Naomh
Treasa v Clan na hEireann Carragan - Pairc
MhicDhomhnaill/ÚiDhoctairtigh – Sun 25thh Oct 2014 - 3-00pm
Referee – Conor Muldoon
The U21 championship "grading” round, saw the home side face a visiting team from Cargin, victors over them in the Senior Championship semi.
Playing with a chilly strong breeze the home side began the brightest, with Eoin Gault and Darren McCann providing plenty of good early ball for Conor Mallon and Eoghan Hamill to chase. Good play from Jay Mallon found Conor O’Rawe who was fouled whilst charging thro on goal. Hamill neatly slotted over the first score from about 25 yards. The wind was the dominant factor in the early exchanges, and in Cargin’s first attack, the wind held the ball up and whilst keeper Conaill Hamill caught the ball, he was bundled over his own goal line and the Cargin umpire signalled a goal; a decision, to most people’s surprise, the referee agreed with. Bizarre situation, but with five minutes gone, the visitors led 1-0 to 0.1. The Glen Road lads needed to regroup quickly and a flowing move from the Gault and McCann brothers, found Jay Mallon in space and he sweetly pointed from 30yards. With the wind, the Glen Road men laid siege to the Cargin half. Anton Arndell was proving a thorn in the Cargin defence and a good ball to Darren McCann allowed McCann to equalise for the home side. McCann was involved in the next attack when good work from the dinky Liam Gault, won Supertees another free. Hamill again converted the free. 0-4 to 1-0 the homside led after 15 mins. A rare Cargin attack saw their impressive corner forward (31) Michael Clarke fouled in the large rectangle and referee Muldoon awarded a controversial penalty. Keeper Hamill kept his cool and brilliantly saved with his outstretched left hand to keep the home side in front.
Spurred on by the save and led by Gerard O’Rawe and Stevie Carey, the St Teresa’s defence of Aidan Dugan, Eoin Connolly, Conor Mallon and Conor O’Rawe marshalled the Toome raiders well. Keeping possession against the wind was difficult; however Piaras McCaffrey was controlling midfield and instigating the attack from the onrushing Mallon and Hamill. St Teresa’s should have been a couple of goals to the good, only for the excellent Cargin keeper, Stephen Gribben. He saved once from Varndell at close range and a few minutes later pulled off another good save from Hamill to push the ball out for a 45. Hamill then converted the 45 to push the home side two points in front. In the next attack, full-back O’Rawe combined well with captain, Eoin Gault, and Conor McCann, to put half back Conor Mallon through for a great score. Cargin retaliated with an excellent score from full-forward Odhran McGuickin, into an impossible wind. Supertees were back soon back on the attack and sleek work from the bearded O’Rawe, Carey and McCaffrey found the impressive Mallon in space and he scored again. Mallon then notched up his sublime hat-trick of points, when Connolly, McCann and brother Jay, combined to put him through. A windswept half ended, but would the home sides four point lead be enough?
HALF TIME: Naomh Treasa 0-8 Cargin 1-1
Against the breeze, St Teresa’s seemed determined to get scores early on the doors, and dominated the first five minutes of the half. Captain Gault, Conor O’Rawe and McCann put Hamill in towards goal, his blocked shot found Varndell and his goal attempt, was stopped by keeper Gribbon, not once, but twice. Lady luck was deserting the home side and wind was becoming impossible to judge, as St Teresa’s had a couple of accurate shots blown away by the wind. Cargin on their first attack of the half, found the powerful boot of their midfielder Ronan McGuickin who belted over from 45 yards. The deficit was then reduced to two when half back; David Johnston broke up field for the visitors to score a fine effort. The St Teresa’s defence were working overtime and O’Rawe and Co were struggling bravely to cope with the wind. A well deserved point from the nippy Clarke, had the scores one between them, 0-8 to 1-4.
St Teresa’s registered their first point of the half, when Jay Mallon scored after some great work from Connolly, McCaffery and Conor O’Rawe. Dugan and the Gault bro’s put Carey through, who found Conor Mallon who effortlessly slotted his fourth of the day. Three points in it again, 0-10 to 1-4 with 12 minutes to go. The St Teresa’s boys had worked tirelessly in defence but Cargin began to use the wind to their advantage. Another powerful thump of the laithroid from Ronan McGuickin earned him another point, followed by Clarke and again back to one between the teams. The tide had turned. A mix-up in the Teresa’s defence allowed the Cargin forwards in on goal and O’Rawe was sacrificed to give up a penalty. Half forward Brendan Laverty faced Hamill in goal and the Cargin lad thumped it hard to the back of Hamill's net. 0-10 to 2-6 the visitors led with 6 minutes left. Cargin asserted right away and another slip up in the home defences allowed McGuickin in for his third point of the day. Three points the visitors led and the home side look buried as the minutes drifted away.
A good movement from Gault, Hamill and Mallon resulted in a free that Hamill himself, converted to reduce the margin to two. An injury time encroached, Super tees had one last attack, and throwing everyone forward. Darren McCann played a floating ball into the Cargin box, the ball broke loose and the fresh face of Connor McCann Jnr popped up to get a toe to the ball and rifle the ball past the hapless Gribbon in goal to the top righthand corner of the net. Super Tees had claimed victory from the jaws of defeat.
A thoroughly enjoyable tight game, played in a sporting sprit by both sides, withSt John’sfacing St Teresa’s and Creggan v Cargin in the next round.
FINAL SCORE: Naomh Treasa 1-11 Cargin 2-7
St Teresa's scorers:
C McCann 1-0
D McCann 0-1
E Hamill 0-4
C Mallon 0-4
J Mallon 0-2
Cargin Scorers:
B Laverty 1-0
R McGuickin 0-3
M Clarke 0-2
D Johnston 0-1
O McGuickin 0-1