Connacht Gold Junior A Championship
Semi-Final
Saturday 9 October
Kent Park:
Referee:
Bill Carty
St. Michael’s 1-17
Owenmore Gaels 1-6
Familiar
rivals over the years, neighbours St. Michael’s and Owenmore Gaels met in a
Junior Championship semi-final that was a repeat of the semi-final meeting
between the two sides from two years ago, and just as it was on that evening in
Coola, on Saturday afternoon last at Kent Park it was the Ballintogher side who
emerged as winners after an impressive display.
Played
in fine conditions in front of a good-sized attendance, the early exchanges
were tight with neither side gaining any real advantage. Ryan Phillips opened
the scoring for Owenmore Gaels after two minutes with a point from a tight
angle, which was replied to by a free from James Mackey three minutes later.
Shortly
afterwards the St. Michael’s full forward Simon McKeon crashed a shot off the
bar when he drove through the Owenmore Gaels defence. Ryan Walsh put Michael’s
in the lead on seven minutes after the Gaels lost possession under pressure,
which was to become a common theme of the game as play progressed.
St.
Michael’s were denied a second goal opportunity when Mackey had a chance saved
from close range, and the Gaels levelled when a well worked move set Nathan
O’Malley up to score. Mackey put Michael’s back in front on fifteen minutes
before Owenmore Gaels had their own missed chance on goal when the ball broke
inside for Ronan Sweeney but his shot was saved by Fintan Ruddy.
As
play resumed after the first water break the game began to turn in St. Michael’s
favour, though it took time to be reflected on the scoreboard. Ryan Walsh
doubled their advantage on 27 minutes and on the half hour McKeon added another
point after being set up by Niall Mullen, who had gained possession in the
middle of the field. The Michael’s goalkeeper Fintan Ruddy then converted a 45
to put them 0-6 to 0-2 clear. Ryan Phillips pointed a free in reply and in the
following passage of play Roly Anderson scored a fine point from distance to
create some momentum for the Gaels. However their efforts were cancelled out
when just before half time Jack Haran scored two points from long range in
quick succession, to leave Michael’s 0-8 to 0-4 ahead at the interval.
The
second half carried on as the first had ended, with James Mackey pointing early
from a free for St. Michael’s. Three minutes in Stephen Fallon pointed in reply
for the Gaels before a dramatic sequence of events, when St. Michael’s appeared
to have scored a goal when Mackey beat Jason Farrell to a incoming ball, but
his goalbound effort was cleared off the line, despite his protestations, and
in the resulting move upfield Mark Walsh charged in on goal and laid the ball off
to Stephen Fallon who finished to the net, to cut the gap to a single point,
0-9 to 1-5.
Hopes that this would spark the Gaels to life
would not be realised though, as Michael’s scored twice in quick succession
through Ross McLoughlin and Kyle Carty, and then wasted two more opportunities
to stretch their lead afterwards.
The
decisive moment would then come in deciding the outcome as the second water
break approached. Ryan Phillips pointed a free for the Gaels, which would prove
to be their final score of the day, and from the resulting kickout the ball
landed deep into Gaels territory and was played in to the ever-threatening
James Mackey who this time was not to be denied, and his goal put five between
the sides. He added a point from a free shortly after to make it 1-12 to 1-6 as
the final quarter beckoned.
The
concession of those scores appeared to knock the spirit out of the Owenmore
Gaels challenge, and the final quarter was dominated by a St. Michael’s team
that were growing in confidence, though as in the first half the scores were
slow in coming. Indeed it was cards that came next, when an incident off the
ball led to St. Michael’s centre back Steven Clerkin being dismissed, and the
Gaels forward Stephen Fallon joining him having received a second yellow card.
The
final stages saw Michael’s drive their dominance home, and a brace of points
from Mackey put the result beyond doubt before Jack Haran claimed the score of
the afternoon, with a spectacular point from near the halfway line. Kyle Carty
added a point from a narrow angle, and Padraig McGoldrick then rounded off the
scoring with a free, to ensure that St. Michael’s would claim the local bragging
rights, and a place in the Junior final, on a final score of 1-17 to 1-6.
The
winning margin would have come as something of a surprise to many, but there
could be little argument about the merits of the St. Michael’s victory, and
they will have quite strong claims to win a third Junior Championship in six
years, and fourth in all, when they face St. Patrick’s in the final in two
weeks’ time.
St.
Michael’s: Fintan Ruddy (0-1), Ross McLoughlin (0-1), Cian
McGowan, Patrick Kelly, Ciaran McKeon, Steven Clerkin, Jack Haran (0-3), Colm
McTiernan, Gavin McGowan, Niall Mullen, Kyle Carty (0-1), Paul Flanagan, James
Mackey (1-7), Simon McKeon (0-1), Ryan Walsh (0-2). Subs: Brian Taaffe, Padraig
McGoldrick (0-1), Conor Feeney, Gavin Walsh, Hughie McGowan.
Owenmore
Gaels: Jason Farrell, Garret Lavin, Liam Gilligan, Ryan
Quigley, Cian Whiteside, James Duffy, Roly Anderson (0-1), Mark Walsh, Nathan
O’Malley (0-1), Conor Davey, Peter Wynne, Aaron Walsh, Ryan Phillips (0-3),
Stephen Fallon (1-1), Ronan Sweeney. Subs: Kevin Healy, Oisin Geraghty, Niall
Hodgins.