Aughrim power on to semi-finals unbeaten
2-13 2-7
ARKLOW GERALDINES-BALLYMONEY were made to pay for a series of missed openings in front of goal, as Aughrim recovered from a half-time deficit to carry a 100 per cent record into the semi-finals of the under-15 ‘A’ football championship.
The group leaders, already assured of a place in the semi-finals of the competition, had their work cut out for them against an Arklow side who needed a win and for other results to go their way to progress. They took a 1-6 to 0-7 lead into the half-time break but could have had more if it were not for Mark Shannon denying goals for both Jack Flusk and Tiernan Gahan.
Aughrim snapped themselves into action in the second, as goals from Cameron Byrne and Conaill O’Brien helped turn the game around and eventually salvage the victory which sees them carry a head of steam into the semi-finals, while AGB crash out.
Arklow needed to beat Aughrim if they were to get out of the group. It was Aughrim, however, who made the perfect start to the contest. After Jack Flusk put AGB into the early lead, Aughrim roared into a 0-4 to 0-1 advantage through the clinical Alex Kavanagh (three) and Cameron Byrne. While Aughrim had the superiority on the score board, Arklow were creating goal chances that they would end up ruing. Jack Flusk had a strike from an angle blocked by the legs of goalkeeper Mark Shannon, while Tiernan Gahan would also be denied by Shannon later on in the half.
Not bogged down by these setbacks, Arklow came on strong following the water break, equalised through Paidi Kavanagh, and immediately took the lead through the very same man. They were playing with a degree of energy and conviction with which Aughrim found themselves unable to deal, and finally got their goal near the end of the half.
After Tomas O’Reilly had a shot bounce off the cross bar, the ball was bundled away to Aaron O’Brien, who smashed the rebound into the back of the net to send his team into the break 1-6 to 0-7 to the good.
The slender nature of the scoreline, and their inability to take the goal chances that came their way in the first-half, proved to be their undoing in the second-half, however, as Aughrim shook off the cobwebs from the opening 30 minutes, and eventually came away victorious.
It did not take long for Aughrim to bring the scores level once again. Buoyed on by what must have been a stern pick me up at half-time, Alex Kavanagh (two frees) equalised before Joe McGuikan, who was more of an influence in the second-half, gave Aughrim the lead with a strike that was celebrated with the gusto that came part in parcel with a closely contested game of this nature.
Much like Arklow in the first half, Aughrim could have, and possibly should have, had a couple of goals in the second-half. Lorcan Toomey’s effort came bouncing off the post with Cian Keogh striking the rebound over the bar, while Alex Kavanagh’s compass was uncharacteristically wayward, as he sent a guilt-edge chance wide when one-v-one with Denis O’Reilly.
And yet, the final 10 minutes were highlighted by a spate of goals that turned the game on its head. With Aughrim leading 0-13 to 1-7, the AGB fell asleep from a short free, leading to Cameron Byrne being found unmarked and allowed space to run into and dispatch the ball past O’Reilly. Mere moments after that, with five minutes left, a hopeful Paidi Kavanagh high pass into the Aughrim square was dropped by Mark Shannon, allowing for Callum Dempsey, brough on for the injured Jack Flusk in the first half, to bundle the ball home.
Ultimately, however, Aughrim had the final say. Once again, the Arklow full-back line were caught cold, this time allowing Conaill O’Brien in on O’Reilly. He then waited for O’Reilly to make the first move, before lifting the ball over the goalkeeper and into the back of the net.
Arklow had Aaron O’Brien shown a black card for a reckless arm across O’Brien shortly thereafter, as Aughrim came away with the well-earned win which sees them take their undeniable season form into the semi-finals. AUGHRIM: Mark Shannon; Ryan Kinsella, Oisin Keegan, Finn Byrne; Sam Healy, Leo Byrne, Charlie O’Connor; Dermot Toomey, Joe McGuikan (0-3); Lorcan Toomey, Alex Kavanagh (0-8, 4f), Cameron Byrne (1-1); Conaill O’Brien (1-0), Cian Keogh (0-1), Steven O’Toole.
ARKLOW GERALDINES-BALLYMONEY: Denis O’Reilly; Tomas O’Reilly, Paidi Kavanagh (0-3, 1f), Joe Kindlon; Conor Healy, Gordon Prestige (0-1), Jack Mullen; Kyle Kelly, Niall O’Donovan; Michael Gough, Aaron O’Brien (1-0), Tiernan Gahan (0-2); Fionn Henry, Jack Flusk (0-1), Cillian Brehony. Subs: Callum Dempsey (1-0) for J. Flusk (30), Jake Molloy for K. Kelly (50). REFEREE: Brendan Furlong (Tinahely)