ACFL Division 3
O’Donnell’s 1-9 Laochra Loch Lao 2-5
Cardinal O’Donnell’s and Laochra Loch Lao served up a full blooded encounter in terrible underfoot conditions at MacRory Park on Wednesday evening in one of the few games that survived the weather.
The Saffron Gael had three photographers in Belfast to cover games but I arrived at Davitt’s where a late call by the referee deemed the pitch unplayable.
Curly suffered a similar fate at Milltown and again both sides were on the field when the decision to call off was taken while Bert had a similar experience at the Bear Pit with the Sarsfields v St. Brigid’s game called off.
A chance meeting with a fellow Gael at Colaiste Feirste informed me that he had seen Laochra Loch Lao making their way into MacRory Park and I arrived just in time to witness 30 hardy souls take the field as the rain that had been falling heavily earlier abated.
Things got underway under the guidance of referee, Anthony Carleton and despite water on the surface these division 3 rivals went on to serve up a game of championship intensity.
Playing away into the pavilion end it was visitors Laochra Loch Lao who took an early lead through Oisin Crawford with a point in the 8th minute but hosts O’Donnell were soon back on terms from a Padraig McKissock free with 11 minutes gone.
Fergal McNerny, wearing 34 put O’Donnell’s ahead for the first time as they began to control the exchanges with some excellent build up play and two more from McKissock (1f) had the lower Whiterock men 3 ahead after 22 minutes
The visitors were enjoying a fair deal of possession but wayward shooting and some strong defending by the O’D’s defence, where Stephen Seawright, Conor Walsh and Jonathan McKenna were giving nothing away, kept Laochra in check.
Fionnbar McKernan extended the home lead and the industrious Fergal McNerney moved them five ahead after 24 minutes and Laochra looked in a spot of bother.
They were handed a lifeline however when a long distance free from Conor McGucken appeared to take a deflection and ended in Conor Murphy’s net to leave it 0-6 to 1-1 at the break.
It was still all to play for as the sides emerged from the dressing rooms for the second half with McGucken splitting the uprights in the opening minute to leave the minimum between the sides.
Padraig McKissock replied for O’Donnell’s as he converted a free following a breech with Conor McGucken replying at the other end to again leave just one between two very competitive sides.
Fergal McNery continued to impress around mid-field and he once again moved O’Donnell’s two ahead but the hosts suffered a blow when they had a player Red carded in the 10th minute.
The excellent McGucken pointed the resulting free to again reduce the gap to one and it looked like being a long evening for the home side.
They had to be thankful to their keeper, Conor Murphy who came off his line to make an excellent blocking save from Kevin Devine and the home side countered with their halftime substitute (29) racing in for a goal.
It gave O’Donnell’s a cushion but Laochra were now enjoying a lot of possession and pushing forward in numbers and a point from Kevin Devine and a goal from the penalty spot by sharp shooter McGucken had it back to one with time almost up.
O’Donnell’s refused to panic and countered from the kick-out with a point from Richard McAvoy before running down the clock as they held possession, affording Laochra no further opportunity.
O’Donnell’s: 1 Conor Murphy, 2 Joseph Rafferty, 3 Stephen Seawright, 4 Sean Smylie, 5 Kevin Kennedy, 6 Conor Walsh, 7 Jonathan McKenna, 8 Patrick Matthews, 9 Joseph Rafferty, 10 Ciaran McKissock, 11 Scott Thompson, 12 Paul Moore, 13 Richard McAvoy, 14 Padraig McKissock, 15 Fionnbar McKernan, 34 Fergal McNerny,
Laochra Loch Lao: 1 Sean O’hEachain, 26 Deaglan McComb, 3 Conor McCaffery, 4 Michael Nolan, 5 Gearoid McShane, 6 Connla O’Coinn, 7 Dubhaltach MacCrabhagain, 8 Tomkas Tolan, 9 Cathal O’Ceallaigh, 10 Conor McGucken, 11 Kevin Devine, 12 Tiarnan Mac Siacais, 13 Oisin Crawford, 24 Michael O’Dalaigh, 15 PJ O’Prey,
Referee: Anthony Carleton (St. Brigid’s)
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