Championship Over For Another Year.
Date Filed: 04 September 2017
Aghaderg and St Michaels Magherlin renewed old rivalries on
Saturday last when they met in the first round of the Down Junior Championship
in Tullylish.
The odds certainly favoured St Michaels as they are having a much
improved season and are presently third in the league and Aghaderg were dealt a
triple blow before the match started as Thomas Lennon, Steven Comiskey and
Ciaran Connolly were unavailable due to injury and work commitments.
Paul McGrath won the throw in and combined with L Murray and
M Fitzpatrick who set up R Conway for a fisted point from close range. A P
McGrath free doubled the lead and the tempo of the game increased as St
Michaels went in search of their first score. Good work from the defence kept
St Michaels at bay. J Lennon and J McGrath were most prominent in protecting
the posts in the first quarter as the hard working defence forced the forwards
to shoot under pressure. C McAvoy extended the Red's lead to three with a point
from twenty metres after good work by M Fitzpatrick.
After fourteen minutes St Michaels got their first score
with a great forty metre strike from the left wing to be followed by another
from a similar distance and position. A 45 metre free tied the match after
twenty minutes. In the final ten minutes of the half eight points were shared
by the two teams as they endeavoured to dominate the game. C McAvoy scored four
in a row. First after good work by P McGrath, M Fitzpatrick and R McShane. The
second after he won a poor kick out, the third after good work by M Fitzpatrick
and R O'Neill and the fourth after a pass from R O'Neill. St Michaels scored
three from play and one free in this period to leave the half time score:
Aghaderg 0-7 St Michaels 0-7.
The second half commenced as the first with Aghaderg winning
the throw in and the mid fielders combining to put M Fitzpatrick through to move
into the lead. In the first ten minutes of the second half the Reds dominated possession but were unable
to create any clear goal scoring opportunities. They continued to edge forward
slowly as R McShane kicked over a point after a final pass from C Davis and P
McGrath scored a free after a foul on M Fitzpatrick. St Michaels kept in touch
with two points one from a free and another from a 45. The Reds extended their lead to three with a C
McAvoy free after a foul on P McGrath and C Comiskey with a point after good
work by R McShane and M Fitzpatrick.
As it appeared that Aghaderg were beginning to get on top but
they were hit by a counter attack as St Michaels with two long passes out of
defence and a searching diagonal ball into the square which was finished to the
back of the net by the onrushing full forward. The reds did not buckle but
continued to work hard for their scores. M Fitzpatrick restored the one point
lead and P McGrath with a free after C Lennon was fouled extended it to two. G
Rice and C Conlon were introduced for R O'Neill and R Conway as the reds tried
to build momentum. C Conlon with his first
touch of the ball scored a fine point from thirty metres but St Michaels
continued to look dangerous as they started to punch holes through the centre
of a tiring defence. The full back line were coming under increasing pressure
and entering the last ten minutes it was a three point game and then disaster
for the Reds as another St Michaels attack was contained but the ball was
turned over and in the ensuing scramble the referee awarded a penalty which was
dispatched to the back of the net to tie the game.
The final five minutes was nail biting. St Michaels moved
into the lead with a point. C Conlon with his second long range point after
good work by C Davis tied the match. St
Michaels with a point from play moved into the lead. M Fitzpatrick, under
intense pressure struck a beautiful point off the outside of his foot to tie
the game. The opposition edged in front with their final point and Aghaderg had
a final opportunity to earn a well deserved draw when P McGrath had a chance
to tie the scores with a thirty metre
free from close to the sideline but agonisingly it slipped past the post and
Aghaderg's championship was over for another year.
Aghaderg 0-18 St Michaels 2-13
Paul Colgan Ryan Strain James McGrath Johnny Lennon Ciaron
Davis Aaron McAvoy Christopher Lennon Louis Murray Paul McGrath(0-4) Rory McShane(0-1)
Michael Fitzpatrick (0-3) Colin Comiskey(0-1)
Ruari O'Neill {Christopher
Conlon(0-2)} Christopher McAvoy (Capt)
(0-6) Ruari Conway (0-1) {Gerard Rice} Subs: Conor McGivern Graeme Donaghy
Ciaran McShane Michael Lennopn Shaun Savage Steve McCann Willie Fitzpatrick.
The Reds were most disappointed to lose such a hard fought
game and after scoring eighteen points in the sixty minutes. They worked hard
and played with great spirit throughout. The two goals were hammer blows but on
each occasion they fought back to regain the lead to just fall short at the
final whistle. Paul Colgan was safe in goal. The full back line were generally
in control as they tackled and blocked but will be disappointed to let St Michaels in
for two goals in the final quarter. Aaron McAvoy was most prominent at half back as was Paul McGrath at midfield.
Chris McAvoy had an outstanding first half, was double tagged in the second but
finished as top scorer with(0-6) Michael
Fitzpatrick worked hard and effectively throughout and finished with (0-3).
Chris Conlon's introduction saw him add two points from play in the last ten
minutes but overall it was a hard working, committed team performance which
just fell short.