Robert guides Aughrim home

Lambert shines in big win

AUGHRIM KILMACANOGUE 0-12 0-11

AUGHRIM intermediate footballers brought a long, barren period of competitive losing in 2017 to an end when they overcame Kilmacanogue in a keenly contested Intermediate football relegation clash played at Ballinakill on Friday night last.

They needed to play the final 15 minutes of the game with 14 players following the dismissal of full-forward Rory O’Brien on receipt of his second yellow card.

In addition, they survived a very tense final few minutes as the Sugarloaf men battled to save the game.

County goalkeeper, Robert Lambert made a massive contribution to this win with some huge long-range points from placed balls. However, this was essentially a win for a team who worked tirelessly for each other, from start to finish.

Weather conditions were ideal for football at Ballinakill, with not a wisp of a breeze. However, rain during the day left the pitch surface very greasy, leading to the occasional crucial slip and leaving ball handling very difficult at times.

Paddy Phelan set the tone for how Aughrim intended to play this game when he won the throw in at the start, passed inside to Conor Lambert, took the return pass and raced through to put the Granite village men ahead with a point inside 30 seconds.

Conor Phelan had point number two on the board a minute later.

Kilmacanogue centre-forward, Robert Conan, raised his side’s first white flag to leave the score at 0-2 to 0-1. However, Aughrim were making all the running in these early minutes, holding possession in a fast running, close passing style which Kilmacanogue found difficult to cope with at this stage. Robert Lambert landed his first long range pointed free after seven minutes. Conor Phelan pointed again on 12 minutes and two minutes later

He added a great point off his left foot. The score now stood at 0-5 to 0-1, but Kilmacanogue were beginning to stir themselves.

Midfielders Andrew Molloy and Ben Callaghan began to assert themselves and with powerful centre-forward Robert Conan coming more into the game, the Aughrim defence began to come under greater pressure. Sam Callaghan pointed a free after 15 minutes and the same player followed with a point from play to reduce the gap to two points.

Kilmacanogue were using the early ball into their forwards and, while the Aughrim defenders were crowding them out well, Stephan Morgan, Niall Meldon, Robert Conan and Sam Callaghan were looking very dangerous when in possession.

Conor Phelan, who was enjoying a great first half, scored his fourth point in the 19th minute and when Robert Lambert landed his second point from a 50-metre free the lead for Aughrim had gone back up to four points.

However, Kilmacanogue were now moving better and points from Niall Meldon and substitute Conor Finn reduced the leeway once again. Robert Lambert closed the half with another mighty point from a long range free to leave the scoreline at 0-8 to 0-5 in favour of Aughrim at the half-time break.

Kilmacanogue began the second period with a Stephan Morgan point straight from the throw in.

While Robert Lambert responded with two more pointed frees, the momentum of the game was now swinging Kilmacanogue’s way.

They were gaining the upperhand outfield and the Aughrim defence were being asked a lot of questions.

Full-back Oisin Doyle and centre-back Robert Lambert were marshalling their colleagues well but the Sugarloaf men were now coming strongly. Sam Callaghan pointed a free after 10 minutes, Stephan Morgan got another and Robert Conan reduced the lead to the bare minimum when he pointed on 16 minutes.

When Aughrim were reduced to 14 players it became a case of ‘all hands to the pumps’ for the Granite village men. Robert Lambert lifted the siege somewhat when he scored another long range point, this time from play.

However, Aaron Craven and Sam Callaghan brought the sides level at 0-11 each with three minutes left to play.

In a rare Aughrim attack, their forwards held possession well and worked the ball to substitute Richard Keegan, who had just come on the field. Keegan swung his left foot and the ball disappeared into the night sky and landed over the black spot.

Kilmacanogue strived manfully to save the game in the last few minutes. Sam Callaghan shaved the upright with a 45.

Aughrim goalie Brian Lynch was relieved to see a Stephan Morgan ground shot go outside his left post and finally, a 40-metre free was taken short, smothered by the defence, the whistle sounded and Aughrim celebrated.

Scorers – Aughrim: Robert Lambert 0-6, Conor Phelan 0-4, Paddy Phelan 0-1, Richard Keegan 0-1.

Kilmacanogue: Sam Callaghan 0-4, Stephan Morgan 0-2, Robert Conan 0-2, Niall Meldon 0-1, Conor Finn 0-1, Aaron Craven 0-1.

Brian Lynch; Jamie Fleming, Oisin Doyle, Willie Kavanagh; Ian Clancy, Robert Lambert, Eoin Forsythe; Paddy Phelan, Michael Brennan; Danny Owens, Conor Lambert, Jack Byrne; Diarmuid Whelan, Rory O’Brien, Conor Phelan. Subs: Richard Keegan for Diarmuid Whelan, John Keenan for Jack Byrne.

Joe Molloy; Luke Callaghan, Cian Rafferty, Donal Tuohy; Aaron Brady, Gavin Burke, Marcus Rafferty; Andrew Molloy, Ben Callaghan; Simon Doyle, Robert Conan, Sam Callaghan; Aaron Craven, Stephan Morgan, Niall Meldon. Subs – Conor Finn for Aaron Brady, Niall King for Conor Finn (BC), Garry King for Niall King.

John O’Brien.

TINAHELY ANNACURRA 2-12 1-11

THIS Keating Trophy encounter between Annacurra and Tinahely was played on a firm, dry sod in Shilelagh on Saturday.

A strong, blustery breeze blew from the road end goal but did not appear to affect play greatly as both sides played their better football when playing into this end of the field

Centre half-back Alan Byrne got Annacurra on the scoreboard after three minutes when he moved forward into space in front of his opponents’ goal to tap over a point.

Rory Stokes levelled the score after six minutes, and one minute later centre-back Willie Dillon copied Alan Byrne when he moved forward to shoot his side into the lead.

Annacurra corner-forward Martin O’Brien had adopted a roving role in the middle third of the field and, along with Gearoid Murphy, ensured that Annacurra had a plentiful supply of ball to their forwards at this stage.

However, no scores were coming at either end until Tinahely midfielder Brian Walsh burst through and beat goalie Bob Fitzgerald for a great goal to push his side into a 1-2 to 0-1 lead.

Minutes earlier Bob had brought off a great save from Alan Nolan. Annacurra appeared to realise that the game was slipping from them and Alan Byrne, moving forward again, was narrowly wide with a ground shot that had a goal written all over it.

Clive Horan notched Annacurra’s second point from a free and this was followed a minute later by a great point from mid-fielder Gearoid Murphy.

Annacurra were now putting on the pressure and when Alan Byrne turned up in front of goal again, he fed Ian McDonald, who beat Niall Byrne in goal to push his side into a 1-3 to 1-2 lead.

Clive Horan pointed another free to increase that lead but Tinahely rallied to score two quick points before the break from Tony Darcy and Brian Walsh.

The half-time score stood at 1-4 each. Annacurra replaced Frank Clune at half-time with Alan Horan.

The outcome of this game was effectively decided in the first six or seven minutes of the second half. Tinahely came out of the traps flying.

Tony Darcy pointed in the first minute. Alan Nolan scored Tinahely’s second goal a minute later. Nolan followed this with two frees pointed from placed balls and when David Blake pointed again after six minutes, Tinahely were 2-8 to 1-4 ahead.

Clive Horan pointed for Annacurra and when Gearoid Murphy added another two points in the ninth and 13th minutes to reduce the gap back to four points, it appeared that Annacurra might have weathered the storm.

However, a Tony Darcy point from a free, plus another from play by the same player, and a further point from Rory Stokes, left Tinahely ahead by 2-11 to 1-7 after 20 minutes.

This cushion allowed Tinahely the comfort of holding possession quite a bit but they must also thank Niall Byrne in goal who brought off a number of fine saves as Annacurra came looking for goals.

Substitute Liam Moules pointed but Alan Nolan responded with another pointed free. Martin O’Brien and Ian McDonald added two points for Annacurra and Alan Byrne finished the game as he began, moving forward to score the game’s final point.

Tinahely were deserving winners on the day on a scoreline of 2-12 to 1-11.

Scorers – Tinahely: Alan Nolan 1-3, Tony Darcy 0-4, Brian Walsh 1-1, Rory Stokes 0-2, Willie Dillon 0-1, David Blake 0-1.

Annacurra: Ian McDonald 1-1, Gearoid Murphy 0-3, Clive Horan 0-3, Alan Byrne 0-2, Martin O’Brien 0-1, Liam Moules 0-1.

Niall Byrne; Lar Keating, Michael Byrne, John Blake; Curtis Keating, Willie Dillon, James Tyrrell; Conor Hatton, Brian Walsh; Rory Stokes, Stephan Dillon, David Blake; Jason Cushe, Alan Nolan, Tony Darcy. Subs: Gavin Kenny for James Tyrrell, Jamie Cullen for Curtis Keating.

Robert Fitzgerald; James Keenan, Paul McDonald, Elliot Robinson; Michael Healy, Alan Byrne, Shane McAllister; John Hynes, Gearoid Murphy; Clive Horan, Frank Clune, Michael O’Brien; Shane O’Keeffe, Ian McDonald, Martin O’Brien. Subs – Alan Horan for Frank Clune, Nevan O’Sullivan for John Hynes, Liam Moules for Michael Healy.

Gerry Corbett