A Tale of Two Gaffney's
October 05, 2015Ulster Club Senior Hurling Championship Quarter Final
Played At Maguiresbridge
Sunday, 4th October, 2015
Lisbellaw St Patrick's, 2 gls. 10 pts., Middleton, 0gl. 19 pts.
The winning of this Ulster Club Senior Hurling Final of 2015 for a depleted 13 man Middletown team, who have to thank the two Gaffney's, Ryan at left half forward, who's deftly accurate free taking, converted foolish marking to allow their mistakes to allow the latter attacker convert them into 10 points. His namesake Dean guarding the Armagh club's nets, brought off a crucial penalty save in the dying moments of the game, to prevent the St Patrick's hosts draw this very exciting hurling contest in the penultimate minute of the match. For Lisbellaw there were outstanding performances from Sean Corrigan, who wreaked scoring havoc at left full forward, when he claimed 1 goal and 6 points. The latter major score happened in the opening moments of the match, when the St Patrick's attacker registered his side's first goal from play. His younger brother Ciaran kept up a sustained running attack on the Middletown defence. At the other end of the park Lisbellaw goalie Mark Curry repeatedly prevented the orchard men from registering a senior score. Though reduce to thirteen men in the game's last quarter a more skilful and determined Middletown side ran out narrow but deserve winners, well into injury.
The Game-First Half
Hosts Lisbellaw got off to dream scoring start, when their left full forward Sean Corrigan blasted home his side's first major score, from play. However the St Patrick's side then conceded three points from frees via the very inform Ryan Gaffney, to create the first draw of the match, towards the end of the opening quarter. If the first fifteen minutes was marginally dominated by St Patrick's. The succeeding quarter, was marginally dominated by the more point scoring Armagh visitors, with an extra six points from more conceded frees, registered by Ryan Gaffney ( 4 pts.), Shaun Toal (1pt.), David Carvill (1 pt.) and Martin Maguire ( 1pt.). For the hosts it was reliable scoring due of Sean Corrigan and John Duffy who clipped over their side's more modest five points. Despite getting one of their team mate's red carded, the Armagh team, with a one point advantage ran off the pitch a the games interval in an obvious more humorous mood.
Half time scores
Lisbellaw St Patrick's, 1 gl. 10 pts., Middleton, 0gl. 9 pts.
Second half
Down To The Wire, And Beyond.
If anyone attending this very entering match thought this concluding half was going to be walk-in-the-park for either side, they would due for pleasant surprise. As in this game's half it was the visitors free taking scoring ace Ryan Gaffney that got the interrupted game off to scoring begin. Punishing they hosts with his side's 10 point from a free. Immediately the very inform Sean Corrigan popped over his side's sixth point from a free. With the Middletown side still in the scoring ascendancy, who now added further minor scores from Ryan Gaffney (3 pts.). Approaching the end the matches' third quarter Lisbellaw visibly stepped up their attacks on their visitors defence, resulting immediately in a point from the darting Ciaran Corrigan from play. However that minor score heralded as major and successful attack on the orchard lads defence, when left full forward Ryan Bogue's cleverly placed slithor found the lurking Connor McShea, who finished it off into the net for St Patrick's second goal. Game On! More on field trouble for they Middleton boys, when they had their teammate red carded, with five minutes to full time. The last moments of the games and extra time watched by this expert spectating crowd, some of the best Ulster club hurling witnessed in years. Point scoring was initially the priority of the day, which saw Lisbellaw points from Sean Corrigan and John Duffy. Now well into injury time, and Lisbellaw being a penalty, which was deftly taken by the St Patrick's full forward Declan McGarry, who was well matched in the visitor's goal by Dean Gaffney, who dramatically saved the slithor and thus prevented a draw, and therefore a win for Middletown. It was the latter side though reduced to thirteen men in the game's last quarter, engaged in a more skilful and determined game, which saw them run out narrow but deserve winners, well into injury time.
Final scores
Lisbellaw St Patrick's, 2 gls. 10 pts., Middletown, 0gl. 19 pts.
Teams, Lisbellaw St Patrick's, Mark Corry, Davy Teague, Mark Slevin, Andrew Breslin, Andrew Bresilin, Gus Bannon, Karl Kehoe, Barrie Duffy, John Duffy ( 3 pts.), Danny Teague, Declan McGarry, J.P. McGarry, Tommy Cleary , Ryan Bogue, Sean Corrigan (1 gl. 6 pts.), Declan McGarry & Ciaran Corrigan ( 1pt.)
Subs., Connor McShea (1 gl.), Brian Jones, Eoin Cleary, Ciaran McTeague, Jack Gavin, Joe Gavin, Odhran Russell, Rory Porteous, Diarmuid Russell, Sean Porteous, Mathew Martin.
Managers, Adie Phillip's & Brian Johnston.
Middletown team, Dean Gaffney, Liam Woods, Pauric Hughes (1 pt), Odhran Curry, Shea Gafffney, Nathan Curry, Padraigh Lappin (1 pt.), Adam Toal, Kiearan McKiernan, Martin Maguire (1 pt.), Cathal Carville ( 3 pts.), Ryan Gaffney (11 pts.), Shaun Toal ( 1 pt.), David Carville ( 1 pt.) & Ternan Nevin.
Manager, Arthur Hughes, Paul Lappin & Declan McBride.
