Sunday July 2 - Junior A Football: Wolfe Tones v Connemara Gaels

Connemara Gaels 1-16 Wolfe Tones 5-15

The final score belies what was a very entertaining junior championship matchup.  It was close until the final 10 minutes when the Tones banged in 2 goals and secured the points.  The Gaels will rue how easily the Tones got in for the goals, however, the corner forward pairing for the Tones of Conor Marsden and Pauric Fogerty proved to be a match winning one.

Dan McCabe on the ball for the Tones.

The Tones got off to a flying start and after 15 minutes were leading by a score of 2-5 to three points.   Pauric Fogerty and Conor Marsden at corner forward were strong for the Tones and the Gaels defenders struggled to contain the pair.  A goal each and three points between them had the Tones in the driver’s seat early.  Each time either of the two had ball in hand it was panic stations for the Gaels rearguard.  The Gaels took time to find their feet but eventually made their way back into the game.

A few missed chances presaged a run of a goal and five points to 2 points in the run in to half time.  The Gaels finally got a hold in midfield and points were converted by AJ Maguire, Pauric McDonagh, Kevin Walsh, and Gavin McCrystal.  The Gaels were right back in the game after McCrystal netted on the stroke of half time to make it a 2-7 to 1-8 Tones advantage at the break.

Tom Duignan on the run for the Gaels.

The Gaels flew out of the gates after the restart and found themselves in the lead after 10 minutes.  Tom Butler won plenty of possession in the middle for the westerners, and it was Paddy McGee, Sean Fox, Liam McDonagh, and McCrystal who converted as the scoring was spread around the forward line.  The Tones seemed to have run out of steam such was the advantage that the Gaels enjoyed, but as we were were to find out, that was not the case at all.

Another goal brought the South Boston team right back into it, and it was Fogerty with the strike as he beat the defender and slotted into the corner.  The score seemed to deflate the Gaels efforts, and with the lift the Tones reclaimed the initiative and the points started to flow.  Stephen Guing floated a couple of well taken efforts over, and then it was back to back goals from Marsden and Fogerty that put the matter to bed.  Fogerty’s was cheeky chip over the keeper from an angle rub salt into the Gaels wounds.  A good win for the Tones in their campaign to reclaim the junior championship.

Gaels:  James O’Donnell, Chris Caffrey, Tom Duignan, Sean Fox, Damien Doolan, Kevin Walsh, Liam McDonagh, Tom Butler, Pauric McDonagh, Paddy McGee, AJ Maguire, Gavin McCrystal, PJ Connelly.

Tones:  Jack O’Dolan, Keith Gill, Aaron Moore, Dan Grimes, Cathal Grimes, Bill Berberan, Dan McCabe, Gavin Walsh, Andrew Mooney, Stephen Guing, John McManus, Conor Marsden, Pauric Fogerty.

By Rory O'Donnell