Carson to the fore as Newtown cruise through to semi-final
Newtowbutler 3-18 Na Piarsaigh 1-06
NEWTOWNBUTLER cruised through to an Ulster Junior Championship semi-final against Cavan side Drumlane on Sunday week following a resounding victory over Antrim outfit Na Piarsaigh in Brewster Park on Sunday.
Darren Chapman’s side had the game in the bag by the break after hitting three first half goals through a Ryan Carson brace, and one from Ger O’keefe, and they kept the scoreboard ticking over in the second half against an opposition that finished the game with 13 men.
Newtown’s attack simply proved too hot for the Na Piarsaigh rearguard to handle, with Carson, O’keefe, Diarmuid King and James Connolly all giving them problems at times, while Sean Conlon and Jason Flanagan provided them with a solid platform in the middle of the park.
Newtown showed their intent from the outset as O’keefe fired over the opening score of the contest after only 18 seconds, while Diarmuid King quickly followed up with a second after Ryan Rooney had turned over possession.
And a sweeping move then resulted in Carson landing his first score of the day as the First Fermanaghs raced into a 0-03 to 0-00 lead by the fifth minute.
Na Piarsaigh did enjoy their best spell of the tie after this as they hit back with three scores on the bounce to level up matters, Stephen Fitzsimmons opening their account before Sean Moreland knocked over a free and another from play to make it 0-03 to 0-03 after 11 minutes.
However, Newtown hit back with the first goal of the game moments later, and the First Fermanaghs quickly pulled away after this to open up a sizeable gap between the sides.
A good ball in by Donal Mcdaid resulted in O’keefe racing through and finishing decisively to the back of the net, and although Fitzsimmons replied with a point, Newtown had their tails up and went on to pull away.
Carson got on the end of a long ball from Connolly before slotting over, and with 19 minutes on the clock, the experienced attacker then struck for his side’s second goal.
Rooney and Flanagan combined to tee up the forward, who calmly palmed to the back of the net to make it 2-04 to 0-04.
Carson was proving a real handful and he tagged on a point before adding his second goal in the 22nd