Sunday July 1 - Senior Hurling: Offaly v Wexford

Offaly and Wexford met in a physical encounter on Sunday afternoon that saw the teams battle back and forth until Offaly was left standing two points clear. 

The first score of the match was a beautiful goal by Conor O’Shaugnessy for Wexford, who added a point off the ensuing puck out for an early advantage. Offaly reeled them back in with three straight points. 

Lyndon Kiely fired over a point for Wexford on the run, then spun around his defender on the next play to win a free. Sean Whalen tapped it over to extend Wexford’s lead. 

Niall Mannion got his name on the scoresheet for Offaly with three successive frees, the last of which was a soaring effort from his own 65. The referee was kept busy in this one as hurls and bodies clashed around the middle of the field. 

Minutes later, O’Shaugnessy took his marker on a long jaunt down the sideline —bouncing the the sliotar on his hurl until he deemed the range adequate, then sticking it over the bar. 

Eoghan Kavanagh added a second goal for Wexford right before the haltime whistle. Kavanagh left a sizable crowd of Offaly defenders in his wake en route to the penalty spot, where reared back and raised the roof of the net. Wexford led by six points at the break.

Whatever was said in Offaly’s halftime huddle worked, because they had four points on the board before Wexford realized the second half had begun. After a quick point off the throw in, they strung together a series of short passes inside the Wexford 45 that ended with Mannion burying a goal.

Wexford responded with a point to stem the bleeding, but Offaly found the back of the net again minutes later to draw level at 2-11 apiece. Brian Ramsey added another point for Offaly soon afterwards, then watched Mannion pad their lead with a confident blast from well outside the 21 meter line. 

Wexford didn’t blink and forced the game to go down to the wire. First, Jamie Kehoe carried a defender on his back as he maneuvered into the square, left his hurl behind, and kicked the sliotar over the bar. 

Then, after a free pulled them within two points, they had a glorious chance to win in the final seconds. The Offaly was scrambling under pressure as the ball skipped around the square, but it ended up squirming out just wide of the post and Offaly held on for a 2-18 to 3-17 win.

Wexford 

Colm Kierns, Mark Birmingham, Tom Davey, Tom Maloney, Shane Dolan, Liam Og Maguire, Jamie Kehoe, Shane Bourke, Lyndon Kiely, Eoghan Kavanagh, Jason Foley, Sean Whalen, Conor O’Shaugnessy Subs: Peter Ryan, Kevin Joyce, Paddy Naughton, Cormac Kelly, Johnny Fyre, Denis Brennan

Offaly

Gary Sherlock, Emmett Moran, Conor Grimes, Tomas Quirk, Oisin McCormack, Seamus Loftus, Donal O’Dwyer, Cillian Campbell, Niall Mannion, Cian Clifford, James Risney, Brian Ramsey, Stephen Brown Subs: Jack Murray, Chris McMahon, Jack Dunphy, Tomas Jackman, Jack Whelan, Eric Finn

Sunday July 1 - Senior Football: Donegal v Connemara Gaels

By Mark Dunphy

In one of the most anticipated Canton debuts in recent memory, Diarmuid Connolly traded blue for green and gold and led Donegal to a 4-13 to 1-08 victory over the Connemara Gaels. 

Dermot Connolly drives past Dave Lynda (Photo:  Brian Rooney)

Connolly started center forward with Dave Lynda handed the unenviable task of marking the former Footballer of the Year. Lynda more than held his own, holding Connolly to a single point, but the Dublin star didn’t need to score to orchestrate the Donegal attack.

The Gaels had the first real chance of the match — a golden opportunity for goal in the opening minutes, but Hugh Boyle stymied Sean Mulkerrins shot after the Connemara half-back had burst through the Donegal lines. 

Oisin O’Neill put Donegal on the board with a free, then got on the end of an inch-perfect entry pass from Connolly. O’Neill sent a fine pass of his own across the field to Shane Carthy, who sidestepped a defender and finished into the bottom corner.

Though the game would slow down in the second half — with temperatures hovering around 95 degrees throughout the contest — the opening minutes were played at a frenzied pace. 

Connemara had a second goal chance in the early going as Des Connolly passed it across the square to Pat O’Donnell, but Boyle was equal to the moment again. He made a diving stop to deny the goal and the Gaels eventually finished the play with a wide. 

At the other end of the pitch, a Gaels short kickout went straight to one of the last players on the planet you’d want receiving it. Connolly immediately kicked it back inside to O’Neill, who found Carthy coming off the shoulder for another Donegal green flag. 

A third goal came on the very next possession. Ciaran McFaul rose to claim the kickout in midfield, then charged forward with teammates on both sides. He chose to play O’Neil, who gave it back inside the square for McFaul to punch home.

The Gaels kicked a series of wides, but eventually got on the board via a Des Connolly free and trailed 3-02 to 0-02 when the whistle blew for the first water break. 

Liam Silke was next to score, driving from his half-back perch to tap over a point for Donegal. Connemara replied on the next possession as Colman Mulkerrins won the long ball in, handed it off to Ryan Galvin, and watched Galvin launch a point. 

Michael Carroll, O’Neill, and McFaul pointed to give Donegal a 3-07 to 0-03 lead at the break.

Donegal scored the first three points of the second half as O’Neill, Sean Donnelly, McFaul found the target. They kept control of the match as it neared the second half water break, then brought Eoin McHugh on for Connelly. 

The Gaels scored a fine point on a hard-charging run by Noel Graham, who carried through the Donegal midfield and found Rory O’Connor for a score. McHugh answered that with a long run of his own, soloing down the left wing until a defender intervened, then worked it to McFaul who sent the umpire reaching for the green flag. 

O’Connor buried a late penalty for Connemara, but Connolly’s summer in Boston started with a 4-13 to 1-08 win. 

Donegal

Hugh Boyle, Niall Keenan, Liam Silke, Neil McAneney, Jason Noctor, Sean Doherty, Michael Carroll, Shane Carthy, Ciaran McFaul, Diarmuid Connolly, Sean Donnelly, Lee Carr, Oisin O’Neill Subs: Nicky Kelly, Conor Small, Tiernan Flanagan, Darren Doherty, Dylan Wall, Eoin McHugh

Connemara Gaels

Eoin Connolly, David Black, Martin O’Connor, Sean Mulkerrins, Dave Lynda, Kieran Killean, Colm Brennan, Stephen O’Brien, Pat O’Donnell, Kenny Clovigan, Colman Mulkerrins, Ryan Galvin, Des Connolly Subs: Tyler Flaherty, Glen Malone, Christy Cunningham, Rory O’Connor, Donal Rooney, Liam Costello, AJ McGuire, Noel Graham

Sunday July 1 - Senior Hurling: Fr. Tom Burke's v Tipperary

By Mark Dunphy

Tipperary took a while to get going in the first hurling match of the day, but once they did Tipp overwhelmed Fr. Tom’s around the middle of the park on their way to a 2-21 to 1-13 win. 

Joe Coleman drives one in for Tipp

(Photo: Brian Rooney)

The teams traded two points each to open proceedings before Tipp’s Russell Quirke shouldered his marker out of the way, scooped up a diagonal cross-field ball, and tapped over a point. Fr. Tom’s didn’t have to wait long for their reply, as Dean Flood immediately sent over a point at the other end. 

After a Shane Bennett point, Joe Coleman started a move that extended Tipp’s lead. The imposing center forward caught a puck out, carried through a web of defenders, and laid it across to Quirke. Quirke blasted a close-range effort past Kevin Flynn to send the green flag waving. 

After a desperately-needed water break, Aaron Moore drove down the middle of the park for Fr. Tom’s and flicked the sliotar towards Ali Dooey, who knocked one over the bar. The Tom’s had another score moments later as Stiofan McMahon bounced off a heavy challenge and launched another point. 

Tipp nearly had a second goal on the next possession, but Dwane Palmer swept in for a beautiful hook as one of their forwards closed in on target. They did add two scores via Coleman to earn a 1-12 to 0-10 lead at the break.

Coleman was first on the board again in the second half before a Shane Bennett goal put Tipp firmly in control. Bennett made a blistering run down the right wing, then beat Kevin Flynn with a low drive. Tipp added another point on the following puck out. 

Fr. Tom’s soon had a fine goal of their own. After Dooey burst through the heart of the Tipp back line, the last defender dragged him down on the edge of the square. McMahon stepped up to the dead ball and drilled the free past the Tipp men lining the goal. 

Tipp’s forwards didn’t slow down as the clock ticked down and though Dooey had another point to pull Fr. Tom’s back, Tipp left with a 2-21 to 1-13 victory. 

Tipperary

Evan Condon, Darragh Fanning, Sean McGarr, Paul Morris, Jerry O’Neil, John Kindergan, Kieran Bennett, Cronan Dempsey, Conor O’Keefe, Joe Coleman, Simon Kennedy, Russell Quirke, Shane Bennett Subs: Joe O’Connor, Harry O’Connor, Darren O’Donovan

Fr. Tom’s 

Kevin Flynn, Craig Taylor, Dwane Palmer, Vincent Doyle, Seamus Higgins, Danny Burke, Aaron Moore, Dylan Costello, Shane Howley, Dean Flood, Stiofan McMahon, Ali Dooey, Jason Costello Subs: Michael Moloney, Conor Freeman, Liam Moore

Sunday July 1 - Junior A Football: Cork v Donegal

By Mark Dunphy

In the opening match on a blazing Sunday in Canton, Cork overcame a two-point halftime deficit and cruised to a nine point victory over Donegal. 

The first half was a hard-fought affair between two well-matched sides. Donegal found the net twice, both times through penalties from Christy Mickiellen. The first came on a low ball played inside to the corner forward, who was pulled down after beating his marker to the entry pass. 

Cork's Brendan Turley on the ball. (Photo: Brian Rooney)

The second came minutes later. Mickiellen again gathered possession and cut back across the face of goal, but as he wound up for a shot a defender stepped in with a foot block. The Donegal man converted from the spot, finishing to the bottom right corner. 

As Mickiellen worked at one end of the pitch, Sean O’Donovan was putting on a clinic down the other. The Cork corner forward, who did damage from play and from dead balls, had 1-9 to his name by the time the final whistle blew. 

He had six of Cork’s seven points at halftime. The other came from a well-worked score by Emmett Smith, but the Rebels still trailed 2-03 to 0-7 at the break. 

Contested Ball (Photo: Brian Rooney)

Donegal’s Darren Grant scored points on both sides of an O’Donovan free to open the second half. Then Cork made their move. After a brutal turnover by Donegal’s Mark Dunphy on the Cork 45, the southerners worked the ball downfield until they found Smith and Smith found the back of the net. 

Donegal received points from Mickiellen and Grant in the final third, but Cork took advantage of a couple injuries to the green-and-gold men and kept the scoreboard ticking through goals by O’Donovan and Cian Murphy. Cork pulled away at the end to win 3-15 to 2-09.

Cork

Mark Farelly, Michael Carolan, Darren O’Donovan, Brendan Turley, Conor Jenkins, Adam Kenny, Jack Lynch, Cormac Clarke, Emmet Smith, Ian o’Callaghan, Seamus Loftus, Adam Ryan, Sean O’Donovan Subs: Declan Harrington, Conor Moynihan, Cian Clifford, Simon Kennedy, Cian Murphy

Donegal

Pauric McLaughlin, Declan Scott, Paul McNulty, Aidan McLaughlin, Matthew Smith, Darren Doherty, Darren Grant, Mark Dunphy, Ciaran Diver, Rocky Ivers, Ciaran McDevitt, Christy Mickiellen, Ciaran Murphy Subs: Gavin Reilly

Saturday June 30 - Junior A Football: Aidan McAnespies v Shannon Blues

By Mark Dunphy

The Aidan McAnespies made the most of their powerful target man on a sweltering Saturday evening at the Irish Cultural Center that necessitated extra water breaks long after the sun dropped low overhead. 

The Shannon Blues started brightly, tapping over three quick points to open the scoring. But it didn’t take long for the Macs to work their way into the match. Their first score came from a soaring ball from midfield into Barry O’Connor, who used his frame to gather possession and win a close-range free. 

O’Connor doubled his tally on the next play, pulling a long ball in once more. This time the Blues defenders couldn’t get close enough to drag him down before he knocked it over the bar. 

The Shannon men led three points to two at the first water stoppage. After the restart, Michael Moylan scored a fine point to increase their lead, bursting past his marker and finishing for a point as a block came in. The Blues scored another, this time through Maurice Young, in between points from O’Connor and Jason Knight for the northerners. 

Shortly before the halftime whistle Emmett Trainor raced forward from corner back, skinning on defender and sidestepping another to reach the six-meter box. His run ended there. Shane Nammock, the Blues keeper, blocked his shot out for a 45 meter free, which O’Connor blasted over the black spot off the ground. 

The Macs led seven points to five at the half. 

O’Connor had another point to his name soon after the second throw in. On the next Macs possession, he corralled yet another long ball in, but this time laid it off to an oncoming runner. Knight’s pace left him one on one with Nammock, and the Macs forward slipped it past the keeper. 

The red-and-white men used their fitness and athleticism around the middle of the park to keep control as the clock ticked down, and an O’Connor goal finished this one as a contest. The McAnespies walked away deserving winners on a 3-17 to 0-6 scoreline. 

Shannon Blues

Shane Nammock, Richard Neary, Liam Beandley, Pat Moriarty, John Craig, Brian Fannon, Pat Murray, John Walsh, Brian Kennedy, Michael Moylan, Conor Mullen, James Feeney, Maurice Young Subs: John Rolston, Conor Fitzgerald

Aidan McAnespies

Gareth McAlinden, Emmett Trainor, Sean Clifford, Marty Bogue, Aidan Mullen, Shane McKenna, Johnny Brickland, Conor Bogue, Barry O’Connor, Michael McNally, Kyle Morrison, Jason Knight, Ciaran Wallace Subs: Owen Ward, Eoin Connelly, Alan Comerford

Sunday July 1 - Senior Football: Shannon Blues v Aidan McAnespies

By Mark Dunphy

In the final match of the day, with a blazing sun finally setting over Canton, the Aidan McAnespies did just enough to get over the line in a heavyweight matchup against the Shannon Blues. 

Darragh Roche opened proceedings with a strong effort, sweeping a long-range chance over the bar. On the ensuing kickout, Macs keeper Anthony Kidney walked the ball out from his net well into Blues territory. He worked it inside to Eamon Frye, who’s goal chance spilled out on the wrong side of the far post. 

Kidney was back involved in the Macs attack again minutes later, jogging up the pitch to loft over a long free off the ground. The northerners added another point to their tally with a well-worked score that featured plenty of hand passing and ended in a Warner Mullen score. 

The Blues had an green flag opportunity of their own soon afterwards. Michael O’Neill’s marker was on the wrong side of a long ball into the square and the corner forward plucked it out of the air. He blasted a shot, but Kidney went to ground for a save that held the Blues to one point instead of three.

The Blues added another point on the next play as Roche dispossessed an opponent around midfield and carried into the heart of the Macs lines. He found Nathan O’Brien and it looked like a goal might be on but O’Brien took his point. 

Mullen and the Blues’ Connell Lemon traded points before Mullen took a hand pass in tight and slid the ball past Michael Moriarty to give the Macs a three-point lead. 

The Shannon men replied with a point, a kick out win, and a goal of their own as Darren Wallace placed a perfect side-footed effort into the top corner. 

On the next possession, the referee spotted a foul inside and Robert Croft chipped over a point off the ground for the Macs, who led 1-09 to 1-08 at halftime. 

The Blues came out strong to start the second half, with an O’Neill free and a Paul O’Donoghue point from play getting them back on even terms. The scoreline was deadlocked for much of the remainder of the match as neither team could escape the other’s clutches.

Croft picked up where he left off in the first half, sending two soaring points over the bar — one off each boot. Then, after one of his teammates was dragged down just outside the box, Croft avoided the collection of Blues men lining the goal and tapped over a point. 

The Macs keeper was invaluable in the last quarter of this one, adding an extra man to their attack that proved the difference on a couple occasions. Kidney didn’t even have the ball on one of his runs forward, but he was an option that allowed Albert Martin to stick over a score. 

The Blues had a fine point from Maurice Young as the clock ticked down, but the Macs locked down at the back and held on for a 1-19 to 1-16 win.

Aidan McAnespies

Anthony Kidney, Eoin Delmer, Daniel O’Neill, Paul Clifford, Robert Pigott, Caolan Harvey, Warner Mullen, Declan Hughes, Eric Finn, Che O’Donnell, Albert Martin, Robert Croft, Eamon Fyre Subs: Barry O’Connor, Nathan O’Brien, Jake Foster, Seamus Breslin, Lorcan Mallon

Shannon Blues

Michael Moriarty, Brian Fanning, PJ Hand, Conor Fitzgerald, Mike Cottrell, Denis McElligot, Jerry Troy, Maurice Young, Darragh Roche, Darren Wallace, Paul O’Donoghue, Brian Egan, David Mannix Subs: Stephen Cahill, Connell Lemon, Michael O’Neill, Pat Murray, Shane Nammock

Sunday July 31 - Men's Senior Football: Donegal v Wolfe Tones

Donegal and the Wolfe Tones met in the 5:00 finale at the Irish Cultural Centre, and just about every player on the field went home from this prizefight with a few bruises and a yellow card to their name. There were no easy scores to be had, and the brunt of this physical match took place in the middle third.

Wolfe Tones gather post game.

Soon after the throw in, Donegal were in on goal but Tommy Durkin’s effort was denied by a great stop from Lorcan Molloy. Eoin Bradley put the Tir Conaill men on the board with a free, but the Tones responded immediately. Sean Furlong was out in front of his marker to receive a slashing diagonal ball, and he stroked over a fine point on the turn. Paddy Bradley and Eoin O’Connor added two more points for Donegal before the major talking point of the first half occured.

Gary Brilly saw a straight red card after a wayward kick and scuffle near the Donegal goal. He walked to the sideline and was quickly joined by a teammate who received a black card. There were also numerous yellow cards handed out to players on both sides as this game heated up. Donegal carried the momentum into halftime after Eoin Bradley’s hand pass across the square was fisted home by Tommy Durkin. They led at the break 1-06 to 0-05.

The Tones put their opponents under intense pressure in the second half but Donegal dropped numbers back and swarmed the man on the ball. Brendan Flynn made a great save on a Tones shot that would have left only a single point between the teams, and a pair of floating Paddy Bradley points for Donegal gave them a five point cushion. His brother Eoin did his part and buried a goal after cutting a swath through the Tones defense. A series of cramps and confrontations slowed the game to a crawl in its closing moments, and Donegal held on to win 2-12 to 0-08.

Donegal: B. Flynn, J. Noctor, C. Byrne, C. Russell, G. Brennan, G. Gallagher, R. Caldwell, B. Donnelly, T. Durkin, E. Bradley, E. O’Connor, D. Kavanagh, P. Bradley

Tones: L. Molloy, R. Driscoll, B. Fortune, D. McGuire, M. O’Grady, L. Galligan, P. Keenan, C. McCarthy, S. Driscoll, L. Glynn, G. Brilly, T. O’Connor, S. Furlong

By Mark Dunphy

Sunday July 31 - Senior Hurling: Wexford v Fr. Tom Burke's

Fr. Tom Burkes and Wexford met on Sunday afternoon in a match that had flashes of brilliance but lacked the end to end intensity that characterized the ladies contest earlier in the day. Tom’s were the sharper team from the start, with Cormac Power leading the charge from center forward. 

Owen O'Rourke - Tom's Keeper

Power ignored the Wexford man hanging off him and took the defender along for the ride as he drove a superb score between the posts. Tom’s scored a number of fine points in the early going, including a Robbie Hanley effort from a tight angle, as they jumped out to a 0-09 to 0-02 lead. 

Shane Ryan kept Wexford firmly in the match with a free followed by a point from play. But Padraic Guinan extended Tom’s lead with a goal that flew past the Wexford keeper. Wexford didn’t wait long before closing the gap, as Tom Mahoney danced past four Tom’s defenders and hit the target from close range. At halftime, Fr. Tom’s led 1-14 to 1-08.

Wexford cut into the Tom’s lead with points from Rory Sludds and Paul O’Connor. But Robbie Hanley sent the umpire reaching for the green flag when he rocketed a shot just underneath the crossbar. The same-colored flag was soon rippling at the opposite end as a hopeful ball launched into the Tom’s square ended up in the back of the net. Fortunately for the men in green and black, Owen O’Rourke has a short memory, and the keeper made a brilliant reflex save to deny Wexford a goal. He followed that stop with another save, getting his hurl to a Wexford penalty that would have cut Tom’s lead to two points. Rory Sludd’s did hit the top corner for a Wexford goal in the final seconds, but it was too little too late as Fr. Tom’s won this one 2-23 to 3-16.

Wexford: D. O’Callahan, D. Guinan, J. McCarthy, R. Sludds, B Phelan, D. Walsh, J. Broderick, J. Kehoe, P. Guinan, E. Kavanagh, T. Mahoney, P. O’Connor, S. Ryan

Fr. Toms: O. O’Rourke, C. Burke, G. Forde, S. Riordan, K. Kennedy, G. Brennan, P. Whelan, L. Lyons, A. LaTouche, C. Power, A. Morey, A. Hogan, R. Hanley

By Mark Dunphy

Sunday July 31 - Men's Senior Football: Shannon Blues v Connemara Gaels

The Shannon Blues were fighting to keep their playoff hopes alive as they met the Connemara Gaels in an evenly matched contest. Both sides had pace and athleticism to burn, and there was very little between the sides early on. 

The Gaels’ Ronan Kennedy put the first point on the board, then Sean Moriarty opened the Blues’ account by absorbing a hard tackle and sending the ball over the black spot. The Gaels were working the ball out of defense with speed, but many of their attacks ended when they met Denis McGelligott around the Blues’ 45 meter line. 

Kennedy converted two fine frees for the Gaels, who added another to their tally when Ryan Hyde burst through the Blues’ defense before laying it off for Sean Connelly to tap over the bar. But it was the Blues who had the momentum heading into halftime after a superb goal by Ian Parker. He spun around his marker with ease then drove a low shot that beat the Gaels’ keeper at the near post. The Blues led 1-06 to 0-06 at the break.

The Blues picked up where they left off as Connor Cox calmly stepped up and drilled a free over the bar from 50 yards out. On the very next possession the Gaels zig zagged their way up the pitch, giving one hand pass after another until the excellent team move ended with Joe O’Shea slamming the ball into the net. 

From there, Conor Cox took over. The Blues man put on a long distance shooting clinic, complete with one strike that hung in the clouds for what seemed an eternity before dropping safely inside the posts. He followed that point with three more, earned in an instant by way of a low shot rifled into the Gaels’ bottom corner. The Blues proved they are alive and well heading into the business end of the summer as they won 2-14 to 1-11. 


By Mark Dunphy

Sunday July 31 - Ladies Senior Football: Boston Shamrocks v Connacht ladies

The Connacht Ladies and Boston Shamrocks provided the best attacking football of the day in a hard-fought back and forth battle that wasn’t decided until the final seconds. Connacht came out of the gates flying in the opening minutes, but in a pattern that would repeat itself through the match, the Shamrocks responded in force. 

Connacht Ladies ready for the game.

In the early going, Rose Boyce left two defenders in her wake as she drove straight at the heart of the Shamrocks defense and was brought down. Aisling Reynolds converted the resulting free, then sent another dead ball over the bar to put Connacht into an early lead. But the next five minutes belonged to the Shamrocks as they erased the deficit in no time. Mairead O’Driscoll curled over a fine point and Sarah Jane McDonald added two more in quick succession. 

The Connacht Ladies jumped back into the lead on the back of a Roisin Green goal. Her momentum took her past the post so she sent a looping shot back across her body, over the keeper’s head, and into the back of the net. The lead didn’t last long as the Shamrocks sent the green flag flying on the opposite end. Caoimhe Murray sidestepped her defender and made no mistake on the finish, blasting a shot into the roof of the net. 

After another Connacht free from the deadly accurate Aisling Reynolds, the Shamrocks put three more points on the board via Leanne McCrystal. Jackie McDonagh made a brilliant initial save but McCrystal followed up her first effort to poke home the rebound. At halftime the scoreboard showed 2-06 to 1-06 in favor of the Shamrocks. 

Boston Shamrocks still on track!

The second half saw the Shamrock’s Aisling Cunningham resume her midfield battle with Connacht’s Maria Kelly. Both players used height and strength to spark their respective team’s forward endeavors. The Shamrock’s stayed in front for much of the second half, with a fine point from Aoibheann Leahy and a Aoife Darcy goal giving them a bit of breathing room. With ten minutes left, and Connacht playing with 14 players after a high tackle resulted in a red card, the Shamrock’s looked like they were home safe. But Aisling Reynolds wasn’t going to let them away that easy. She stretched to bury a brilliant goal past the oncoming Shamrock’s keeper, and Connacht added another point after winging the next kick out. As the clock ticked down, there was one last surprise turn left in this exciting encounter. The Shamrocks shifted play down to the far end, where Aoife Darcy equalized with a well taken free. Rebecca Morgan sent them into the lead with a curling point off her left foot, and an insurance goal in the final seconds sparked the celebrations for the Shamrock’s, who won 4-10 to 2-12.

Shamrocks: L. Crowley, C. McEleney, L. Larkin, C. McCormack, M. Collins, K. Jordan, M. Hogan, L. McCrystal, S. McDonald, A. Darcy, M. O’Driscoll, L. Kiernan, C. Murray, A. Cunningham, R. Morgan

Connacht: J. McDonagh, C. Boyle, M. Ennis, M. Mullen, S. Cleary, M. Peal, E. Hannon, M. Kelly, R. Boyce, A. Leahy, J. Ward, R. Boyce, A. Reynolds, R. Green, R. Cox

By Mark Dunphy

Sunday July 31 - Junior A Football: Aidan McAnespies v Donegal

There was a deluge of water leading up to kickoff in this match, the Canton pitch that was once starved for water getting a month’s worth in an hour. When the teams stepped out onto the soggy grass, it was raining goals for Donegal.

Shane McKenna bearing scars of tough battle.

Cian Clinton opened the scoring for Donegal by corralling a beautiful chip pass by Ciaran Byrne and finishing to the bottom corner. After Clinton took a free off the ground and  lofted it over the bar, Donegal waved the green flag again. Karl Archibald found space at the far post and punched home a Byrne pass that came across the square. 

Peter Carr played very well in the midfield for the Mac’s, his long strides covering serious ground. Ross Fin was another bright light for the Northerners and he carried the ball with power out of centre back. But Donegal’s pace in the forward ranks gave them a boost on a day when the pitch made any passing near impossible. Archibald and Clinton added two more goals, Clinton’s on a bursting solo run, and Donegal led 4-09 to 0-00 at the break. 

The second half began with more of the same, as Clinton added a fifth goal straight off the throw in. Peter Carr scored a beautiful long-range point for the Mac’s, slicing the ball with the outside of his right boot. But the Donegal defense forced them into too many efforts from distance, with the corner back pairing of Declan Scott and Conor Byrne sweeping up inside. 

Donegal walked away from this one with the full two points in hand, 5-15 to 0-03.

By Mark Dunphy