St.Vincents/Curraha 2.17 Moynalty/Carnaross 1-7

By Ivan Keogh

St.Vincents/Curraha travelled north for a meeting with Moynalty/Carnaross, in Carnaross for round 3 of the Coolrite Refrigeration U20 C Championship group B, on the first cold Friday evening.

Vincents/Curraha’s captain Conor O’Brien won the toss and opted to play into the roadside end for the first half. With Inny Gaels already qualified’ Vincents/Curraha had to win by more than than 2, and for Inny Gaels, to beat St.Mary’s. If this was to happen, then Vincents/Curraha would be straight through to a semi-final. The game between Inny Gaels and St.Mary’s was taking place at 8:30 pm in Donore.

Pat Clarke got the game under way shortly after 8 O’Clock. Right from the start Diarmuid Moriarty won the throw up and won himself a free which he converted to register St.Vincents/Curraha’s opening score, and the first of the game. This was followed quickly by 2 fine scores from play by the Vincents/Curraha’s number 11 Ruari O’Sullivan, to leave it 3 points to no score in favour of Vincents/Curraha about 5 minutes into the first half. Moynalty/Carnaross had a chance to get their first point which in the end went wide. Vincents/Curraha completely took over then with a great score from play coming from Conor Early, followed minutes later with a score from the Vincents/Curraha captain leading by example Conor O’Brien, leaving the score 0.05 to 0.00 in favour of the away side. Moynalty/Carnaross still hadn’t scored half-way through the first half. The game went quiet for a few minutes with wides coming from both sides. But then, everybody in Pairc Naomh Ciarán thought that Maurice Fitzgerald had started playing for St.Vincents/Curraha. Matthew Tuite was fouled and bundled over the line around the 45metre line, and Pat Clarke blew for a free. Diarmuid Moriarty stepped up and put it straight over the blackspot, which would give Maurice Fitzgerald’s point against Dublin in the 2001 All-Ireland Quarter final a run for its money. Even the Moynalty/Carnaross supporters started to clap. After a brilliant run up the field with Matthew Webb and Gary Tuite starting it, Vincents/Curraha worked a brilliant team goal, which was the first of the game, and Vincents/Curraha’s first goal of their campaign which was brilliantly finished off by Ruarí O’Sullivan which left the scoreboard reading St.Vincents/Curraha 1:06 Moynalty/Carnaross 0.00. With Vincents/Curraha looking comfortable, they had a chance to really finish the game off when a brilliant team move fell to Ben Heagney, which he coolly slotted under the Moynalty/Carnaross goalkepper, which looked as though it was in the back of the net, only to be cleared off the line by one of the Moynalty/Carnaross’s defenders. With one umpire raising the green flag to say it went over the line and the other signalling for a forty-five. Pat Clarke had to go in and discuss with the 2. Which in the end they came to the agreement that it was just a forty-five. Moriarty stepped up with it just skimmimg the right-hand side of the post and wide. Moynalty/Carnaross eventually got their first score of the game when their number 8 scored a free about 20 minutes into the first half. This was followed by another free by the midfielder. And he also got one from play which started to raise the Moynalty/Carnaross’s spirits. Vincents/Curraha hit back with a fine score from play by Conor Early which brought his personal tally to 0.02 points. It was game on when Moynalty/Carnaross took a free a long way out, which hit the post and back into play, with a goal line scramble, somehow one of the St.Vincents/Curraha’s players hand hit the ball into the net to leave the score 1.07 to 1.03 approaching half-time. St.Vincents/Curraha steadied the ship with a fine free from Diarmuid Moriarty which left the score 1.08 to 1.03 at Half time.

As the second half began St.Vincents/Curraha’s Conor O’Brien won the throw up and gave a great foot pass into Ruarí O’Sullivan who popped it over the bar to bring his personal tally to 1.03. With Vincents/Curraha looking more dangerous in attack, Moynalty/Carnaross will be kicking themselves for some spurned chances. St.Vincents/Curraha then decided to introduce Denis McEntee for James White about 10 minutes into the second half. Moriarty was once again called into action, when he stepped up and kicked his fourth free of the match minutes into the second half, and to extend their lead to 7. With brilliant defending from Robert O’Farrell, Alex McEntee and Cian Heagney, winning and cleaning up any loose balls dropping into the danger area. With Matthew Brennan not being troubled much he was still alert with good kickouts. Then Ruarí O’Sullivan started to rub salt into the Moynalty/Carnaross’s wounds when he finished off a great team goal started off by Ben Heagney which was worked up the pitch, to leave it 2.10 to 1.03. With the Moynalty/Carnaross players looking deflated Moriarty went up about 5 foot in the air and fielded a ball, he turned and curled it over the bar much to the delight of the travelling support. With Moynalty/Carnaross badly needing a score to just put some respect on the scoreboard. A score came from their number 8 from a free who had kept going all day even when the scoreboard was onesided. Moriarty added another free mid-way through the second half to leave St.Vincents/Curraha 10 points ahead. Conor Early was once again on the score sheet, with a fine score from play. Moynalty/Carnaross got the next two scores of the game with a brilliant score from their number 5 and, then one from the number 19 but at this stage, St.Vincents/Curraha were well on their way with them introducing David Dowse for Ruarí O’Sullivan who had scored 2.03, Shea O’Conor for Matthew Tuite who had caused the Moynalty/Carnaross backs problems all day and Josh McNally for Robert McGovern the other corner forward. Conor Early then got his fourth point of the match off his left foot to leave it 2.14 to 1.06 heading into the final 10 minutes. David Dowse had a great chane of getting St.Vincents/Curraha’s third goal when he caught a great ball and ran at the heart of the Moynalty/Carnaross’s defence which his shot unluckily went wide at the bottom of the right-hand side of the post. With Moynalty/Carnaross just wanting the final whistle to come St.Vincents/Curraha weren’t finished yet, and Denis McEntee eventually put the ball over the bar after a possible goal chance. Moynalty/Carnaross hit back with a good score from their main man 8. Sean Ronan for Vincents/Curraha deservedly got his name on the score sheet with a great score off his right foot. Ronan probably put the best move of the game together when he gave an enormous kick pass across the pitch to Conor Early which led to Moriarty’s wonder score from a free along the side-line. The score red 2.16 to 1.07. St.Vincents/Curraha brought on their final sub when they introduced Conor McAleese for Sean Ronan. Mc Aleese straight away got his hands on the ball and drove at the Moynalty/Carnaross defence. McAleese curled his score over the black spot with the game just heading into added time. Pat Clarke blew for full-time in Carnaross with Vincents/Curraha winning comprehensively in the end.

The winners can now look forward to a semi-final in 2 weeks’ time against either Wolfe Tones or Bective/Dunsany. Date and time yet to be announced. 

St.Vincents/Curraha Scorers: Ruarí O’Sullivan 2.03, Diarmuid Moriarty 0.06[0.05F], Conor Early 0.04, Conor O’Brien, 0.01 Denis McEntee 0.01, Sean Ronan, 0.01 Conor McAleese 0.01.

St.Vincents/Curraha: Matthew Brennan, Robert O’Farrell, Matthew Webb, Cian Heagney, Alex McEntee, Gary Tuite, Ben Heagney, Diarmuid Moriarty, Conor O’Brien, Conor Early, Ruarí O’Sullivan, James White, Robert McGovern, Matthew Tuite, Sean Ronan.

Subs used: Denis McEntee for James White, Shea O’Connor for Matthew Tuite, David Dowse for Ruarí O’Sullivan, Josh McNally for Robert McGovern and Conor McAleese for Sean Ronan.

Referee: Pat Clarke [Seneschalstown]

 

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