Keeper Dickie misses and scores penalty
HUBERT MURPHY LOOKS BACK ON A FIRST MACARDLE CUP EVER FOR HUNTERSTOWN ROVERS AND HOW LANNLEIRE KEEPER DICKIE KIERAN SHOWED EVERYONE HOW TO TAKE A PENALTY...
October 1982
LANNLEIRE have only themselves to blame that they suffered the same fate in Sunday’s Junior One FL—Macardle Cup — final at Philipstown, as was the case 12 months back against Oliver Plunkets in the Junior One Championship decider.
While the honours in the heel of the hunt rested where they belonged, opponents, Hunterstown Rovers, who were gaining possession of this old-established Co. Board trophy for the first time in their history, will be the first to admit that they were given a much more searching test than their six points winning margin (1.10 to 1.4) would suggest.
In a final which had no shortage of atmosphere, the Dunleer side, going into this match as winners of Group A, failed to make anything like adequate use of the opportunities which came their way, and especially in the second half after turning over with an unflattering two points lead — 1.3 to 0.4.
In that opening half, Lannleire were awarded two penalties, but converted only one. The conversion was in the 17th minute when veteran ‘ keeper and captain Dickie Kieran, gave opposite number Brendan Crosbie no chance with an angled drive to the top corner of the net. Nine minutes previously, another Dickie Kieran penalty was saved by Crosbie to the delight of the Rovers supporters.
Right corner-forward, Aidan King, was the central figure in both awards. From a good out-the-field move, the county jninor sent in a flashing drive which cannoned off the crossbar, and in the resulting scrimmage, one of the defenders was adjudged to have fouled the ball.
It was relief for Hunterstown when Crosbie saved, and they celebrated their escape a minute later with a Willie Callaghan point, leaving them ahead by the odd score in three — 0-2 to 0-1. And that situation was to stand until the 17th minute goal from D. Kieran’s second penalty. In that particular offensive, A. King had the ball in the net, but the ref’s whistle had sounded fractionally beforehand for the spot kick.
Motoring nicely at that stage, the odds seemed on a Lannleire victory. But then Rovers’ mentors made a switch which was to play a big part in their dramatic tight-back. Kieran Matthews came out to midfield as partner to skipper, Jim Matthews, while Richie Davis moved to fullforward — a swop which was to benefit both players.
Some of the game’s best football was seen in the final 10 minutes of that opening moiety. Any amount of fine fielding and kicking, and commitment aplenty on the part of both sides.
An exchange of points between’ Thomas Clare, Lannleire, and Padraig Callaghan, was followed by a similar exchange between P. J. Callan and Kieran Matthews, leaving the Rovers still two points in arrears at the break.
But it was a much more purposeful Hunterstown which started off the second half. With M. Taaffe coming in on the left-wing for Eamonn McKcnna, they threw everything into attack, cancelling out the Lannleire lead with scores from Jim Matthews and P. Callaghan, free, in the second and fourth minutes. Thus, for the first time since the game’s early stages, the scoring was level.
Then came what was probably the game’s turning point. In a sudden break-away, Dunleer’s right-winger found himself in possession, and after making ground, he unleashed a great drive which had a goal written all over it. But to the deafening cheers of Rovers followers, goalkeeper, Crosby made an even better save. One of the best surely of the season.
While the losers had their share of chances afterwards of pulling the match round, it has to be said that in the last 20 minutes they didn’t show anything like the same conviction as the Ardee parish side. Indeed, their only flag in the entire second half was a 16 minute point per A. King, leaving it 0.8 to 1.4.
Groans from the Dunleer contingent, when Lannleire’s best forward, P. J. Callan, missed a great chance of a goal in the 20th minute. Then operating on the 40, the county U-21 footballer somehow managed to screw the ball wide with keeper Crosby some 10 metres off his line. Talk about looking a gift horse in the mouth!
Definitely no more Lannleire chances after that. In the last eight minutes, Hunterstown were firmly in the driving seat, pulling away with a goal and two points from left corner-forward, P. Callaghan, the points from frees, and the goal with an angled sort of lob which found its way to the net off an upright.
Much jubilation among the red-shirted Hunterstown players, and teir big band of followers when vice-chairman of the Co. Board, Joe Leonard, presented captain, Jim Matthews, with the Macardle trophy.
In paying tribute to both sides, Joe also right by lauded St Kevin’s on the excellence of their arrangements for the first final to be decided on their splendid new grounds. Well done Philipstown.
Among other things, Sunday’s Hunterstown win makes up for their unexpected defeat at the hands of St Fechin’s in the 78 league final at Dunleer. Trained this year by the amiable
Frank McDermott, Clan na Gael, they’ve certainly ended the ‘62 season with a flourish — beating in turn teams such as St Kevin’s and Sean O’Mahony’s, as well as Dunleer. No wonder then that Tom Lynch’s ‘ Traveller’s Rest’ was a lively spot when the team returned there on Sunday evening.
After an uncertain start, Rovers came into their own at midfield, with skipper, Jim Matthews in towering form. He was ably backed in the second period by namesake, Kieran Matthews.
Others to contribute handsomely to the victory included full-back Tommy Levins; centre half, Noel Carrie; Fintan Levins on his right, as well as attackers, Willie and Padraig Callaghan, and Tom Taaffe.
But the efforts of the above and their other out-the-field colleagues, would have been for naught but for the coolness and resourcefulnes of 21 year-old goalkeeper, Brendan Crosbie. He was in inspired form all through, and well deserved the accolades heaped on him afterwards. :
Handicapped by a long lay-off from competitive football, Lannleire didn’t show the sort of form which won them a shoal of matches in coming- through as leaders of Group A. Some criticism afterwards about the composition of the team, and also the positions in which some players found themselves.
And then there was a puzzling switch of Offaly man, John Kennedy, in the second half. Significantly Rovers got on top at midfield when he had moved from that sector.
One player who certainly can’t be saddened with the defeat, was centre-half Hugh Corrigan. He battled all the way, and with a couple of others like him, Rovers might not have gone home with the trophy. Others to catch the eye included ‘Junior’ O’Brien, Thomas and Frank Clare, George Reynolds, P. J. Callan and Aidan King.
Hunterstown scores: P. Callaghan 1-5, 4 points from frees; Jim Matthews 0-2, T.
Taaffe, W. Callaghan and K. Matthews 0-1 each. Lannleire: R. Kieran 1-0, penalty, P. J. Callan 0-2, T. Clare and A. King 0-1 each.
Hunterstown Rovers: Brendan Crosbie, Donal Matthews, Tommy Levins, Kevin Levins, Fintan Levins, Noel Carrie, Dermot Taaffc, Jim Matthews, capt., Richard Davis, Willie Callaghan, Martin Callaghan, Eamonn McKenna, Tom Taaffe, Kieran Matthews and Padraig Callaghan. Sub— M. Taaffc for McKenna.
Lannleire: Dickie Kieran, ‘Junior’ O’Brien, George Reynolds, Thomas Clare, David Tiernan, Hugh Corrigan, Richard Callan, John Kennedy, Frank Clare, P. J. Callan, Bartle Faulkner, Sean Clare, Aidan King, Thomas O’Hare and Matthew Connolly. Sub— John McKeown for Callan. Referee: Sean Dolan.
• Boyne Rovers were the first winners of the Macardle Cup — back in 1921. St Kevin’s, on whose grounds Sunday’s match was played, scored a ‘ hat trick’ in the mid ‘60s.