McCabe a class act as he carries Clans home
VETERAN Ray McCabe rolled back the years with a vintage performance - particularly at the business end of this IFC quarter-final - as Clan na Gael finished strongly to sent Hunterstown packing from the IFC.
The crowd were still buzzing following the exciting finish to the first game of the double header in Castlebellingham, and this one wasn’t bad either as little separated the teams throughout the opening half.
Robbie Curran kept the scoreboard ticking over in the early stages for the Clans, but Hunterstown had made light work in previous championship games of being without their talisman Ryan Burns through suspension and they fancied themselves to book a place in the semi-finals.
Paul Carrie and Tony McKenna grabbed their first scores of the game and Glen Mathews then took centre stage when he helped himself to 1-1 in the space of a minute.
A further point, from the boot of Richard Taaffe, had the mid Louth men 1-4 to 0-3 ahead, but just as they seemed to be turning the screw the
Clan na Gael 2-14 Hunterstown 1-12
Clans hit back.
They had an opportunity to raise a green flag when great work in midfield led to a chance for Conall McKeever who sent his rasping shot over the bar.
However, the next time the Clans bore down on Niall Carrie’s goal they made no mistake as a slick move that started in defence ended up in the hands of Billy Smith who rattled the net.
It went score for score coming up to half-time, with Paul Carrie and Brendan Lennon on target for Hunterstown, and the sides adjourned on level terms - 1-6 apiece.
In the third quarter Clans eked out a two-point advantage - 1-9 to 1-7 - only for Hunterstown to claw themselves level once more, with Paul Carrie hitting three scores in quick succession and Brian Mathews and Alan Landy also on target.
However, when it came to the crunch in the closing stages the Clans had more in the tank. McCabe in particular was a real handful. JJ Quigley, Smith and Ian Carroll were also superb as they denied Hunterstown scoring opportunities, with McKenna scoring Rovers’ only fourth-quarter point in the 56th minute.
Clans, however, were not to be denied and the goal that finally broke Hunterstown arrived when Smith won the ball in a tackle and fed Quigley, and he eventually teed up McCabe who swept the ball past Niall Carrie.
CLAN NA GAEL: Sean Smith; Ian Carr, Paul Crewe, Donal Boyle; Craig Long, Leo Martin, Micheal McDonnell; Robbie Curran 0-5, Conor Noonan; JJ Quigley 0-2, Billy Smith 1-1, Conall McKeever 0-2; Mark Newell, Ray McCabe 1-4, Stephen Coleman. Subs: Stephen Fitzpatrick for Martin, Kevin Carroll for Long, Paul Gore for Noonan, Drew Duffy for Coleman, Conor Noonan for Newell.
HUNTERSTOWN: Niall Carrie; Richard Cunningham, Brian Mathews 0-1, Martin Lennon; Patrick Taaffe, Paul Carrie 0-5, Richard Taaffe; Tony McKenna 0-2, David Finn; Paddy Mooney, Brendan Lennon 0-1, Ryan Ward; Alan Landy 0-1, Padraig Mathews, Glen Mathews 1-1. Subs: Keith Brennan for Ryan Ward (43mins), Conor Mathews for Paul Carrie (60).