U14 B Team Continue Unbeaten Run In Ogonnelloe
A mid-day start meant the game was played in glorious summer weather given the latest ‘heat wave’ the country was experiencing. The game started with both teams competing well. A miss from a free by the home side was followed with a fine point from play by Cian Roughan for St Josephs, who was playing at wing forward rather than between the posts for todays match. Soon after a fine point from midfielder Darragh Nagle and a long range free from centre forward Mark Moloney put St Josephs three points in front before Scarriff-Ogonelloe scored their first point of the game through a free converted by Shane Kavanagh.
St Josephs began to get a rythym going and good work by midfielders and the half backs provided the forward line with several opportunites. A close in free converted by Matthew Whelan was followed up by good points from play by half forward Morgan Lahiffe, corner forward Joe Daly and a fine point from play by Darragh Nagle after a fine solo run.
Scarriff-Ogonnelloe continued to contest well, but were rocked by a poachers goal by Matthew Whelan after some good break-up play by full forward Bryan Ruane. The contest was still well alive and soon after Scarriff-Ogonelloe’s Shane Kavanagh received a yellow card after a robust encounter on their half-forward line. Mark Moloney converted a long range free to put St Josephs 1-8 to 0-1 in front, with 8 minutes left in the first half. A free conceded by St Josephs inside the 40 resulted in Shane Kavanagh’s effort dipping into the far corner of the net to secure Scarriff-Ogonnelloe’s first goal of the game. Amazingly within a minute Kavanagh struck the net again after a poor clearance. However St Josephs responded and following a wide from play by Mark Moloney, midfielder Mark Hanrahan closed the first half of the game with a fine point from play after a good run. It left St Josephs 1-9 to 2-1 in front, with that 2 minute 2-goal spell possibly flattering the score line for Scarriff-Ogonelloe.
However, in the second half Scarriff-Ogonelloe came out with all guns blazing. A good point from play by wing forward Paul Magee was followed by a pointed free by Matthew Whelan for St Josephs. Shane Kavanagh missed a gettable free after previously sending an effort wide from play from the 40. Pressure was being applied well by both sets of backs as Joe Daly also hit a wide from play for St Josephs. Some restructuring was applied to the St Josephs team but corner forward Rory Ryan popped up with a goal and two minutes later he scored a point from play to put just the one point between the teams.
St Josephs responded with a good point from play by second half substitute Luke Enright after some good passes in the middle third of the field. The teams were now battling well on an equal footing and after wides from Morgan Lahiffe for St Josephs and Paul Magee for Scarriff-Ogonelloe, Mark Moloney scored a fine point from play following a good run that started from his own half.
The game was very close at this stage but most pressure was on the St Josephs defense, where the likes of Adrian Baker and Brian Corry put in some great blocks and clearances as the home team upped their game.
Sean Collins scored a point from play to put Scarriff-Ogonelloe just two points behind. Mark Moloney again hit back for St Josesphs with a point from play, at a time when pressure needed to be relieved from the St Joseph’s defense. As the game ratcheted up, two wides each for both sides showed the extent to which the game had increased in intensity, and in particular when the referee called three minutes extra time.
However, St Josephs as a unit held firm and secured a good win after a close second half, with a final score of 1-13 to 3-4. A fitting end to the final round of the competition’s league stage for the parish, the team are now looking forward to the semi-final.
Team: Diarmuid O’Halloran, Cillian Warner, Adrian Baker, Brian Cory, Cillian O’Riordain (Capt), Cian Moloney, Cian Lahiffe, Darragh Nagle (0-2), Mark Hanrahan (0-1), Morgan Lahiffe (0-1), Mark Moloney (0-4, 0-2F), Cian Roghan (0-1), Matthew Whelan (1-2, 0-2F), Bryan Ruane, Joe Daly (0-1)
Subs: Matthew Power for Bryan Ruane (34mins), James Curran for Morgan Lahiffe (46mins), Luke Enright (0-1) for Cian Roughan (30mins), Darragh McMahon for Cillian O’Riordain (41mins), Charlie McGuinness for Joe Daly (46mins)
