All-County Minor B Football Championship semi-final
Rossa 1-10-1-12 Gaeil an tSeibhe Dhuibh
From Kevin Herron at St Pauls
Gaeil an tSeibhe Dhuibh closed out a tight Minor B football semi-final this evening and booked a place in the decider against St Enda’s after a 1-12-1-10 win over Rossa at Shaws Road.
Ciaran Donnelly claimed five of his sides seven first-half scores with all coming from the placed ball as the league champions ran into a 0-07-0-03 lead at the break.
Rossa battled back and levelled through Liam Carr’s goal just before the midway point in the second-half, only for Gaeil an tSeibhe Dhuibh to instantly hit back through a Geariod McKernan goal.
Carr was denied a second major through menacing full-back Johnny McKenna and had to make do with a couple of late points as Gaeil an tSeibhe Dhuibh hung on, despite losing Eoin Trainor-O’Neill to a late red-card.
It took eight minutes for the opening score to arrive on the Shaws Road and it fell to Rossa through corner-forward Barra McCafferty.
Ciaran Donnelly replied for Gaeil an tSeibhe Dhuibh through a converted free and the amalgamated side chalked up another four scores in succession.
Donnelly confidently converted another three placed balls and was involved in his sides fifth score through Eoin Trainor-O’Neill.
An excellent angled point from Barra McCafferty was followed by Liam Carr’s first of the evening after Daire Murphy claimed Niall Mooney’s kick-out and Barra McCafferty assisted in the score.
Rossa would make no further inroads though as Ruairi Dixon and Ciaran Donnelly landed late points to give their side a 0-07-0-03 lead at the interval.
Rossa made a bright start to the second period as Ruairc Murray’s shot fell nicely for McCafferty who shot over the bar and Daire Murphy steered over his sides second from Charlie Cooley’s square pass.
Gaeil an tSeibhe Dhuibh hit back through a Tim Scannell point before the two goals arrived in the space of sixty seconds.
Rossa restored parity a minute short of the midway point in the second-half, a high ball into the square was held fantastically by Patrick Moyes who picked out Liam Carr – Carr’s shot was blocked but fell back to the corner-forward whose low effort beat Niall Mooney to make it 0-08-1-05.
It was short-lived joy for the Shaws Road side however as Gaeil an tSeibhe Dhuibh instantly responded. Ciaran Donnelly played a high ball on top of Rossa keeper Se McCashin and Geariod McKernan fisted to the net to give his side a 1-08-1-05 lead.
Points from Tim Scannell and Caoimhin Heaney in the aftermath gave their side a five-point lead, but Barra McCafferty closed the deficit with his fourth point of the contest.
With less than ten minutes to play; Rossa thought they had given themselves a lifeline as Daire Murphy burst forward and popped the ball into the path of Liam Carr whose low shot beat Mooney but not Johnny McKenna, as the full-back made a terrific clearance on the line.
Ciaran Donnelly conjured up his second point from play and the sides traded points in the aftermath through Liam Carr (free) and Eoin Trainor-O’Neill.
Rossa were pushing for a late goal that would have provided a grandstand finish but found it difficult to penetrate through a stubborn Gaeil an tSeibhe Dhuibh rearguard.
Liam Carr claimed his third point from a converted free and a glorious point from Owen May made it a three-point game going into added time.
Referee Paul Burns had his work cut-out in additional time as a number of off the ball incidents stopped the flow of proceedings.
Ruairi Dixon and Joe McKee were both black carded and after consultation with his umpire; Eoin Trainor-O’Neill was given a straight red-card.
Liam Carr popped a late free over the bar but it was Gaeil an tSeibhe Dhuibh who hung on for victory in the end to book a place in the decider against St Enda’s in a few weeks time.
Gaeil an tSeibhe Dhuibh: N Mooney, A Robinson, J McKenna, R Dixon (0-01), K Trainor-O’Neill, D Cahill, G Sloan, C Heaney (0-01), C Donnelly (0-06, 0-04f), E Trainor-O’Neill (0-02), T Scannell (0-02), G McKernan (1-00), A Dempster, O Cordner, J McKee. Subs: M Brady for A Dempster (HT); G Power for R Dixon (57 – black card substitution); G McKernan for O Deevy (59) G McKernan for J McKee (60+2 mins – black card substitution).
Rossa: Se McCashin, B Hegarty, P McLaughlin, F McIlroy, M McKernan, E Trainor, O May (0-01), C Cooley, R Murray, D Rogan, D Murphy (0-01), M McEnhill, B McCafferty (0-04), P Moyes, L Carr (1-04, 0-03f). Subs: C Boyle for F McIlroy (36); A Aiken for M McEnhill (59).
Referee: Paul Burns (St Comgalls).