Senior Football: Aiden McAnespies v Wolfe Tones - June 7

Aiden McAnespies 4-8 Wolfe Tones 1-6

Just in case anybody was wondering how McAnespies look this year, the answer is that they look very good. Powered by the twin engines of Tyrone men Neil Donaghy and Colm Donnelly in the middle of the field, McAnespies had the Tones beaten in 20 minutes. The scary thing for the rest of the field in the Boston championship is that the Wolfe Tones are not half bad, but conceding 3 goals in the first 20 minutes is enough to knock the stuffing out of any team. The Tones came back a little in the second half, and showed that they can play some football, but the task was well beyond their capabilities by that stage.

Jamie Kelly Introduced Himself to Boston with a Hat Trick.

Colm McCrory opened the scoring, and then won a penalty after being dragged down in the penalty area. McAnespies were going about their business ruthlessly from the get go. Alan Nestor expertly converted the penalty into the top left hand corner and the Tones were behind early. Before the Tones had time to gather themselves Donaghy and Jamie Kelly each pointed, and a second goal followed from Kelly. The St. Annes Bohernabreena man finished from close range. The neutral observers began to shake their heads as the hopes of a close game were fading – fast. Nestor converted McAnespies sixth score with a well-taken point, and the Macs Machine was 10 points ahead before the Tones had a chance to even mount an attack. McAnespies’ back line was more than equal to the task and stifled any attacking attempt from their Southie rivals. Marty Farrell – a star for the Tones from last year – pointed from a free after 18 minutes to get the Tones on the board, but it was a case of whatever you can do I can do better. McAnespies scored their third goal from the ensuing kickout. It was Kelly in the corner who finished – again from close range. Luke Sweetman, of Erin’s Isle fame, followed with a fine point. Farrell got a second point for the Tones, but Kelly’s hat trick came before half time as the Dubliner again converted his third chance well.

Marty Farrell and the Wolfe Tones did not get much Change from the McAnespies Back Line.

The Tones chances of overturning the 15-point deficit could be best described as slim. Some hard work and a Marty McGeough goal put a degree of respectability on the scoreboard. The Tones had to put a lot of effort in to get any return. Farrell scored from a free and after Colm McCrory canceled out the score, Conor Canning pointed for the Tones. The Tones did string a few scores together, two Farrell points and McGeough’s goal brought them within 3 goals, and just when you were thinking that another Tones goal could make it interesting, Colm Donnelly settled things down again with a point for McAnespies. Things had gotten a little ill tempered, and referee John Fitzpatrick eventually saw fit to send Joey Farrell off for a second offence. Donnelly pointed again for McAnespies, and David Wright even got himself in on the act, pulling off a fine save in the dying seconds. A message from the defending champions perhaps?

Macs: D. Wright, C. Moore, M. Kehoe, G. Clark, D. Donegan, K. Hudson, C. Donnelly (0-2), N. Donaghy (0-1), A. Nestor (1-1), L. Sweetman (0-1), C. McCrory (0-2), J. Kelly (3-1), P. Nugnet. Tones: W. O’Dowd, J. Acton, P. Warren, M. Sammon, D. Scullane, B. O’Donnell, G. Brilly, J. Farrell, M. Farrell (0-5), C. Canning (0-1), M. McGeough (1-0), P. Comerford, D. McCabe.

By Rory O'Donnell

Aidan McAnespies Win Second North American Title

Aidan McAnespies 2-15 Sean Treacys 1-7 (San Francisco)

McAnespies won their second North American Championship on the 20th anniversary of the murder of Aidan McAnespie at the Aughnacloy checkpoint in county Tyrone. Their first North American Championship came in 1998, on Aidan’s 10 anniversary. Kevin Barry’s of Philadelphia provided the semi final opposition, and the home side came through a dour enough encounter with a five point win. Kevin Barrys proved to be a tough opponent to break down, and in the second half made a run at McAnespies, scoring five points in a row to come within a point. Steven McGettigan then made the breakthrough and netted to put McAnespies in a comfortable lead. Declan Lally followed with a fine point to secure progression to the next stage.

In the final McAnespies met Sean Treacy’s from San Francisco, who defeated Chicago Parnells in extra time in their semi-final. McAnespies played some good, error free, football in the final and looked comfortable throughout. In spite of conceding a goal late in the first half that brought the visitors level, McAnespies maintained their composure and continued to focus and work hard, and ran out convincing winners in the end.

McAnespies looked comfortable in the first half, and went in at the break with a five point lead. Within 10-15 minutes of the throw-in it looked apparent that the South Boston side had the aces in its deck. The McAnespies back line did a lot of mopping up as Sean Treacy’s lost their way when entering the attacking zone. Christy Lynch had an excellent first half at corner back, as did Danny McBride in the middle of the field. The Strabane man supported the back line well and played the part of link man when McAnespies played the ball out of defence. McAnespies made good use of their posession. The local side went into a three-point lead in the early going, with Darren Ryan and Colm McCrory scoring the three points between them.

Treacys got off the mark after 13 minutes with a Mike McCauley point. There were a couple of lengthy stoppages as a result of some heavy challenges, and once things got going again in earnest, Treacys got themselves into the game. After Declan Lally added another point for McAnespies, Gene Griffin and McCauley again pointed for Treacy’s. The San Francisco side drew level after 26 minutes when Mark Gallagher goaled. It came somewhat against the run of play, and McAnespies got the goal back before half time. McAnespies were the beneficiaries of a somewhat curious decision by the referee who blew for a free out for a pick up after Declan Traynor came off his line and bundled over an attacking player – a let off for the home side. Steven McGettigan and Ryan each pointed, and the Alan Feeney goaled in injury time after being fed by McCrory. McAnespies led by five at half time.

Playing with the breeze and away from the sun in the second half, the Boston side extended their lead to eight points as what appeared to be inevitable came to fruition. McCrory pointed twice from play and once from a free. Shane Glennon, who had entered as a sub in the first half, stemmed the bleeding with a well taken point for the visitors and looked like the San Francisco side’s best attacking option. McCrory’s speed continued to cause problems for the visiting back line in the second half, and the Monaghan man added another point for McAnespies. Danny McBride and Lally added two more points and with 10 minutes left the locals led by 10 points. Treacy’s went looking for a goal - or two - that would be required to pull off a late comeback, and twice Glennon could have netted but shot over the bar. Colm McCrory underlined a great overall performance with a goal at the death. McAnespies win their second North American championship.

Captain Colm McCrory hoists the North American Cup and also won the man of the match award.

Macs: D. Traynor, G. Norton, C. Lynch, D. Donegan, N. Kerr, Alan Feeney (1-0), Danny McBride (0-1), M. Stanbrook, Declan Lally (0-2), C. Galligan, Darren Ryan (0-3), Steven McGettigan (0-1), Colm McCrory (1-8). Sean Treacys: H. Hughes, C. Murphy, B. Molloy, Mark Gallagher (1-0), Stephen Driver (0-1), C. Conneeley, S. McAleer, P. Turnball, R. Kane, Mike McCauley (0-2), Gene Griffin (0-1), B. Nugent, D. Faherty. Sub: Shane Glennon (0-3).

By Rory O'Donnell

McAnespies v Cork - July 6

Declan Lally bursts through the Cork defence to score a goal.

Cork 1-3 McAnespies 3-16

Cork and McAnespies met in the final game of the day. With McAnespies at the top of the table and Cork at the bottom, the game itself was a reflection of the standings of each team. In addition, McAnespies fielded a side that contained numerous players of intercounty pedigree, and even players of the caliber of St. Bridget’s Graham Norton and Oranmore’s Gottsche, each of whom has represented their respective counties of Dublin and Galway, were considered surplus to requirements for the afternoon. Cork probably did not expect to get anything out of the game, except a respectable performance and to some degree they succeeded, though this was not going to be a contest by any stretch of the imagination.

McAnespies had put up 1-3 before the patrons had got comfortable in their seats, and any lingering neutrals in Canton stayed to marvel at the quality of the side in the Tyrone strip. Cork pulled back a goal midway through the half, but still went in at half time eight points down. And so it continued in the second half, with Declan Lally and Darren Ryan netting and points going over the bar at will.

David Conway opened the scoring in the first half with a point and Johnny Laverty followed with a second. Kevin Cahill forced a rebound over the line for McAnespies first goal and the northerners were motoring. Conor McGourty put on a great display of shooting, the Antrim man put three fantastic scores over the bar. McGourty was not the only one in flying form. St. Bridget’s clubman Declan Lally was lording it in the middle of the field, and Johnny Laverty was full of running. Further points came from Niall Clancy and Kevin Cahill, while for Cork a Brian Dwyer goal and points from Mike Moynihan and Dwyer got Cork off the mark.

Darren Ryan puts one over the bar for McAnespies

Trailing by eight points after the first period, things got no better for Cork. Lally bulldozed his way through the defence for a goal and Darren Ryan came on as a sub and scored a goal and two points. Kevin Cahill and Johnny Laverty rounded out the scoring with points, while for Cork Kevin Moriarty put one over to prevent a blanking in the second half. McAnespies looked very impressive, and while Cork are not flying high this year, even still the quality of the side was hard to deny. With this performance, and Kerry having beaten Donegal on Saturday, it is hard to see who is going to stop McAnespies making it four in a row.

Cork: K. Reid, M. Carlioan, J. Leonard, S. Caulfield, Mike Moynihan (0-1), D. Kearns, A. Creagh, K. Connolly, Kevin Moriarty (0-1), C. Bradley, C. Griffin, N. Devlin, Brian Dwyer (1-1). Macs: D. Traynor, D. Donegan, M. Stanbrook, Niall Clancy (0-1), N. Kerr, A. Feeney, Declan Lally (1-0), D. McBride, C. McCrory, Johnny Laverty (0-6), Conor McGourty (0-3), Kevin Cahill (1-2), David Conway (0-2). Sub: Darren Ryan (1-2).

By Rory O'Donnell

Aiden McAnespies v Wolfe Tones June 15

Wolfe Tones 0-11 Aiden McAnespies 2-12
McAnespies put in a scintillating first 30 minutes, and were unfortunate not to have been further ahead than the five point advantage that they held at half time. A goal got the northerners off to a great start. David Conway got around his marker and slid the ball home low under the advancing keeper. The Tones responded with three points; Marty Farrell, Willie Milner, and Jamie Murphy each pointed and after 10 minutes the sides were level again. McAnespies turned things up a notch or two from that point on. Johnny Laverty was in fine form at center forward, full of running and covering a lot of ground in the forward line, and McAnespies midfield of Declan Lally and Danny McBride had a distinct edge in that area of the field. Laverty scored two lovely points from play and followed with a third from a free. Sean McVeigh stemmed the tide with a nice point from play but David Conway put two over the bar, and Laverty a fourth for himself before the half time whistle. The Tones breathed a sigh of relief on at least two occasions as McAnespies looked to have a goal on. Wille O’Dowd did well to put David Conway’s shot out for a 50, and another chance went wide of the posts as the first half wound down.

The Tones opened the second half with a brace of points to raise their spirits. Former Kerry Under-21,Eamon Hickson, and then Willie Milner pointed for the Tones to reduce the gap to a single score, but McAnespies replied with two points of their own from Colm McCrory and Johnny Laverty. The Tones threatened to make a comeback on a couple of occasions, but did not follow through. Joey Farrell got the deficit down to four points with a point from a free, but the Conway/Laverty scoring duet each put one over in response. Marty Farrell and Sean McVeigh again got it back to four, but this time the response from McAnespies was a point from Colm McCrory and then a goal from David Conway. A Wolfe Tones attack broke down and the ball was worked down the other end of the field until Conway had just the keeper to beat and the Laois man duly obliged. With just over ten minutes to go and the way the game was going, that seemed to end the contest.

Marty Farrell and Michael O’Brien each pointed to level the scores on points, but the goals on the scoreboard, and a point from a late David Conway free, proved to be the difference between the teams.

McAnespies: D. Traynor, C. Lynch, S. Magill, D. Donegan, M. Stanbrook, A. Feeney, D. Lally, D. McBride, M. Gottsche, Johnny Laverty (0-6), Colm McCrory (0-2), S. McGettigan, David Conway (2-3). Tones: W. O’Dowd, Mike O’Brien (0-1), P. Holland, Jamie Murphy (0-1), D. Scullane, Eamon Hickson (0-1), Sean McVeigh (0-2), J. Farrell, K. Gorham, C. Farrell, Willie Milner (0-2), S. O’Brien, Marty Farrell (0-4).

By Rory O'Donnell