16-04-2016
Ardfert
2-15
St Mary’s
1-16
In this meeting of
current and former champions of the Castleisland Mart Club Intermediate
Championship, 2014 champions Ardfert hit the ground running from the off. With young midfielder Fionan Mackessy curbing
the influence of county star Bryan Sheehan, the home side sprinted in to a 4
points to no score lead by the 8th minute with points from David
Griffin, one, and Shane Griffin, three, who had been moved to full forward at
this point.
County hurling star
John Egan was showing up to good effect and he would be the outstanding player
on the pitch on the day. Corner forward
Anthony O’Gorman opened St Mary’s account in the 9th minute when he crashed
the ball to the net after a counter attack that opened up the Ardfert defence.
Egan extended Ardfert’s
lead before St Mary’s midfielder Denis Daly kicked the first of his impressive
five point haul from play. But Ardfert
were not to be subdued and after a quick passing movement between Egan and
Darren Wallace the unmarked Griffin palmed the ball to the net.
Daly responded once
more for Mary’s from distance, a feature of his game, and with further scores
from Sean Curnane, three frees, Daly and wing forward Aidan Walsh they led at
the break by the minimum.
With wind advantage
Cournane converted from the restart before Egan levelled the scores for the
third time. St Mary’s knew that they
were now in a real battle but full forward Daniel Daly and Cournane again
responded and they looked like they now might start to pull away.
However, Ardfert,
following a quickly taken free, caught St Mary’s napping and when Griffin fed
Egan he finished to the net with ease. Ardfert
wingback Eoghan Courtney then galloped forward to extend their lead but after
further points from play from Daly and Walsh the teams were tied again by the
midpoint of the half.
Bryan Sheehan, who
seemed to be carrying a hand injury in to the game, was subdued to this point
but landed a trademark 45 metre free to tie up matters in the 51st
minute and the game was really now in the melting pot.
Egan continued to
shine for Ardfert but further points from play from Daly and wing forward Paul
O’Donoghue had St Mary’s ahead by the minimum by the 56th minute. But showing the heart and grit that has
carried them to this title in recent years Ardfert rallied once more and had
all the momentum when Griffin levelled matters from play in the 60th
minute.
And Man of the Match
Egan struck the final blows to the St Mary’s challenge in injury time when he
converted a late free and a peach from play to leave the home side and their
supporters to celebrate a tremendous 2-15 to 1-16 victory. St Mary’s day was further soured when wing
forward Daly received his marching orders for a second yellow card in the final
minute.
Victorious manager
Stephen Wallace was fulsome in his praise for his team. “It’s a fantastic result. We were a team out of form, winless in the
County League, but when our backs were to the wall we pulled out the result,
full of heart”.
Man of the Match: John Egan, Ardfert
Teams & Scorers:
Ardfert: Nicholas O’Sullivan, Trevor Wallace, Rory Horgan, Stephen Leen, Eoghan
Courtney (1 pt), Darren Dineen, Iarla Courtney (1 pt), Fionan Mackessy, Kevin
Shanahan, David Griffin (2 pts), Darren Wallace (c), Brandon Barrett, Shane
Griffin (1 gl, 3 pts), Cian Hussey, John Egan (1 gl, 8 pts- 6 frees)
Substitutes: Bobby O’Regan for Cian Hussey
St Mary’s: Austin Constable, Ian Casey, Brian
Curran, Darragh O’Sullivan, Daniel O’Sullivan, Conor O’Shea, Conor Quirke,
Bryan Sheehan (1 free), Denis Daly (5 pts), Aidan Walsh (c)(2 pts), Niall
O’Driscoll, Paul O’Donoghue (1 pt), Sean Curnane ( 5 pts- 4 frees), Daniel Daly
(1 pt), Anthony Curnane (1 gl, 1 pt)
Substitutes: Liam O’Connell for Ian Casey
Referee: Padraig O’Sullivan, Firies
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