Curraha 2-16  St. Michael's 1-17

Curraha made the journey North for a meeting with St. Michaels in Round 3 of the J. M Food Services League Division 2. Curraha came into the game after securing a draw against St. Vincent's 2 weeks prior to this encounter hoping to add a further 2 points onto the league table. 

The match got underway at 3pm with the sun splitting the stones in Carlanstown. With the recent nice weather St. Michael's pitch was in tip top condition and was perfect for football. 

Paddy Clarke got us underway and St. Michael's won the throw up and headed towards the Curraha goal. St. Michael's got the first score of the game after 3 minutes of play with a point from Gearóid O’ Malley after some initial fine defending from Curraha. Curraha managed to force a fine turnover coming from Neil Shorthall. The ball was played forward and a Curraha shot hit the crossbar coming back into play before the rebound hit the post before St. Michaels managed to clear their lines but it was a let off for the home side. Gearóid O’Malley got 2 further fine scores for St. Michael's 1 from a free to leave it no score to 3 points after 10 minutes. Curraha began to win possession in the mid field area and Ruairí O’Sullivan kicked a point from a free after 12 minutes of play. Curraha playing against the wind in the first half had to work their scores closer in towards goals and Brian Joyce finished off a fine team move and converted a point from play off his right foot to leave the minimum between the sides. 

Mylo Hussey won a fine kickout and played the ball towards James McEntee who turned his man and kicked a point out on the left hand side to level proceedings. St. Michael's responded with a point from Brian O’Reilly with a quarter of an hour remaining in the half. Andrew Coyle won a fine ball and headed towards goal and was fouled and a free in front of the posts was awarded and Ruairí O’Sullivan stepped up and converted with 10 minutes remaining. Géaroid O’Malley reinstated the St. Michael's lead with a point from play. 2 further quick fire scores for St. Michael's one from Matt Moriarty and a further point from O’Malley gave St. Michael's a 3 point lead with 5 minutes remaining in the half. Seán Ronan rose highest for a Curraha kickout and delivered the ball into the forward line and a Curraha player was fouled and Ruairí O’Sullivan converted the free. St. Michael's finished the first half the brighter of the 2 and 3 further points 1 from Declan Reilly and 2 from Conor Bates gave them a 5 point lead as the game went into injury time. St Michael's almost made it an 8 point game only for the fine goalkeeping from Matthew Brennan denying them. Brennan saved the initial shot and the ball rebounded into play and a St. Michael's player shot along the ground and Brennan managed to get across the face of goal and make a further save. That would be the final action of the half and the halftime score read Curraha 0-5  St. Michael's 0-10

St. Michael's extended their lead after a minute of play and again it was Gearóid O’Malley who converted a free off his left. Curraha, now playing with the aid of the strong wind, gave a long ball in, in front of Ruairí O’Sullivan who turned his man and shot off his left and the ball skimmed over the bar to reply to the St. Michael's point. St. Michael's turned the screw on Curraha for 5 minutes of play and kicked 4 unanswered points 3 from Gearóid O’Malley one from a free as well as a point from Cian McFadden to give them a 9 point lead with 12 minutes gone in the half. Curraha introduced Jamie Fewer for Mylo Hussey in the 15th minute who had put in another fine performance. Ruairí O’Sullivan got Currahas 7th white flag of the day with a fine point from a free. O’Malley replied with a point from a free for St. Michaels. Curraha weren't giving up though and they found their own purple patch which was started with a long ball being sent into Ruairí O’Sullivan who managed to flick the ball into the net to make it a 6 point game. Brian Joyce won the following St. Michael's kick out and broke towards the St. Michael's goal who passed to a fellow Curraha team mate who shot along the dugout side. The ball dropped dangerously into the goal mouth and Brian Joyce did brilliantly and followed the ball in and flicked the ball over the bar with 11 minutes remaining. Currahas dominance continued James McEntee received the ball about 35 yards out from goals and ran at the St. Michael's defence. McEntee went for goal and he couldn't have hit it any sweeter and drilled it into the top left hand corner to leave only 2 points between the teams.

St. Michaels needed a score and in the 23rd minute they raised a green flag of their own from Aaron O'Connell as well as a further point from O'Connell to make it a 6 point game again and looked as though it was game over. Curraha had other ideas though and this St. Michael's period of scoring didn't stop them from mounting a further comeback. James McEntee was fouled and the free was brought forward and McEntee took the option of going for a 2 pointer. McEntee stepped up and kicked the first 2 pointer of the game in the 56th minute of the game to keep the pressure on St. Michael's. Curraha again applied pressure to the St. Michael's kick out and they won the following kick out  and headed towards goal and a Curraha player was fouled outside the 2 point arc. James McEntee stepped up in a similar position except a slightly tighter angle but he raised another orange flag to leave only 2 between the teams with 3 minutes remaining. St. Michael's won the next kickout but a further turnover led to Seán Ronan receiving the ball 45 metres out and Ronan kicked the ball high into the air and the wind curled it over the black spot to level the contest and make it a third 2 pointer in 3 minutes for Curraha. Curraha again won possession of the ball but St. Michael's defended their goals but Curraha patiently waited for the right opportunity and Andrew Coyle received the ball and was fouled outside the 2 point arc. James McEntee stepped up from a tight angle on the right hand side of the field and he was the coolest person inside St. Michael's GFC and kicked a huge 2 pointer from a free to the delight of the travelling support to give Curraha a 2 point lead as the game went into injury time. St. Michaels now needed a goal and they went in search of one. They went for a goal and a shot rattled the crossbar and back into play where Curraha regained possession and the full time whistle sounded.

Full time score: Curraha 2-16  St. Michael's 1-17

Curraha left Carlanstown with 2 points after a gutsy second half performance. The Curraha side were 9 points down at one stage but never gave in and battled back twice to come away with the win with lots of positives and plenty of work ons also but a fantastic team performance from Curraha. 

Curraha will now face Moynalvey next Saturday the 12th of April in Moynalvey GFC at 4pm in round 4 of the league. 

Curraha: Matthew Brennan, Eoghan Burke, Óisin Fay, Séamus Hogan, Dylan Rowland, Neil Shortall, Conor Joyce, Brian Joyce(0.02) Mylo Hussey, Ronan Flynn, Conor O’Farrell, Seán Ronan (0.02, 1X2 point)  James McEntee (1.07)0.03pt free, Andrew Coyle, Ruairí O’Sullivan 1.05 (0.04F) 

Sub used: Jamie Fewer for Mylo Hussey 

Referee: Paddy Clarke 

Report: Ivan Keogh

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