St. Michaels 4-12, Bective 4-09     
                     
St. Michaels finished strongly to see off Bective with three points to spare in this entertaining Meade Potato Company IFC match played in Castletown last evening.

The winners needed a late goal from Shane McCormack to see off an inspired comeback from the Bective men and eventually seal an opening round Group B win.

St. Michaels opened the scoring with a point from Shane McDonnell in the opening minute, however Bective opened their account with a goal 40 seconds later and although Oran Meehan fired over his sides second point four minutes later Bective hit the back of the net for a second time with a rasping shot on six minutes to gain an early four point advantage. St. Michaels then took control for the next 7 minutes with Davy Lynch pointing, Meehan then collected a fine pass from McDonnell and rattled the back of the net from 8m out to level matters and when a shot on goal from McDonnell was deflected, it fell kindly for McCormack who came in from the right wing and coolly slotted the ball low under the advancing goalkeeper to regain the lead after 12 minutes play. Bective kept the scoreboard ticking with 2 points, one from a free before Ciaran Lynch opened his account from a free on 21 minutes and he followed that up with his sides third major minutes later when he latched on to a Matthew Halpin effort that came back off the upright and he gave the Bective keeper no chance for a five point lead. Bective however refused to lie down and their efforts yielded a further two points before the interval to reduce the St. Michaels lead to to just 3 points, 3-4 to 2-4.                 

Within three minutes of the restart Oran Meehan had stretched his sides lead to four points, but again lapses in the St. Michaels rearguard allowed Bective back into the game with their third goal, however they didn't build on that score as two pointed frees from Ciaran Lynch settled his sides nerves and a further point apiece from McCormack and Lynch opened up a 3-9 to 3-5 gap between the sides entering the final quarter. But once again the Bective lads showed plenty of heart and in a three minute spell drew level after posting 1-2 without reply. The situation was beginning to look ominous for the St. Michaels lads who had been in this situation before in league matches, and especially when Bective went one in front with only five minutes left on the clock, however a foul on Ben Reilly was punished by Ciaran Lynch who calmly split the posts, Bective replied from play to go back in front but when the 40 “something” year old Daithí O'Reilly made his way up from corner back to send one over from play to draw level didn't motivate or shame his younger team mates nothing would, and a well struck point from Davy Lynch put his side back in front and although Bective drew level again there was still time for St. Michaels to launch another attack when Ciaran Lynch sent a high ball into the Bective square, in rushed Shane McCormack to tap it over the head of the Bective 'keeper for the all important winning goal.

Although the holes that leaked the four goals will need to be plugged before the next round, the character shown by the St. Michaels players to get this result was exemplary, each man gave their all and it made for a thoroughly enjoyable game of football, well done lads.                                             

St. Michaels: Darren O'Connell; Daithí O'Reilly (0-1), Sam Briody, Ciaran O'Reilly; Paddy Clarke, Christopher Drew, Ben Reilly; Davy Lynch (0-2), Matthew Halpin; Oran Meehan (1-2), Cian Sheridan, Ray Reilly; Shane McCormack (2-1), Shane McDonnell (0-1), Ciaran Lynch (1-5). Subs: Paddy Tobin for Cian Sheridan, Lee Morris for Ray Reilly.

Referee: Paul Mooney.    

Report and photo Pascal Reilly PRO.                             

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