OB Construction Intermediate Football Championship Semi-Final
Saturday 24th September
Report by Niall Kelly
Con Magee’s Glenravel 1-16 Padraig Sarsfields 0-10
Glenravel clinched their place in this year’s Intermediate showpiece in swashbuckling style against a talented Sarsfields outfit. The men from the ‘tenth glen’ put in a polished and efficient performance which saw them over the line with a comfortable nine points to spare. The blend of youthful exuberance and composure in the more seasoned performers within their ranks proved to be too much for a Sarsfields side who struggled to replicate the scintillating form from their previous emphatic victory over neighbours St Paul’s.
There can be little doubt that the Con Magee’s victory was forged in their engine room. Their domination of the midfield third proved to be the foundation for their success as they commandeered countless breaking balls to launch attacks. There was a precision and cutting edge to their play which was often finished with ruthless accuracy.
The Paddies didn’t have many answers to their opponents in the first half who led by five at the interval, but they grew into the game in the early exchanges of the second period and had reduced the margin to three points. The introductions of Darragh McGuinness and Conor Glenholmes at half time gave them more of an impetus in offence. However, their hopes of reaching the final were all but extinguished minutes later when man of the match Ryan McQuillan grabbed the only major of the game for the hosts and another resurgence from the Shaw’s Road men failed to materialise.
It was Glenravel who started brightest, and their calculated and patient approach paid dividends as they established a three-point lead by the tenth minute. Dangerman Eamon Fyfe split the posts twice with Ryan McQuillan on target from range. The trusty boot of Kevin McKernan responded for the men in green and black but the Con Magee’s superiority in midfield ensured they maintained their stranglehold on the game. This was perfectly illustrated when Eoin Hynds rose highest to snatch a Sarsfield’s kick out and offloaded to Callum Higgins who steered his effort perfectly between the posts.
Again, McKernan replied from the placed ball but Glenravel continued to seamlessly transition through the gears and that man McQuillan was proving to be an absolute handful. The fleetfooted number 15 sailed over a superb effort after dancing his way through the Paddies’ rearguard, feinting this way and that. Aidan O’Donnell, Eoin Hynds and David Higgins further bolstered the Glenravel lead before Sarsfields grabbed their first score from play. Philip McPeake who had grafted tirelessly for his side put the finishing touches on a slick and flowing attack, caressing his effort over the bar perfectly from a seemingly impossible angle.
McQuillan was at the forefront again for Glenravel as he fisted over from close range before Gary Lennon raised the white flag from a close-range free on the stroke of half time with the North Antrim side five points to the good.
Colin Toal’s charges came storming out of the traps in the second period with a few changes in personnel and had their opponents camped in their own half for the opening ten minutes. Daniel McQuillan put in a vital tackle to thwart a possible goal chance for the Belfast men but soon after Kevin McKernan finished a blistering attack of which half-time substitutes Conor Glenholmes and Darragh McGuinness were at the forefront. Liam Mitchell then blasted over from range and suddenly it looked game-on as the reinvigorated Paddies looked menacing.
However, that man McQuillan had other ideas. His quick threaded pass to Eamon Fyfe unlocked the Sarsfield’s defence and when Fyfe returned the favour, McQuillan bided his time and remained composed as he nonchalantly despatched to the net to trigger a deafening roar from the Glenravel travelling faithful.
McQuillan’s major had a galvanising effect on his side and they very nearly had a second minutes later. Aidan O’Donnell’s thundering close-range effort agonisingly skimmed the wrong side of the cross-bar as he had to suffice with a point. Momentum was very much back in favour of the men in green and white though and they were in clinical form picking off a further three scores in as many minutes with Daniel McQuillan, Callum Higgins on target and McQuillan added to his ever-growing tally.
Both full forwards then exchanged points from frees with Fyfe and Lennon (2) on target for their sides. With the game approaching it’s final chapter, Sarsfield’s deployed talisman Niall McKenna into the full forward line with the hopes that his fielding ability would help unlock the stubborn defence of Glenravel. High balls began to pepper their goal and McKenna’s positional change offered Sarsfield’s a focal point in attack. Nevertheless, the Con Magee’s defence stood resolute with the introduction of the evergreen Martin McCarry who dropped into defence to foil the Paddies’ plan of aerial bombardment.
Conor Glenholmes sent over a towering effort from range as they continued to resiliently chase the game. Eamon Fyfe and Callum Higgins responded potently though as they continued to assert their authority on proceedings in the late stages. There was just enough time for Niall McKenna to get his name on the scoresheet with a lofted effort from range before Brendan Toland sounded his final whistle.
Sarsfields will no doubt rue their slow start. They looked dangerous in a few stages of the game but couldn’t sustain a prolonged enough period of dominance to make it count on the scoreboard. They just didn’t seem to be able to get their key men involved as often as they’d have liked and failed to build upon the eye-catching, fluent football they had played in earlier rounds.
Glenravel will await the winners of Davitts and Dunloy with great anticipation with both posing a potential stiff test. They have consolidated themselves as a solid Division Two outfit and a definite threat for the Intermediate Title in recent years. Their successful Under 20 team from last year has proved to be their lynchpin moving forward. If they can maintain their current vein of form, they are a dangerous proposition for any team and will certainly go into the final rich in confidence and belief. Could this be their year?
Teams:
Con Magee’s Glenravel:
J McEvoy; C Henry, E McCusker, C Carey; S Higgins, N Swann, D McQuillan (0-01;) C Higgins (0-03,) D Higgins (0-01;) A O’Donnell (0-02,) E Hynds (0-01,) C McNeill; D Traynor, E Fyfe (0-04,) R McQuillan (1-04)
Sarsfields:
M Brady; C McCurry, M McPolin, M Johnston; P McPeake (0-01,) D McKernan, C McKernan; C Murray, N McKenna (0-01;) K Floyd, K McKernan (0-04,) N McAlea; T Skillen, G Lennon (0-02,) B Healy
Substitute scorers:
C Glenholmes (0-01) L Mitchell (0-01)
