Match Report

Aghaderg make a promising start to the 2018 season.

Date Filed: 16 May 2018

Aghaderg senior footballers have opened their league campaign with three wins in their first four games.

The first game of the season saw them lose a closely fought game with Aughlisnafin on a score of Aghaderg 2-11 'Fin 3-9. 
A game they should have won easily as they dominated possession in the first quarter and led by five points while missing two simple goaling opportunities. Again in the third quarter they could easily have run up a big lead but missed a number of opportunities including a penalty. They were caught in the last two minutes when the 'Fin scored 1-2 to take the lead for the first and only time in the game. A disappointing result but the 'fin have proved in their succeeding matches that they are a force to be reckoned with.

The second match -v- St Paul's again went down to the wire and this time the Reds won by one point as they came back in the last five minutes to score the last two points of the game.  Highlight of the game was the performance of Christopher McAvoy who scored 2 -8 of the total of 2-10  including two penalties. Christopher got best support from Paul McGrath, Joe O'Kane, Stephen Comiskey, Jason Meara, Michael Fitzpatrick and Aaron McAvoy.

Match no 3 was the first home match of the season -v- Bright. Again the reds won lots of possession but were often wasteful in attack which resulted in a nail biting  finish but they recorded a 1-14  to 2-8 win.
Scores: Chris McAvoy(1-3), Eugene Devlin(0-3), Joe O’Kane(0-3), Paul McGrath(0-2), Jason Meara(0-1), Cailum Meara(0-1), Stevie Comiskey(0-1)

On Friday last Aghaderg were again on their travels when they played Mitchels on the artificial grass at the Abbey CBGS.
The reds won early possession but in what has been a recurring theme this year they give the ball away rather easily and Mitchels carried the ball the length of the pitch, created a clear cut opportunity and finished the ball to the back of the net all in the first minute.
Aghaderg responded positively to the setback and scored four points in the next ten minutes to go in front and never surrendered that lead although they did have a serious wobble in the middle of the second half. Good work by Eugene Devlin set Rory McShane up for the first point. Devlin was to prove a constant threat as he scored one point in the first half and was fouled for two frees that Paul McGrath converted. Joe O'Kane was proving a threat as he advanced from his centre half back position and scored two points. The other scores in the first half came from Christopher McAvoy (0-1)  and Paul McGrath with 3 more points to leave the half time score:

Aghaderg 0-10 Newry Mitchels 1-2.

The second half saw the Reds showing continued good form but like Mitchels in the first half they were having more trouble scoring against the breeze and shot a number of wides unlike the first half when they were off target on only one occasion. Cailum Meara scored two points from play while Eugene Devlin finished to the back of the net after Paul McGrath won possession in the middle, advanced thirty metres and fed Stevie Comiskey who timed his pass to the onrushing Devlin. The Mitchels goalkeeper made two excellent saves from McAvoy and Devlin and Comiskey struck the bar with a pile driver but Mitchels refused to surrender and scored two goals in quick succession - both after gaining possession in their own half, cutting the Aghaderg defence to shreds and giving Paul Colgan no chance to make a save. Mitchels tagged on two points but Aghaderg regained their composure and ran out deserving winners by four points.

Mitchels 3-5  Aghaderg 1 - 15

Paul Colgan was safe in goals, while Tommy Lennon and Aaron McAvoy were secure in the full back line. Joe O'Kane was dominant at centre half and scored two points from play. At mid field Paul McGrath was probably the most influential  player as his high work rate and ball winning ability throughout the match was combined with six points (0-4) from frees. Jason Meara contributed strongly while his brother Cailum scored two points from play. Michael Fitzpatrick worked hard throughout the hour without getting on the score sheet, Stevie Comiskey and Christopher McAvoy worked well throughout the hour and both were unlucky to see goaling opportunities saved by the bar and the goalkeeper. Eugene Devlin was the most effective forward as he scored 1-2 from play, was fouled for two of the scoring frees and was generally a thorn in the Mitchel's defence for the hour.

Team: Paul Colgan, Ryan Strain, Thomas Lennon, Aaron McAvoy; John Meara (Gerard Rice), Joe O'Kane (0-2), Ciaron Davis; Paul McGrath, Jason Meara; Rory McShane (0-2)(Christopher Conlon), Michael Fitzpatrick, Cailum Meara (0-2); Eugene Devlin (1-2), Stevie Comiskey (Graeme Donaghy), Christopher McAvoy (0-2).

Subs: Ruari Conway, Mark O'Kane, Niall McAlinden, James Noble, Michael Lennon, Ruari O Neill.