Match Report

Pipped at the post.

Date Filed: 27 May 2010

Aghaderg senior footballers traveled to Holywood to play St Pauls on Monday night in a rearranged league match. Weather and playing conditions were excellent with a fresh breeze blowing off Belfast Lough.. The first exchanges were well balanced and the visitors were soon in the lead as Jack Devlin finished off a neat interpassing movement by chipping over a fine point from twenty metres. Exchanges remained even but just as Aghaderg appeared to be gaining control two basic passing errors resulted in St Pauls receiving two scoring opportunities which they converted to put them in the lead. Eugene Devlin scored his first point of the evening from a free after he was fouled.
St Pauls began to dominate around the midfield area and were putting the visitors defence under extreme pressure. Lennon and Fitzpatrick were proving to be the most effective  of the defence while the assured play and long kick outs of Paul McGrath helped relieve some of the pressure. St Paul’s star forward Tony Tumilty was proving to be a constant challenge and he scored two points to ease St Pauls into a three point lead and then disaster struck when corner forward McAlinden injured his shoulder and before he could be replaced the home team took advantage of  the reduced numbers to score their first goal of the evening.
Kieran Maguire made a welcome return from a series of injuries which have blighted his season to date when he replaced the injured McAlinden.  St Pauls continued to have the best of the exchanges but Aghaderg continued to work hard and were rewarded when Cathal McGrath pointed while Eugene Devlin fired narrowly wide when going for goal. However St Pauls were proving dangerous as they seized on another misplaced pass and attacked strongly down their right and after tracking Tumilty’s run for approx fifty metres an Aghaderg defender was adjudged to have fouled him as he entered the penalty area. The penalty was well finished to the net . Half time was a welcome relief  to Aghaderg as they were in danger of losing their shape  and composure. Half Time St Pauls  2-6 Aghaderg 0 – 3 The half time break did not appear to help matters as the second half continued in a similar vein with St Pauls quickly extending their lead to eleven points as they tagged on three points to one Devlin free. Eventually Aghaderg began to find their rhythm with  the mid field duo of McGrath and Fitzimons gaining parity at midfield while Cathal McGrath made a number of inspirational dashes  through the centre. Comiskey was winning possession at centre forward while Maguire and Devlin were proving a handful for their respective markers. Eugene Devlin was fouled as he went for goal and expertly converted the resultant penalty. Maguire was fouled and Devlin pointed. James McGrath fisted  a cross to the back of the net and Comiskey hit the cross bar only to see the ball rebound into the safe hands of the full back. Maguire scored  a point to make it a two point game with five minutes to go. Maguire  was short with a free and then Devlin pointed to reduce the deficit to one point with two minutes to go. Cathal McGrath made  magnificent catch in the penalty area but was unable to finish. St Pauls defended desperately and Aghaderg were unable to create that scoring opportunity or win that important free. With the score  St Pauls 2 – 9 Aghaderg  2-8   the referee blew the final whistle to deny the visitors a well earned league point.
Aghaderg must take great heart from their second half display when they scored 2 -5 to
0-3 and played with great spirit and commitment. Team management must be congratulated for instilling confidence and spirit into a young team in transition. It is interesting to note that in the same fixture at the same venue last year the score was St Pauls 1 -12 Aghaderg 0-10 when the Aghaderg team included the D and R Simpson, D McGovern, K Anderson, N Polland, A Carr and P O’Neill. The present young team would appear to have made progress and are looking forward with optimism to the second half of the season.  Team Paul McGrath, Marty Fitzpatrick, Thomas Lennon, Ciaran Connolly, Paul McGivern, Cathal McGrath (0-1)), Darren Mcalorum, James McGrath (1-0) Stevie Fitzimons,  Keelin Doyle, Stevie Comiskey, Aaron McAvoy (capt)  Jack Devlin (0-1) Eugene Devlin (1-4) Niall McAlinden (Kiaran Maguire (0-1) Subs Mark McGrath, Paul Colgan, C McGivern, C Sands, N O’Malley