Simply Devine start to ‘Well’s title defence
BELLURGAN UNITED NEWFOUNDWELL 2 6
CHAMPIONS Newfoundwell made a winning start to the defence of their title against a young and much changed Bellurgan at O’Flynn Park on Sunday.
The home side lost both their central defenders before half-time and were reduced to 10 men when their most experienced player Diarmuid Murphy was dismissed in controversial circumstances.
To add insult to injury, Newfoundwell scored from the resulting free kick to go in 3-0 ahead and there was virtually no way back for the home side at that stage, although they battled to the end.
Poor defensive play yielded the visitors two goals in a 10-minute spell between the 15th and 25th minute. A long ball over the top of the Bellurgan defence by Adam O’Connor enabled last season’s champions to take the lead as Brandon Sullivan ran onto it and curled the ball round keeper Robbie Arthur.
The home defence’s slackness was exposed again for the champions’ second goal. A ball was played in from the wing and three players allowed Ian Devine to turn and shoot without a challenge.
Michael Osobe marked his return to the home colours by scoring after half an hour to put Bellurgan back in the game. Sean Matthews, one of a trio of players signed from Quay Celtic, did the spadework down the left as he beat his marker and pulled the ball back for Osobe close to the penalty spot.
Osobe feinted to shoot but touched the ball past a defender and curled a shot low and hard into the corner of the net.
Then the first of three crucial calls went against Bellurgan. Stephen Finnegan picked the ball up in midfield and advanced before playing a pass through the ‘Well defence to Shane O’Brien eight yards from goal.
The latter let fly and in Bellurgan’s view the ball the struck the hand of a Newfoundwell defender as he threw himself at the ball, but no penalty was awarded.
The home side then lost Alan O’Connor after he went down injured and had to be replaced and on the resumption of play Newfoundwell played the ball through and a Murphy tackle was deemed worthy of a yellow card by the referee, who had already shown him one earlier.
Off he went, and to compound Bellurgan’s woe Newfoundwell scored from the free kick through Devine.
The visitors stretched their lead to 4-1 on the hour with a brilliant finish from Ryan Connor, but substitute Owen Armstrong put away a fine low cross by newcomer Christian Lotefa to reduce the arrears.
Another big call went against the home side when a corner kick was played into the Bellurgan box and the linesman flagged for a foul by Armstrong on Paddy O’Boyle that resulted in a penalty for the visitors. Devine scored from the spot to complete his hat-trick and make it 5-2.
Newfoundwell scored their sixth goal through Shaun Bannon, his first senior goal, after an assist from Devine.
BELLURGAN UNITED: Robert Arthur, Owen Traynor, Cian McDonnell, Diarmuid Murphy, Alan O’Connor (Patrick Lynch), Christian Lotefa, Stephen Finnegan, Shane O’Brien (Mark Murphy), Sean Matthews (Owen Armstrong 70), Tadgh O’Connor (Sean Maguire 60), Michael Osobe.
NEWFOUNDWELL: Ronan Brown, Daryl McDonagh, Adam O’Connor, Paddy O’Boyle, Kevin Bull (Darragh Traynor), Ryan Connor, Rob Cashman (Gaz Smith), Craig O’Connor, Brandon Sullivan (Manny Santos), Ian Devine, Shaun Bannon (Kenny Hurley).