St. Michaels 2-12, Walterstown 0-15

David Wright was understandably delighted as his side advanced to the semi-final of the Meade Potato Co IFC in Pairc Tailteann on Saturday evening last.

St. Michaels needed a win or a draw to progress to the semi's and in an intriguing if not quite exhilarating contest in which Walterstown called all the shots for three quarters of this game, it was the St. Michaels lads greater composure down the finishing straight that saw them deservedly edge past Walterstown to book a semi-final spot. 

But for a brilliant point blank save from Shane McCormack after only 30 seconds, Walterstown could have been out of sight after five minutes. McCormack's parried save was then popped over for the games opening score and Walterstown followed up with a further four points in as many minutes to go five ahead after only six minutes play. Shane McDonnell opened his sides account with two points in the seventh and twelfth minutes however the momentum was with the men in black and they dominated the opening half to lead by 0-9 to 0-4 at the short whistle. A converted free from substitute Ciaran Lynch and another from a Mark from Oran Meehan were the other first half scores for St. Michaels. 

Lynch sent another between the posts from a free shortly after the re-start but Walterstown replied with two of their own to stretch their lead to six points after 36 minutes, then up popped Oran Meehan with a sweetly struck goal to reduce the deficit to three but again Walterstown replied with a brace of points in a two minute spell. Shane McDonnell kept his side ticking over with a great effort from play before super sub Ciaran Lynch gained possession, was almost round keeper John Davis before he was pulled to the ground, referee Cormac Reilly gave Davis a black card and Lynch got a penalty which McDonnell expertly placed in the back of the net to leave his side trailing by just two at the second water break, 2-6 to 0-14.  

It must have been holy water that David Wright and his cohorts “Todd” McDonnell and Paddy Callaghan gave their players at the second water break because the St. Michaels lads returned a different team and took total control of the proceedings. The Walterstown men fell apart and the influence of the O'Connell brothers Barry and Brian was completely negated by their fathers home parish side. A point apiece within two minutes of the re-start from Lynch and Meehan had the sides on level terms, Lynch put his side in front for the first time in the match on 53 minutes, Paddy Clarke sent a beauty over the black spot after a long solo run, Meehan put three between the sides 2-11 to 0-14 after great outfield work by McDonnell and Ray Reilly with 58 minutes on the Pairc Tailteann scoreboard. Walterstown added their only score of the final quarter a minute later but by that stage the winners were in full control all over the pitch and the insurance point came from Ciaran Lynch with a converted free in the second minute of injury time to book a place in the semi-final.

St. Michaels: Shane McCormack; Christopher Drew, Matthew Halpin, Ben Reilly; Sam Briody, Ronan Lynch, Paddy Clarke (0-1); Mark Stafford, Felim O'Reilly; Davy Lynch, Shane McDonnell (1-3), Jamie Farrelly; Patrick Tobin, Oran Meehan (1-3,1f), Ray Reilly.                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Subs:  Ciaran Lynch (0-5, 3f) for Farrelly 15 minutes, Ciaran O'Reilly for R. Lynch 45 minutes, J.B. O'Reilly for Stafford 55 minutes, Cian Sheridan for Tobin 58 minutes.                                                                                                                                                     

Referee: Cormac Reilly. 

Report and photo Pascal Reilly PRO. 

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