U21B Football Semi-Final
Gort na Mona 2-12 Tir na nOg 2-10
A dominant final quarter where they scored 1-3 proved to be the difference in this exciting and high scoring U21B semi-final as Gort na Mona overcame the challenge of a good Tir na nOg side at Enright Park on Sunday afternoon.
|it was during this period that Aaron Farrelly pulled off an excellent save to deny the visitors what might well have been a game clinching goal and despite a late Conor Hastings pointed free it is Gort na Mona who advance to next week’s final against Rossa.
There was little between two well matched sides from the throw in as Caleb Smith gave the Whitehill side a great start with an early goal and Manus McMullan for the home side and Pauric Redmond from a free exchanged points before Keelan McCann levelled the contest with an excellent goal for the Gorts.
Ciaran MacGiolla cheara edged the Mona Bye-Pass side ahead for the first time as play swung from end to end before Pauric Redmond replied with a point for the visitors to tie the contest once more.
Both sides were battling hard for every ball and Daire Keenan from a free and Ruairi O’Scollain from play moved Gort na Mona two ahead before Daniel McLornan replied with an excellent point for the Randalstown side.
It was hosts Gort na Mona who would finish the half the stronger however and a great point from Ruairi O’Scollian and another from Jack Ireland from a free had them three in front at the break.
Gort na Mona were first off the mark as the second half got underway as David McKeown pointed a free to move them four ahead but just when it looked like they were taking control, Tir na nOg came back with a vengeance.
Connor Hastings got the ball rolling as he punished indecision in the Gort’s defence to fire to the net and the same player followed from a pointed free to square the contest once more.
It was obvious this one had plenty of miles remaining in it as Conor Scannell edged the Enright Park side ahead once more with a good point but back came the visitors and Ryan Clarke had his goal bound attempt pushed over for a point by Aaron Farrelly in the Gort na Mona goals.
As the excitement and tension grew, Pauric Redmond struck a great 2 pointer, much to the delight of the travelling support and when Caleb Smith, Conor Hastings (f) and Hastings again from play responded to a point from Caolan Hughes the Randalstown side looked on their way to the final.
Gort na Mona had other ideas however and they staged a storming finish to wrestle victory from the jaws of defeat with Keelan McCann finishing a move that started deep in his own half to the Tir na nOg net.
The same player added a point and two points from the impressive Daire Keenan moved them three ahead with Tir na nOg’s only response coming from a Conor Hastings pointed free.
An excellent game of football with both sides giving it everything and the result was in the balance throughout but that Keelan McCann goal late in the game proved the turning point as Gort na Mona finished strongly to book their place in the final.
Gort na Mona: 1 Aaron Farrelly, 20 Liam Brown, 3 John McIlroy, 4 Ryan Donnelly, 5 Conchur Clarke, 6 Ruairi O’Scollain, 17 Tiarnan Smyth, 8 Jack Ireland, 9 Rian Brown, 10 Matthew McConnell, 11 Manus McMullan, 12 Ciaran MacGiolla cheara, 13 Daire Keenan, 14 David McKeown, 15 Keelan McCann, 21 Conor Scannell
Tir na nOg: 1 Conor McKenna, 2 Ruairi Dobbin, 3 Sean McKeown, 4 Jude Storrie, 5 Caolan Hughes, 6 Paul McCloskey, 7 Sean Grant, 8 Brendan Devlin, 9 Daniel McLornan, 10 Pauric Redmond, 11 Ryan Clarke, 12 Shane Martin, 13 Connor O’Neill, 14 Caleb Smith, 15 Connor Hastings
Referee: Fionntan McCotter (Sarsfields)
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