Wolfe Tones 0-16
Aidan McAnespies 1-14
Aidan
McAnespies took the points in a to and fro affair versus the Wolfe Tones on a
hot, steamy Sunday afternoon. With each
team guaranteed at least a semi-final place the game turned out to be an
unexpectedly competitive encounter. A slight breeze proving some level of
respite from the heat as McAnespies made a push in the final 5 minutes to turn
a 2 point deficit and take the win.
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| Jimmy Rigney Tries to Outrun Keith Gill |
McAnespies got
off to a flying start and after 10 minutes were five points to the good. It was one way traffic early on and the
scores went over from all quarters. Eoin
Ward, Sean Walsh, Gareth McAlinden, and Owen Gormley each found the mark to
score. Sean Walsh and Eoin Ward had the
upper hand in the middle of the field early on as the Tones were still stuck on
the starting line. Eventually the Tones
got into the game and frees from Cormac Joyce-Power, along with a couple from
play, combined with a lovely Conor Lamb point from a tight angle had the Tones
on level terms following the water break.
A well worked
goal from McAnespies put them back on top.
A move involving Sean Walsh and Barry Smith was finished by Gormley
after Sean Walsh had pointed. The Tones
stuck with it and Joyce-Power kept the points column ticking over for
them. Walsh and Ward each pointed for
the Macs before the break to make it a 1-9 to 0-10 lead in their favour at the
break.
The game
remained as tight as can be in the second half with Joyce-Power continuing to
be the main outlet for scores for the Tones.
Sean Walsh was still flying in the middle of the field for McAnespies,
and added another point along with Barry Smith.
Three from Joyce-Power for the Tones meant that there was just a point
in it going into the final quarter of the game.
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| The Game Could have Broke Either way. |
McAnespies
started to lose their way a little with some wayward passes and the Tones took
advantage with back to back points from Joyce-Power. With the Tones now on a one point lead
another was added by Joyce-Power and there was hardly any time left. Every ball was crucial now. There was life left in McAnespies to make a
push and the teams were level with time almost up. Walsh and Shane O’Brien pointed, though
O’Brien was disappointed that he did not hit the back of the net as his shot
from inside the 14 just cleared the bar.
O’Brien did find the winner with a fine effort as the game was in injury
time and it was a great win for McAnespies as the winner take all games
approach.
Tones: Patrick
Carragher, Barry McShea, Keith Gill, Pat Collins, James Farrell, Michael Kerr,
Jim Lynch, Ian Whelan, Marty Farrell, Cormac Joyce-Power, Cian Clifford, Ryan
Lamb, Dylan Murtagh.
Macs: Paddy
Coakley, Sean Clifford, Jimmy Rigney, Cian Sharkey, Gareth O’Neill, Colm
O’Malley, Sean Walsh, Eoin Ward, Owen Gormley, Gareth McAlinden, Conor Bogue,
Shane O’Brien, Barry Smith.
Connemara Gaels
2-5 Donegal 4-13
Donegal easily
defeated the Connemara Gaels in the first Junior A Football match of the day,
and top the table where a win in their final game against Aidan McAnespies
would see Donegal into the final, with McAnespies and the Wolfe Tones facing
off in the semi-final. The Gaels were
already out of the running having failed to win a game. First half goals from Ashley Carr and Corey
Gallagher after a string of points set the stage for the rest of the game as
Donegal dominated. The Gaels got some
second half scores to add a measure of respectability to the scoreline, but the
result was beyond any doubt by that stage.
By Rory O'Donnell
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