The mighty Magpies

Newtown come late to finish off Annacurra after battle

NEWTOWN ANNACURRA 0-10 1-5

NEWTOWN bounced back superbly from their opening day defeat to Éire Óg Greystones with this fully deserved two-point victory over a battling Annacurra last Friday night.

The sending off of Mick O’Brien on a black card after an earlier yellow and the emergence of Shane Mooney as a dominant figure around the middle of the field would prove fatal for Martin Ging’s men who were ahead by a point at that stage with seven minutes remaining in what was a very decent game of football.

The opening exchanges were brisk and sharp with Annacurra’s Ian McDonald firing over a wonder point off his left to open the scoring after 90 seconds.

If McDonald and company were causing the Newtown defence some bother at one end then Ross Davis and his attacking colleagues were proving quite troublesome at the other end and it was Davis who won and pointed his own free to get the home side off the mark.

Annacurra welcomed back John Hynes to the starting 15 and he lined up alongside county stalwart Mark Fitzsimons in the middle of the field.

Annacurra were well aware of the dangers posed by the young and speedy Newtown attack and Mick Healy was given the role of minding the full-back line from probing balls from out the field.

Davis fired Newtown ahead from a free and the the Magpies watched as a shot came careering back off the Annacurra crossbar after eight minutes.

A Conor Odlum wide for Newtown was followed by Ian McDon- ald’s second inspirational score of the night, this time off his right as he leveled the scores with 12 on the clock.

Lost possession by Newtown resulted in the one man you don’t want getting possession of the ball skipping around defenders before burying it in the back of Ken Turner’s net, that man being Gearoid Murphy of course, the goal being a wicked strike that just wasn’t going to be stopped.

Newtown’s recovery was good. A Davis free was followed by a lovely move that ended with Fitzsimon’s driving over the bar to bring his side to within one of the visitors and in between those scores Ciaran McGuirl had sent in Dean Odlum to put more pressure on the Annacurra rearguard.

That 1-2 to 0-4 scoreline would remain at the break. Annacurra will be disappointed withn their twopoint tally over the course of that second half but they were finding the going tough against a resolute and determined Newtown side.

Mick O’Brien stepped up to the mark early in the second half but could only show a wide and a yellow card for his efforts, the card coming from the pocket of Darragh Byrne after O’Brien had collided with Aaron Toner with all the forgiveness of a large, runaway earthmover with attitude.

A foul on full-forward Glenn Austin provided Gearoid Murphy with a chance of a score and the county man took it with aplomb but Newtown were level by the 11th minute thanks to points from the nippy Sean Gregory and the superb Ross Davis from a 45.

Changes started to be made around this time. Martin Ging introduced Patrick Moules to the fray and redeployed Gearoid Murphy to midfield while Newtown sent in Darah Callan for Toner.

Shane Mooney started to announce himself on this game at this stage but the centre back could only record two fairly glaring wides to begin with before he really began to impress.

Newtown were turning the screw now. They had wides from Neilly Martin (although Newtown believed it be a point) and Sean Heffernan, but it was Annacurra who would score next through a Gearoid Murphy free with seven to go.

Then O’Brien was sent from the field by the Ballymanus official and Newtown grew about a foot taller across the board. Davis went wide before pointing from play and from a free to level the game as Shane Mooney took complete control around the middle.

Dean Odlum went wide before finding a small gap and lofting over a lovely score off his right to send the Magpies ahead after 30. Still they came and Davis won and pointed his own free to push Newtown two ahead and secure a sweet victory for the home team.

A tricky trip to Dunlavin awaits McGuirl’s men this Saturday at 4pm, while Annacurra welcome Canew for an 8pm throw in this Friday in what is now a big game.

Scorers - Newtown: Ross Davis 0-7 (5f, 1 45), Mark Fitzsimons 0-1, Sean Gregory 0-1, Dean Odlum 0-1.

Annacurra: Gearoid Murphy 1-2 (1f), Ian McDonald 0-2, Clive Horan 0-1 (f)