Graham Tarmac Antrim JFC Group 1
Eire Og 2-13-0-10 Wolfetones, Greencastle
Kevin Herron reports from Woodlands
Eire Og claimed a quarter-final place in the Graham Tarmac Antrim Junior Football Championship with a 2-13-0-10 win over Wolfetones, Greencastle at Woodlands on Friday evening.
Defeats to O’Donnells and Pearses respectively had meant that the duo went into the clash without a point and knowing that a win would extend their season for another two-weeks and defeat would mean the clash would be their last hour of football in 2022.
Eire Og were first off the mark a few minutes in when Niall Ward dropped a high ball into the edge of the square where Brendan Shannon gathered, unable to get the shot away himself- Shannon offloaded to Kevin Clarke to swing over the opener.
Ward floated over his sides second shortly after and things got much better when Greencastle goalkeeper Danny McIvor was stripped off the ball as he advanced outfield by P James Toal- who in turn quickly picked out Ronan Donnelly to fire into the empty net and give the hosts a 1-02-0-00 lead.
Greencastle responded with a fine point through Cillian Cumiskey, but back-to-back frees from Toal and a point from goal-scorer Donnelly had Eire Og further clear.
Successive points from Eoin McKee and Gerard McDonnell closed the deficit slightly for the visitors and the half concluded with both sides trading points from frees with Brendan Shannon and McDonnell on-hand to convert respectively as Eire Og held a 1-06-0-04 advantage at the midway point.
The hosts extended their lead upon the resumption, Conor McKenna was impeded as he tried to burst forward- though he was able to steer a pass off to Niall Ward to drop a shot over the bar.
Gerard McDonnell kicked his third point of the evening from a 45’ in response and would land a second in-between a Ronan Donnelly point as the sides cancelled each-other out in the opening exchanges.
Midway through the second half Greencastle had a lifeline when referee Darren McKeown signalled for a penalty.
McDonnell seized responsibility but his low effort was parried by the foot of Joseph George, the corner-forward advanced to the rebound but could only scoop his effort over the bar rather than into the net.
A converted McDonnell free had a goal separating the sides with little over ten minutes remaining, but Eire Og sprung back into gear.
Conor Ellis dropped a shot between the posts and played the providers role in Ronan Donnelly firing over his third point of the evening.
Greencastle briefly put a stop to the hosts momentum through an angled point from Eoin McKee, though the next two scores of the game would put the tie beyond doubt.
Niall Ward swung over a nice point before déjà vu struck as P James Toal profited from Danny McIvor losing the ball and he fired into the empty Greencastle net to give his side a 2-11-0-09.
Talisman Gerard McDonnell replied from a free and it would prove to be his sides last of the evening as Eire Og finished the game out with back-to-back scores.
This was despite the hosts being reduced to 14-men when scorer of the second goal- P James Toal was black-carded.
Conor McKenna floated a shot over for the 14-men and soon Greencastle’s numerical advantage was wiped out when Eoin McKee received a similar punishment to Toal for a deliberate pull-back.
Niall Ward would finish the evenings scoring as Eire Og ended claimed the elusive win and quarter-final spot that went with it
Eire Og: J George, D Murray, K Ryan, J Devlin, C Rice, R Donnelly (1-03), C Ellis (0-01), A McKnight, T Malone, C McKenna (0-01), P James Toal (1-02, 0-02f), S Erskine, K Clarke (0-01), B Shannon (0-01f), N Ward (0-04). Subs: M Duffy for D Murray (42), D Campbell for B Shannon (49).
Wolfetones, Greencastle: D McIvor, F McQuillan, D Moloney, D McGovern, N Brannigan, C Burrows, K Moloney, S McKee, E McKee (0-02), M Connor, C Cumiskey (0-01), J Parke, K McCallion, D O’Neill, G McDonnell (0-07, 0-03f, 0-02 45’). Subs: O Hassan for M Connor (40), M McCann for K McCallion (52),T Austin for K Moloney (60).
Referee: Darren McKeown (St Galls)
