurra’s opening score coming from Ciaran Doyle after he dropped over a superb effort from distance. Donard-the Glen’s minors came from Des Mann off his left and Stephen Doherty after good work from Laurence Daly further out.
A Glenn Austin point after 15 minutes made it 2-02 to 0-03 in favour of the visitors and we entered a fairly stagnant period in terms of scores with the next point coming from Annacurra’s Brian McDonald after 24 minutes and then Stephen Doherty for Donard-The Glen after 30 minutes.
Part of the reason for the Donard-the Glen famine might well be linked to the fact that Laurence Daly had injured himself and he was switched inside to full-forward for a time and the loss of Daly’s presence around the middle was a definite factor in their barren spell.
Annacurra will look at their five wides over the last 15 minutes as the reason for their first half tally of four points to Donard-The Glen’s 2-03.
Annacurra needed a good start but it was Donard-The Glen who bagged the opening two points from full-forward Ed Flynn and the very competent Stephen Doherty from a free to open up a 2-05 to 0-04 lead.
A Colm Maher point threatened to inspire Annacurra’s revival but shortly afterwards a long ball from the midfield was gathered by Des Mann in behind the Annacurra defence and the corner-forward nonchalantly stroked the ball home from a fair bit out to the bottom corner of Sammy Walker’s net.
Annacurra tried changes and substitutions but they never really looked like turning this around after Donard-the Glen’s third goal.
They did try though. Glenn Austin was pulled down by Shane Eager as he barged his way into the visitor’s square and Stephen Murphy planted the ball low and hard past Enda Walshe to reduce the lead to 3-05 to 1-05 with 16 minutes gone. But Donard-the Glen moved up through the gears with substitute Kevin Mills swing- ing over a dainty score followed by two points from Doherty to open up a 3-08 to 1-05 lead.
Annacurra finished well with points from a converted free from Colm Maher and another from conrer-back Mark Doyle while James Walsh saw his ambitious effort for a late goal whizz past the Donard-The Glen upright after 29 minutes but it was all too late and as the August night started to impose itself on the village of Annacurra referee Gerry Corbett sounded the final whistle to herald a victory for the visitors on a score of 3-08 to 1-07.
Scorers – Donard-The Glen: Stephen Doherty 1-05 (1f), Des Mann 1-01, Ed Flynn 1-01, Kevin Mills 0-01.
Annacurra: Stephen Murphy 1-00 (p), Colm Maher 0-02 (2f), Brian McDonald 0-02, Ciaran Doyle 0-01, Glenn Austin 0-01, Mark Doyle 0-01.
ASHFORD STRATFORD-G’CON 4-16 2-4
ASHFORD made it four out of four on the bounce, finishing top of the table of this Arklow Bay Hotel Junior C Championship Group last Thursday evening.
Both sides were doing some serious looking warm-up routines, the head count looked light on both sides with a couple of minutes to throw-in.
We got under way at 14 a side and it was the visitors who started the brighter with lively Adam Hill landing a pointed free.
Rian Dwyer doubled the lead in the next attack for Ashford. Goalie, Ultan Rooney brought of a fine save from a Trevor Conyard shot as Ashford were dominating proceedings early on.
Jack Byrne tagged on a third point for Ashford to close out the opening quarter. Rian Dwyer had his shot on goal brilliantly stopped by Ultan Rooney but the rebound was put over the bar by the industrious Danny Byrne.
Stratford finally broke up the field and Gudmund Krogsud was fouled. Conor Hanley pointed the free for the home side’s opener. Jody Doyle won possession of the kick-out and was fouled, but Hanley’s free tailed off wide.
However, Conor Hanley found the target with his next effort with a great point. Anthony Driver had a 55 metre shot crash back out of the upright in Ashford’s next attack.
A great passage of play involving Trevor Conyard to Jack Byrne to Gary McGuire who pointed to leave it 0-02 to 0-06 with 25 minutes gone.
A pair of late arrivals saw both teams rise to 15 a-side. Adam Hill dropped a 45 into the danger zone where Ultan Rooney caught brilliantly under the crossbar and cleared again.
Full-back, Joe O Neill intercepted a couple of passes as Ashford went for the jugular. Ashford had a lot of soccer skills on show through out the opening half. Larry McGrath sent a long ball into the Ashford goalmouth, but Jack Conyard cleared and Ashford went in search of one more score deep into injury time.
Trevor Conyard fed Danny Byrne whose initial shot was again saved by Rooney, but Trevor rattled the rebound home to the net as the half-time whistle sounded