Northern Switchgear Senior Football Championship
Group One
Dunloy 2-22 Rossa 0-8
Friday 7 August
Brendan McTaggart reports from Dunloy
Reigning champions Dunloy got their campaign off to a winning start on Friday evening as they dispatched Rossa with plenty to spare. It was a comfortable win for the Cuchullains who had nine different scorers over the hour and landed 2-18 from open play. Barry McCloskey and Eoghan McGrath grabbed the goals in either half while Keelan Molloy top score with eight points beside his name.
The home side were reduced to 14 men just six minutes into the second half when Conor Kinsella was red carded for a hefty challenge but it spurred the Cuchullains to go through the gears. Holding Rossa to just two points in the second half, one from open play and while the Shaws Road men were wasteful in front of the target, they had couldn’t curtail the running power of the home side.
Rossa looked comfortable in possession for long periods but the Dunloy defence were organised and chose their moments to force turnovers, each turnover resulting in a lightning break in the second half and ultimately a score.
Dominic McEnhill top scored for the visitors with two of his five points coming from open play while Thomas Morgan raised three white flags all in the first half. They trailed by seven points at half time and nine by the time they had a numerical advantage but they couldn’t make that count as Dunloy dictated the game.
Tom McFerran fired over for his first of four points for the opening score of the game before Keelan Molloy landed the first two-pointer of the game in the sixth minute. Dominic McEnhill responded with a free moments later but Dunloy went through the gears to pull away.
Eoin McFerran and Molloy split the uprights before McCloskey bagged the first goal of the game. Ryan McGarry doing the dirty work in midfield where Tom McFerran collected. He drove at the Rossa defence before finding McCloskey to his right and he made no mistake, giving Mick Byrne no chance between the posts.
Eoin O’Neill had another chance of a major when McGrath played him through with the next attack but Byrne was equal to his effort. It spurred the visitors into action as they reeled off three points unanswered in the space of five minutes. A brace from Thomas Morgan and a Dominic McEngill free brought Rossa to within two points by the 19th minute but that was as good as it got.
Molloy split the uprights from outside the arc for his second two pointer before Conal Cunning fired over for his first of the game. Thomas Morgan had a goal ruled out in between those scores when referee Conal Roberts adjudged the Rossa forward had overcarried before pulling the trigger.
The home side added points from O’Neill and McCloskey while Byrne was called into action to deny McGrath after the Dunloy forward manoeuvred his defender superbly to create the chance.
Rossa finished the half with a brace of points from McEnhill and Morgan to leave the half time score 1-10 to 0-6 in Dunloy’s favour.
Rossa started the second half brightly and held possession, looking for a way through the Dunloy defence but it was Molloy’s third two pointer of the game that opened the scoring in the second half.
The home side were reduced to 14 men when Kinsella was red carded to open the door for the Jeremiah’s but Dunloy’s response was emphatic. A brilliant two pointer from defender James Scally preceded Dunloy’s second goal. McGrath with the expert finish after great work from Aodhan McGarry and Tom McFerran in the build up.
The home side added further scores from Molloy, Conal Cunning and Tom McFerran to make it 1-7 without reply and 1-5 since the red card. Dominic McEnhill split the uprights from a free for Rossa’s first score of the second half, 17 minutes into the second half but it would be a further 15 minutes before they would register another score.
Substitute Sean Og Blaney fisted over before McCloskey added his first of the second half. The home side were denied a penalty when McCloskey looked to have been impeded illegally, he was unable to get a clean shot away with the Dunloy management questioning the decision.
Dunloy continued to play with pace and power with Rossa chasing the game, their defence struggled. Tom McFerran and McCloskey landed scores before McEnhill fired over for his fifth of the game in injury time.
Tom McFerran split the uprights with his second free of the contest with the last kick of the game as the home side completed a comfortable victory.
Both sides will turn their attention to the small ball code for next weekend with Dunloy welcoming Glenariffe while Rossa will travel to Corrigan Park on Friday evening and a contest with the champions, St Johns.
TEAMS
Dunloy Starting XV: Karl Fitzpatrick; Reece Cunning, Aaron Crawford, James Scally; Aodhan McGarry, Ryan McGarry, Conor Kinsella; Eoin McFerran, Conal Cunning; Eoin O’Neill, Barry McCloskey, Tom McFerran; Luke McFerran, Keelan Molloy, Eoghan McGrath
- Subs: Paudie McGilligan for E McFerran (45), Sean Og Blaney for E McGrath (45); Ciaran McQuillan for C Cunning (52), Donnacha Laverty for K Molloy (52); Oisin McCamphill for E O’Neill (59)
- Scorers: K Molloy 0-8 (2TP, 1TPF); B McCloskey 1-3; T McFerran 0-4 (2F); E McGrath 1-00; J Scally 0-2 (1TP); C Cunning 0-2; E McFerran 0-1; E O’Neill 0-1; S Og Blaney 0-1
Rossa Starting XV: Michael Byrne; Michael McEnhill, Gavin McGrath, Fiachra McDonald; Peter Byrne, Stephen Beatty, Niall Crossan; Liam McEnhill, Eoghan McMenamin; Dominic McEnhill, Eoin Fleming, Diarmuid Rogan; Corey Walsh, Colm Fleming, Thomas Morgan
- Subs: Patrick Moyes for N Crossan (25); Rory Grant for C Walsh (35); Daire Morgan for D Rogan (45); Conal McDonald for E Fleming (49); Mattie McKernan for G McGrath (55)
- Scorers: D McEnhill 0-5 (3F); T Morgan 0-3
Referee: Conal Roberts (Naomh Eoin)
TO SEE MORE OF BRENDAN’S PHOTOS FROM THE GAME, FOLLOW THE LINK BELOW….
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