Graham Tarmac Junior Football Championship – Group 1
Saturday 27th August
Report by Niall Kelly
Cardinal O’Donnells 3-06 Na Piarsaigh 2-02
The men from MacRory Park solidified their position in this year’s Junior Football Championship with seven points to spare against a crestfallen Pearses side on Saturday. O’Donnells were simply more efficient and economical in the business end of the pitch as they despatched the majority of chances that fell in their favour. The visitors will rue a wasteful evening in front of the sticks though as promising build up play was rarely capitalised on with wayward shooting a recurring theme throughout the sixty minutes.
The first half was somewhat abrasive as the Belfast natives were trying to figure each other out. Both teams searched for penetrative avenues of attack but the killer pass or finishing touches were lacking in the opening exchanges. Kevin Kennedy eventually raised the first white flag of the afternoon in style as he latched on to Stevie Seawright’s pass before caressing a superb effort between the posts from an acute angle.
Pearses were carving opportunities but failing to capitalise. After a spate of frees missed their mark, midfield dynamo Piaras Donaghy was put on placed ball duty and duly obliged chipping over from range on the fourteenth minute to level proceeding.
O’Donnell’s recaptured the lead a mere minute later thanks to the capable Padraig McKissock and the hosts would refuse to relinquish the lead for the remainder of the game. On the twenty second minute, the men in maroon and yellow dealt a hammer blow to their opponents when John Rafferty’s long range pass somehow found its way into the back of the despairing Niall Largey’s net as the defence seemed to lose the flight of the ball on its path to goal.
The visitors responded well though and Cormac O’Neill pointed beautifully after a surging forty yard run to leave the scores 1-02 to 0-02 at Danny O’Neill’s short whistle.
Pearses started the half brightly and seemed galvanised by the interval. They constructed some crisp passing moves off the shoulder but again were found wanting with the finishing. Half-time substitute PJ Meenan made them pay emphatically though as he timed his jump perfectly to fist home to the net from Padraig McKissocks lofted pass. Pearses though replied with vigour and raised a green flag of their own in response as Fionn Grew palmed to the net after industrious work from Liam Deegan on the sideline.
The hosts sought to respond and again Meenan was on hand utilising his blistering pace as he finished a flowing move with a well taken point before Ciaran Ferran stroked a succulent effort off the outside of his boot between the posts. The visitors responded positively though and grabbed their second major of the game on the fiftieth minute. Another fortuitous goal if truth be told and a near mirror version of Rafferty’s first half effort as Liam Deegan’s long range free somehow nestled in the top corner of Conor Murphy’s net.
With the deficit now down to two points, O’Donnells dug deep to withstand the barrage of Pearses’ charges surging forward and launched a few of their own counter attacks. Scott Thompson sent over a superb effort from range which was followed quickly by another McKissock score.
Subsitute Darragh Walsh though hammered the final nail in the coffin of the North Belfast outfit as another high ball in caused havoc in the Pearses rearguard. Walsh was alert and anticipated the drop of the ball before poking in courageously to send the home faithful into rapturous applause.
A job well done from the hosts. They will await the winners of Laochra and Éire Óg with anticipation in their semi-final showdown. Pearses will no doubt be somewhat despondant with this defeat but will be buoyed by the fact that they created an array of chances. If they can find their shooting boots in the next one, they are more than capable of joining the O’s in the semis but will face a stiff test from Naomh Úna who will also fancy their chances.
Teams
O’Donnells:
C Murphy; C Doherty, J O’Donnell, J McKenna; G McKernan, S Seawright, K Kennedy (0-01;) S Thompson (0-01,) C Walsh, J Rafferty (1-00,) C Walsh, C McKissock; K Loughran, P McKissock (0-02,) M Close
Substitute scorers: PJ Meenan (1-01,) D Walsh (1-00,) C Ferran (0-01)
Pearses
N Largey; D O’Neill, A Goodall, C McCavana; C O’Neill (0-01,) A Bannon, N Gorman; R Bannon, P Donaghy (0-01;) C Hughes, P Murray, S Moreland; F Grew (1-00,) L Deegan (1-00,) O Grew
