Graham Tarmac Junior Football Championship – Group 1
Friday 12th August
Report by Niall Kelly
Cardinal O’Donnells 2-13 Wolfe Tones 1-03
Two emphatic finishes to the net from Richard McAvoy and Mark Close in the first half paved the way for a comfortable victory for O’Donnells. Despite battling well and displaying resiliency throughout the sixty minutes, Wolfetones were powerless to stop the prolificity of the home side’s potent full-forward line. Richard McAvoy and Padraig McKissock were too hot to handle on the night and accounted for 13 points of the 19 scored by the hosts. The damage was well and truly done in the first half and O’Donnell’s eleven-point lead at the interval would prove to be unassailable for their North Belfast counterparts.
Both teams spurned a number of early chances before the ever-reliant Padraig McKissock drew first blood for the men in maroon and yellow as he fired over a close range free to settle his side into the game on the seventh minute. O’Donnells began to dovetail nicely in offense and John Rafferty’s domineering performance in midfield often provided the platform for many of the attacks with Jonny McKenna’s powering runs from defence a constant outlet. The pressure was to come to fruition as McKissock soon added another as he delicately angled a beautifully flighted effort between the posts before Richard McAvoy notched his first of the evening with a similar curling effort of his own.
McAvoy’s blistering pace, which was a constant thorn in the side of Wolfe Tones, was to come to the fore again when he coolly despatched his side’s first major of the evening on the 20th minute. A threaded pass from Fergal McNerney split the visitor’s defence open giving the OD’s full-forward the opportunity to drive into the space and finish nonchalantly into the bottom right of Danny McIvor’s goal, stroking the ball home soccer style.
Wolfe Tones were desperately trying to get out of their own half with Cillian Cumiskey and Stephen McKee often the springboard for their counter attacks but they couldn’t make it count on the scoreboard. McAvoy’s scintillating form in front of the sticks continued when he slotted over two superb individual efforts from range before McKissock once again displayed his pinpoint range from the dead ball.
With the half drawing to a close, corner forward Mark Close dealt a killer blow to the visitors. The number fifteen latched on to an incisive pass from McAvoy before unleashing an absolute thunderbolt into the roof of the net triggering an almighty roar from the jubilant home support. McKissock notched another to his ever-growing personal tally before Wolfe Tones finally got themselves on the score board when Kieran Moloney’s searching pass was finished off with an accomplished finish from Martin Conroy to leave the score 2-06 to 0-01 in favour of the hosts.
The visitors emerged from the break with a newly ignited fire in their bellies and were causing a few problems in the early stages of the second thirty. Matt McCann’s early driven effort looked destined to ripple the net but Jonny McKenna’s instinctive defensive awareness denied him with a goal-saving block on the line. More goal mouth action ensued as OD’s shot-stopper Conor Murphy was called to action, producing a point blank save from Declan O’Neill’s drilled close range effort.
Conor Burrows and Kevin McCallion managed to make the pressure count though as they raised white flags for the men in green and white and it seemed perhaps the makings of a monumental come-back could be on the cards. These were soon extinguished though as O’Donnells took to the ascendancy again with McKissock spearheading the attacks, slotting over two of his own before turning provider for his brother Ciaran who sent over a sumptuously caressed effort from a tight angle.
The visitors continued to push forward and were desperately trying to probe through the O’Donnells defence but to no avail. Johnny O’Donnell, whose performance epitomised the passion and determination of the hosts, marshalled his troops at the back with composure as they stood resolute.
Wolfe Tone’s commitment to gunning forward meant that gaps were appearing in their defence which were exploited by the hosts. Fergal McNerney linked up well with Keely Loughran on more than one occasion before sending over two excellent efforts from the outside of the boot. The visitors to their credit refused to throw in the towel and their efforts were rewarded on the stroke of full-time when Cillian Cumiskey expertly despatched to the net to ensure a consolation goal.
Wolfe Tones will look back at their maiden Championship campaign and know that there were positives to take. They have a solid nucleus to build on and performed admirably in a difficult group. Despite being eliminated, they will look to their game with Éire Óg as a chance to register their first Championship points and build on for next year. O’Donnells on the other hand, will have their sights firmly set on their crunch fixture with fellow table-toppers Pearses. Their clash could have quite a telling impact on this year’s Junior grade with both teams tipped as two of the favourites to be potentially basking in glory come September.
O’Donnells:
C Murphy; C Doherty, J O’Donnell, J McKenna; G McKernan, S Thompson, K Kennedy; J Rafferty, S Seawright; C McKissock (0-01,) C Walsh, F McNerney (0-02;) P McKissock (0-07,) R McAvoy (1-04,) M Close (1-00)
Wolfe Tones:
D McIvor; F McQuillan, D Moloney, J Carmichael; N Brannigan, C Burrows (0-01,) K Moloney; S McKee, E McKee; M Connor (0-01,) C Cumiskey (1-00,) J Parke; T Austin, M McCann, G McDonnell. Subs: K McCallion (0-01