Andersonstown Social Club IHC Group 2
Gort na Mona 0-11 Clooney Gaels 7-19
Kevin Herron reports from Enright Park
Clooney Gaels took a giant step towards topping Group 2 of the Andersonstown Social Club IHC with a comprehensive 7-19-0-11 win over Gort na Mona at Enright Park on Friday evening.
Three goals in the space of three minutes from Patrick Graham, James O’Connell and Donal Graham helped the Ahoghill outfit to a 3-07-0-06 lead at the interval.
Another goal glut arrived in the final quarter as Thomas McGlone, Patrick Graham and a double from substitute Colla McDonnell would finish an already one-sided encounter.
The visitors arrived on the Turf Lodge top of the Group with two wins from two and full of confidence of continuing their winning start, while Gort na Mona were down to the bare bones with only 15 available players.
Gort na Mona were first off the mark at Enright Park through an Aidan McDonagh point. James O’Connell levelled things up for Clooney, but the visitors shooting was slightly askew in the opening exchanges.
Neil Henry and James O’Connell traded frees before Clooney hit the front for the first time, O’Connell hit his third of the evening in a flowing move involving Bernard Graham swinging a crossfield pass to Ronan – who popped the ball into O’Connell’s path.
A fourth O’Connell point followed, and Owen Neeson floated another to give the table-toppers a 0-05-0-02 lead.
The game’s first goal arrived after 18 minutes when Patrick Graham was slipped through on goal and he directed a low shot past Conor McCann.
James Connelly picked off a point in response for the hosts, but they would concede a second goal from the next phase of play.
Daniel O’Neill dropped in a shot which McCann gathered, as he prepared to send the ball back up field- James O’Connell was in close proximity and blocked the ball down into the net to make it 2-05-0-03.
By the 21st minute Clooney had scored their third goal in three minutes- this time Donal Graham hammered a shot home from close range to give Gort a mountain to climb.
Neil Henry sent over back-to-back points in reply, the first coming from a free and the second an excellent score from range.
Henry would convert a 65’ in between scores from Ronan Graham and James O’Connell (free) as Clooney held a 3-07-0-06 lead at the break.
The visitors extended their lead upon the resumption with O’Connell sending over a shot from play before converting his third free of the evening.
PJ O’Connell and James added further points with Neil Henry and curling a shot over and converting a free in response.
Scores were traded between James O’Connell and Noah McGivern before Clooney went on their second goal-scoring streak in proceedings.
On 43 minutes Thomas McGlone was slipped through and sent a blistering shot low to the net, Noah McGivern chalked up his second point in quick succession but Clooney substitute Colla McDonnell flicked the ball through to Patrick Graham to hammer home his second of the evening and make it 5-12-0-10.
James O’Connell reached double figures in points for the evening and a converted free from Patrick Graham soon followed.
Goal number six came with little over ten minutes remaining, substitutes Owen Neeson and Colla McDonnell combined- with the later fizzing a shot high to roof of the net.
The visitors showed no signs of taking their foot of the gas and pressed for further scores as PJ O’Connell doubled his tally for the evening and Bernard Graham played a one-two with McDonnell and got his name on the scoresheet.
Gort na Mona’s final score arrived in the form of a free from talisman Neil Henry with six minutes remaining.
The hosts misery was almost at an end as Clooney chalked up a further 1-03 before the conclusion.
A cross field pass was intercepted by Colla McDonnell to blast home his second goal since his introduction.
James O’Connell added two further scores to his increasing tally, in-between a third from PJ to complete a comfortable win for Clooney and take a huge step towards topping the Group come its conclusion in a fortnights time.
Gort na Mona: C McCann, C Healy, C Devlin, P Cournane, G McKenna, P McHugh, D Dixon, A McDonagh (0-01), J Connolly (0-01), T O’Cadhlaigh, N Henry (0-07, 0-04f, 0-01 65’), T Morton, N McGivern (0-02), R Coleman, M MacMaolain.
Clooney Gaels: A Graham, H O’Donnell, S O’Connell, D Graham, F O’Neill, B Graham (0-01), D O’Neill, E Brady, N O’Connell, R Graham (0-01), T McGlone (1-00), P Graham (2-01, 0-01f), PJ O’Connell (0-03), D Graham (1-00), J O’Connell (1-12, 0-04f). Subs: O Neeson for R Graham (34), C McDonnell (2-01) for D Graham (42), C McCloskey for D O’Neill (48), G Graham for E Brady (51), D Neeson for N O’Connell (51).
Referee: Darren McKeown (St Galls)
