Macs Win the Pat O'Brien Cup in a Canter

Wolfe Tones 1-6 Aidan McAnespies 3-13

 

By Rory O'Donnell 

 

Aidan McAnespies Celebrate the Pat O'Brien Cup Victory

Aidan McAnespies re-captured the Pat O'Brien Cup from the Wolfe Tones with a fine display over the 60 minutes.  A great display from corner forward, Cian Tobin helped the Macs on their way.   Gareth O'Neill, Cronin Dempsey, Niall Gallen and Darryl Brolly also put in sterling performances for the northerners.  The Tones struggled to find any kind of flow to their game, while it was the opposite for McAnespies as they played some nice fluid football, found each other well, and looked the hungrier of the two teams. 

After a dream start to the game for the Tones, McAnespies took control of affairs and left their opponents in their wake.  Marty Kelly netted shortly after the throw in, but McAnespies answered with a point from Cian Tobin followed by a goal from corner forward, Darryl Brolly.  Cronin Dempsey and Gareth O'Neill controlled matters in the middle third of the field, while Kerry native, Cian Tobin proved to be a dangerman at corner forward.  Tobin accounted for six of McAnespies eight first half points, four were from frees as the Tones were forced into persistent fouling, and looked surprisingly sluggish throughout the half.  As the scoreboard kept ticking over nicely for McAnespies, the Tones searched for answers in the forward line but were instead left with a lot of questions.  At the break it was a handsome 1-8 to 1-1 lead for the red side of South Boston. 

The Tones tried to get the second half started on a better note than that in which the first ended, and succeeded in shaving two points off the deficit.  Mike O'Brien, Brilly, and Marty Kelly tried to generate some lift for their team and a close finish looked like a possibility for the first 10 minutes after the restart.  That all changed with one well played ball to the Tobin's corner, with the killer blow coming from Enda Hamill.  After fielding the cross field ball Tobin turned to make the opening for Hamill and the wing back slid the ball neatly between the legs of Tones keeper Cathal Hynes.  Gary Brilly answered with a fine point, however another three pointer from McAnespies put the matter to bed.  Aidan Lynch was fouled in the penalty area and put the spot kick away himself leaving no doubt as to the destination for the cup that night.  Just under two weeks before the championship and it is Aidan McAnespies making the noise early in the season. 

Tones: C. Hynes, C. Gartland, K. Gill, D. Maguire, B. McShea, M. O'Brien, C. Joyce-Power, J. Kelly, C. Carr, G. Brilly, M. Kelly, M. Farrell, D. McCabe.  Macs:  P. Coakley, M. Bogue, E. Delmar, N. Gallen, C. McClean, A. Lynch, A. Fearson, C. Dempsey, B. Smith, G. O'Neill, E. Hamill, D. Brolly, C. Tobin.