Under 21 Football Championship
Gort Na Mona 1-08-0-15 Lámh Dhearg
By Kevin Herron at Enright Park
Lámh Dhearg had four points to spare as they claimed their spot in the last four of the U-21 football championship with a 0-15-1-08 win over Gort Na Mona at Enright Park this afternoon.
It wasn’t exactly a free flowing encounter at the Turf Lodge venue as referee Paul Hanna was forced to dish out a few yellow cards and award numerous frees, with only 1-09 of the total 1-23 scored coming from play as Mark Finnegan (0-08) and Ciaran Kelly (0-06) shared 0-14 from frees.
The first four scores of the game all arrived courtesy of frees, Mark Finnegan twice gave Lámh Dhearg the early lead, however on each occasion Ciaran Kelly hit back through placed balls; the first a wonderful effort which sailed over from range as the sides were tied at 0-02-0-02 after six minutes.
The first score from play arrived after eight minutes and fell to Gort Na Mona as Kelly picked out centre-half back Padraig Mulvenna whose shot dipped over the bar.
Mark Finnegan converted his third placed ball of the afternoon from a 45’ to level the game after ten minutes and the Hannahstown side regained the lead a minute later after Finnegan combined with Eoin McKeown who confidently popped the ball over to make it 0-04-0-03.
Finnegan then converted a free to give Lámh Dhearg a two-point cushion, which may have been wiped out had Thomas McGoran got more power on his effort which only found the gloves of Aaron Slane in the Lámh Dhearg goals.
Ciaran Kelly converted his third free of the half after 21 minutes to make it a one-point game but it was Lámh Dhearg who ended the half stronger and with the final two scores.
Ben Rice was upended en route to goal and Finnegan dually converted the resulting free on the stroke of half-time, the Lámhs deadly free-taker converted his sixth placed ball of the afternoon before the break to give his side a 0-07-0-04 lead at the interval.
Lámh Dhearg increased their lead a minute after the restart; Mark Finnegan laid the ball into the path of Captain Ryan Straney whose shot sailed accurately between the posts.
Ciaran Kelly converted a free for Gort Na Mona in response as the free-taking dual between Kelly and Finnegan continued.
Despite Finnegan leading that particular dual, he did watch on in agony as his 39th minute free came off the large post and out, two minutes later Finnegan landed his first from play however after Paddy Larkin picked out the wing-half forward who landed a superb point from range to make it 0-09-0-05.
Just before the midway point in the second-half Gort substitute Thomas McGreevy reduced arrears to three-points, but within two minutes Domhnall Nugent had restored Lámh Dhearg’s four-point advantage after combining with Eoin McKeown.
Lámh Dhearg would lead by six with ten minutes remaining, Mark Finnegan converted successive frees to bring his tally to the afternoon to 0-09 (0-07 from frees) and make it 0-12-0-06.
Gort Na Mona responded through two Ciaran Kelly frees which reduced the deficit to four with five minutes remaining and were it not for a brave block from Pearse Fitzsimons to deny Conor McCabe, Gort Na Mona may have had a goal on their mind.
Ben Rice and Eoin McKeown looked to have sealed victory for the Lámhs with quick fire points in the 59th and 60th minute, but three minutes into injury-time Gort Na Mona threw themselves a lifeline as substitute Gary Donnelly’s high ball was caught by Thomas McGoran, who made space and rifled low past Aaron Slane to make it 1-08-0-14 points.
The Turf Lodge men needed a second goal and quickly, however Domhnall Nugent landed the insurance point for Lámh Dhearg with a little help from the large upright as Frank Fitzsimons side progressed to the semi-final and a meeting with St Enda’s who overcame last year’s champions Aghagallon 0-09-0-07 one of Sundays other quarter-final clashes.
Gort Na Mona: M Park, S McStravick, M Savage, C Scullion, S Campbell, P Mulvenna (0-01), J Reilly, T McGoran (1-00), C Carson, C Healy, C McCabe, S Doyle, B Corr, C Kelly (0-06f), N Melaney. Subs: T McGreevy (0-01) for S Doyle (31 mins), G Donnelly for N Melaney (50 mins), L Dixon for S Campbell (52 mins).
Lámh Dhearg: A Slane, R Fegan, N Hughes, P Larkin, J Trainor, P Mervyn, R Diamond, P Fitzsimons, R Straney (0-01), M Finnegan (0-09, 0-08f), E McKeown (0-02), D Larkin, C Flynn, D Nugent (0-02), B Rice (0-01). M Maguire for C Flynn (31 mins), D Dunne for D Larkin (48 mins), P Fegan for B Rice (60 mins).
Referee: Paul Hanna (Glenavy)
