Monday, May 26, 2014

Sunday May 25: Senior Football - Wolfe Tones v Aidan McAnespies

Wolfe Tones 1-17 Aidan McAnespies 3-10

The most exciting game of the day was saved till last when the Tones and McAnespies met in a game that neither side wanted to lose.  There were goals, missed chances, and about as close a finish as you could imagine.  In the end, in spite of throwing away 2 golden opportunities at netting in the second half, Wolfe Tones did just about enough to overcome their arch rivals and claim the two points.

It was all action between Macs and Tones Sunday.
The Tones had a slight edge over their opponents for most of the first half.  Collie Carr and Gary Brilly made an early statement of intent, combining for a point right off the throw in.  Barry McShea, playing in the unfamiliar position of wing forward, added a second.  McAnespies had an ace in the hole however, in the form of corner forward Liam Boland.  Boland netted early in the half after getting around his marker, Kian Cleere.  The Tones shook off the setback well however.  Points came from Brilly, McShea, Carr, and Marty Farrell to restore the lead as the men in blue played the better football and looked a little stronger throughout the field.  McAnespies were not going to lie down to their rivals, and kept the scoreboard ticking over with points from Jonathan McGourty and Boland.  With half time approaching and just a point in it, the Tones goaled through John Ross Bodkin.  The corner forward fooled everyone with a neat left foot finish after being supplied by Darren Maguire.  So, at the break it was a 1-8 to 1-4 Tones lead.

The second half started as the first had ended.  Farrell and Bodkin put 2 quick points over the bar and it started to look as though the McAnespie goose was about to be cooked.  Well, anybody who has been around knows that in a game between these 2 teams, that is an unlikely scenario. Boland popped up again to bang in a second goal following an excellent pass from Niall Gallen, and McAnespies proceeded to turn the deficit into a 2 point lead with points following from Boland, Gareth McAlinden, and Sean O'Kane.  In the meantime, the Tones missed 2 golden chances to possibly put the game away.  Willie Milner and Collie Carr each had the goal yawning in front of them, but snatched at the opportunity, and McAnespie supporters breathed again with each miss.  It was to and fro at this point, Farrell and Bodkin took their points to level affairs with 10 minutes to go.  After Bodkin put the Tones a point to the good, McAnspies struck with a third goal.  This time Boland was the provider for McGourty, and the Leitrim man could not miss.  Carr and Milner leveled the game again with a point each as the anticipation and excitement grew around Canton.  With the game well into injury time it seemed as though each team might escape with a point, but not so as time kept going.  Collie Donnelly put McAnespies ahead in the added minutes, but there was time for the Tones to level through Farrell, and then go ahead with a winning point from none other than Barry McShea.  A thrilling end to a great game, and for now at least, the Tones are the ones with the bragging rights.


Macs:  P. Coakley, B. Smith, M. Bogue, N. Gallen, P. Daly, S. McAleer, C. Donnelly, J. McGourty, G. McAlinden, M. Campion, E. Hamill, L. Boland, S. O'Kane.  Tones:  C. Hynes, G. Scanlon, K. Cleere, D. Maguire, G. Lenihan, M. O'Brien, C. McCarthy, G. Brilly, B. McShea, W. Milner, C. Carr, M. Farrell, JR Bodkin.

By Rory O'Donnell

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