Senior Football: Aiden McAnespies v Christopher's - Aug 1

Aiden McAnespies 1-14 Christopher’s 1-14

For the second time in two weeks Aiden McAnespies senior footballers were involved in a superb game of football, this time against the current championship holders, Christopher’s. The end result was slightly better for the northerners, a draw earned thanks to a cool CJ McGourty long range free that sailed over the bar to level the game with hardly any time left on the clock. There was never more than four points separating the sides at any point during the game, but Christopher’s looked to have done enough to win before McGourty stepped in to save a point for the Macs.

There was little quarter given as McAnespies Thomas Corrigan and Ciaran McDonald contest the ball.

The first half was helter skelter. McAnespies played some great football. In the early going Thomas Corrrigan and McGourty took advantage of some great ball played into their corners. Tiernan Diamond at center forward looked to be settling into the role more comfortably and played some well placed passes into the corners. Corrigan opened the scoring with a nice point and Cillian Brosnan answered from wing back for Christopher’s. After Sean O’Hare put Christopher’s ahead McAnespies out scored Christopher’s by a goal and three points to one point. Corrigan and McGourty (2) pointed for Macs, and Dan Kenneally put a booming point over for Christopher’s. Then came the McAnespies goal, a Diamond cross field ball found Donnacha Tobin coming in unmarked on the far side of the field and Mark O’Sullivan looked to have done enough to put the ball out for a 45 but it came back off the post and rebounded off the keeper’s foot and into the net. Christopher’s did not panic. With the midfielders coming more into the game patience paid off. Points from Sean Kelly and a Cathal McNally free reduced the deficit to two points. McNally was having a tough time in the corner, being well marked by Martin Boyne and nothing was coming easy for the Kildare man. Eventually referee John Fitzpatrick saw fit to issue a yellow card to Brendan Kelly for persistent fouling, and later one to Dan Kenneally was the pressure increased. Christopher’s finished the half the stronger side and points from Alan Maloney, Sean Kelly, and two McNally frees left it with McAnespies ahead by a point, 1-7 to 0-9 at the break.

Christopher's Danny Kenneally tries to dispossess Neil Donaghy.

McAnespies looked like they would pull away in the second half, but as with the first, Christopher’s reined in their opponents. Corrigan and Diamond put McAnespies three ahead with a point each to start the second period. Sean Kelly and McNally answered for Christopher’s. McAnespies then stretched their lead to four points for the second time in the game. Two McGourty frees were followed by a point from substitute Niall Golden. After McNally and Corrigan traded points, and things looking to be going very much in favour of McAnespies, it was Christopher’s turn to get a stroke of luck and find the back of the net. McNally was first to a breaking ball that resulted from a hopeful punt into the McAnespies square and the goal brought Christopher’s within a point. David Nation leveled the scores with a point from play, and Sean Kelly put Christopher’s ahead with a great score as time ran out. McAnespies’ CJ McGourty won a free well out the field and showed a cool head to send it over the bar from long range and save a point for the northerners. McAnespies will take the point, but for Christopher’s a win was really in order. Christopher’s must now beat the Gaels and Kerry in their final two games to have keep in with a chance of the playoffs.


Macs: S. Connolly, B. O’Reilly, M. Boyne, N. Clancy, T. McClelland, S. Shortall, B. McGarr, N. Donaghy, C. McCrory, T. Diamond (0-1), D. Tobin (1-0), CJ McGourty (0-8), T. Corrigan (0-4). Sub: N. Golden (0-1). Christopher’s: M. O’Sullivan, C. Aylward, C. McDonald, B. Kelly, B. McNally, C. Brosnan (0-1), D. Kenneally (0-1), S. O’Hare (0-1), A. Maloney (0-1), S. Kelly (0-4), J. Kenneally, E. McCarthy, C. McNally (1-5). Sub: D. Nation (0-1).


By Rory O'Donnell