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Aghaderg Senior Footballers Get Their Season Underway With A Challenge Match Under Lights

24 March 2010

Aghaderg travelled to Saint Pat's Cullyhanna on Monday night past for this pre season challenge game underlights.

With a few of the more seasoned lads out injured it was going to be a match for the fringe players of last year plus a few of the younger lads stepping into the team to show the management what they could do.
Up against a bigger stronger Saint Pat's team the visitors started slowly and found themselves a goal down after 2mins.
Play continued for the next few minutes with both teams finding their feet and passes going astray or being intercepted by the defences.
From a long kick out by Mark Mc Grath, Stephen Fitzsimmons fielded a great ball then off loaded to his midfield partner Kelin Doyle, who in turn likewise give it in early, followed the ball in to take the return pass and take a fine point.
Play swung from end to end before the Reds' good teamwork paid off again with great passing and movement which allowed Jack Devlin to score from 30 metres with a great point.

This stung the home team into life as after winning ball after ball they scored 3 unanswered points. This could have been more only for some stern defending by Aaron Mc avoy Conal Sands and Cathal Mc Grath.
The half wore on with the reds defence standing firm and drew level with 2 pts from Eugene Devlin (1 free) and 1 from play after tormenting his marker he in turn fed his namesake Jack who kicked a fine score from the sideline.
The home team took the lead with 2 points (1from a free) then scored a sucker-punch goal after Niall Mc Alinden slipped to let his man in to score.

Half Time Score
Saint Pat's 2-5, Aghaderg 0-5

Both teams made changes at the break and Saint Pat's started the 2nd half strongly scoring 1-4 without reply before Stephen Fitzsimmons, Kelin Doyle, Cathal Mc Grath and Paul Mc Givern took a hold and started to get the reds going. Big Stevie goaled after good work from Mc Grath and Doyle followed this up with his 2nd point from play after Paul Mc Givern and Neil O' Malley combined to send him on his way right through the Saint Pat's defence.
More changes followed with Paul Colgan making his senior debut replacing Mark Mc Grath in nets.

Saint Pat's scored 2 more points from play before Kelin Doyle capped a great indivudal night with a 30yard solo and score from of his sweet left foot .
Saint Pat's no. 11 scored the final point of the night to leave the final score:
Saint Pat's Cullyhanna 3-12 aghaderg 1-8.
 
Overall this was a good run out before the league starts and pleasing to see the young guns playing so well with a lot of them not having played a lot at this level before.
With lads to come back into the squad from injury and this level of commitment, great attitude towards each other and pride in wearing the jersey of their club, the forth coming season could bear fruits.
 
Team and Scorers: 
Mark Mc Grath, Conal Sands, Niall Mc Alinden, Ciaran Connolly, Aaron Mc Avoy, Cathal Mc Grath, Conor Mc Alorum , Stephen Fitzsimmons (1-1,) Kelin Doyle (0-3) , Neil O'Malley, Paul Mc Givern
, Jack Devlin (0-2), Conor Mc Givern, James Mc Grath , Eugene Devlin (0-2) 
Subs: Paul Colgan for Mark Mc Grath , Cathal O'Neill for Conor Mc Givern, Mark Mc Grath for Neil O'Malley and Conor Mc givern for Eugene Devlin.