Thomas Devlin Car Sales U-12 League Section A (semi-final)
St Mary’s Aghagallon 3-04 Erin’s Own Cargin 1-04
‘Goals wins prizes’ is the old adage and such was to be the case in this Thomas Devlin car sales U12 semi-final on Sunday last as Aghagallon secured passage into this year’s decider as they edged out a gallant Cargin on Sunday.
Little had separated the sides in the opening period on the Aghagallon sod with the home side just heading their visitors with a 0-03 to 0-02 advantage but when the St Mary’s lads proceeded to find the net on a couple of occasions shortly after the restart the seeds of victory had been sewn.
Cargin battled right to conclusion and the Toome boys were rewarded for their endeavours with a late Callum Gribbin goal but the three pointer only arrived as consolation as the long blast signalled a 3-04 to 1-04 win for Aghagallon.
Aghagallon had claimed respective wins over their counterparts from Cargin in their match ups in the league programme and with ground advantage as reward for a campaign which had progressed without blemish the St Mary’s lads were to start their semi-final assignment against the lads from Erin’s Own as warm favourites to gain a final berth.
The home side were first away when Aaron Kerr raced away through the middle to take assist from Sean Gowdy to raise a 3rd minute white flag.
Cargin were on terms shortly after as a fine Joel Thornton interception and a Fintan O’ Donnell clearance saw Daniel Mc Cann fetch and deliver for Callum Gribbin to split the posts.
The Aghagallon lads looked to return fire quickly but the Cargin rear guard in which Jack Harney stood tall in the central role and Joel Thornton was shadowing the home side’s danger man Sean Gowdy with success and after net minder Cody Craig defied the advancing Eoin Mc Guinness with an excellent save they were about to take the lead.
Callum Gribbin who had claimed a Patrick Matchnik clearance directed onwards by Karl McCann was fouled on collection to allow Patrick O’Neill to send the resultant free kick directly between the posts.
Cargin had nipped into a 0-02 to 0-01 advantage but in the event such was not to linger and a well-directed advance and a foul on Ethan Mc Namee opened the way for Aaron Kerr to send the placed effort directly between the posts.
Aghagallon spurned a couple of chances to take advantage in the latter stages but they struck in the 19th minute as the impressive Eoin Mc Guinness despatched a 40 metre free all the way over the bar to see the home side enjoy a 0-03 to 0-02 interval advantage.
Only the minimum had separated the sides in the opening half, and with a place in the under-12 final still in question the outcome still looked in the balance.
Cargin looked on their way to the posts first but as Eoin Mallon made interception on the ‘40’ his clearance which found Eoin Mc Guinness on the left wing saw the mid-fielder’s cross fisted to the back of the net by the advancing Sean Gowdy.
Aghagallon had gained the first major of the game and when the goal scorer Eoin Mc Guinness adopted the role of provider a couple of minutes later he provided the precision based pass to open the way for the excellent Aaron Kerr to grab another.
The home side gained a seven point advantage and when Eoin Mc Guinness and the hard grafting Jack O’ Neill swapped points at either end the former made passage through the middle to add a second goal and Aghagallon were on their way to the decider.
The Cargin looked in serious trouble but led by the endeavors of Jack Harney, Fiontan O’ Donnell, Jack O’ Neill, and Callum Gribbin they were not about to raise any semblance of a white flag.
The remaining minutes were to see them on the offensive with all striving with shoulder firmly to the wheel.
Jack O’ Neill was unlucky to see his effort on goal skim just the wrong side of the post but Callum Gribbin had better luck a minute later as his screamer flew into the corner of the net.
Aghagallon were on the defensive as the Cargin lads finished strongly but the St Mary’s side had done enough and a late Jack O’ Neill point arrived in consolation with the home side progressing to the decider on a winning margin 0f 3-04 to 1-04.
Aghagallon: Sean Mc Kavanagh, Matthew Bratman, Dara Kielty, Cormac Mulholland, Chris Hannon, Eoin Mallon, Ronan Mulholland, Michael Grogan, Sean Brankin, Eoin Mc Guinness (0-01), Sean Gowdy (2-01), Ethan Mc Namee, Aaron Kerr (1-02).
Subs: Lorcan Duffy for C Mulholland
Cargin: Cody Craig, Joel Thornton, Eoin Scullion, Patrick Matchnik, Brian Darragh, Fiontan O’ Donnell, Jack Harney, Callum Gribbin (1-01), Niall Quinn, Patrick O’ Neill (0-01), Jack O’ Neill (0-02), Karl Mc Cann, Daniel Mc Cann
Subs: Thomas Mc Cann for K Mc Cann
Ewan Mc Laverty for Patrick O’ Neill
Killian Scullion for Niall Quinn
Referee Martin Quinn (St Enda’s)