Match Report

AGHADERG SECURE ANOTHER WIN.

Date Filed: 20 July 2010

Aghaderg senior footballers traveled to Annsboro on Thursday night last to complete their final league game before the traditional two week July break. Their opponents, Aughlisnafin, are having their most successful season since they were reformed five years ago and were confident of repeating their first round win in Ballyvarley in early May. However the Reds are showing much improved form and were confident that if they could repeat their efforts from last week they could put back to back wins together for the first time this season.
The first exchanges were well balanced as two very good midfield partnerships struggled for supremacy. The visitors forward line was slow in settling as they were short of their two main scoring threats, Maguire and Devlin due to holidays and work commitments. The ‘Finn scored first with a well struck free but McDonald struck a good point when put through by Cathal McGrath after the first of many forceful runs from the centre half back position. The ‘Finn then had a ten minute spell of supremacy when they moved into a 0-4 to 0-1 lead but the Reds dug in and were rewarded when McDonald, McAvoy and James McGrath pointed from play. McGrath then won possession in mid field, went on a rampaging run through the centre and was hauled down in the penalty area. Fitzsimons coolly dispatched the penalty . The home team scored the final point from a free to leave the half time score
Aughlisnafin 0-5 Aghaderg 1 -4.

The match was finely balanced and the ‘Finn were quickly into their stride to reduce the deficit to one point with another pointed free. The match then turned in a five minute spell when the visitors scored two goals and a point. First Sands got a fist to a long diagonal ball from midfielder McGrath and turned the ball into the net, McDonald struck a fierce shot into the roof of the net after being put through by Hegarty and then Comiskey struck a fine thirty five metre shot over the middle of the bar to push Aghaderg into a seven point lead. The home team continued to play with great spirit and reduced the margin with two points and were denied a goal when Paul McGrath made a point blank save when left one on one with the attacker. This settled the nerves of the defence who maintained the upper hand for the remainder of the game and restricted the home attack to two points. McAvoy from play and Cathal McGrath from a forty five metre free added two points while Doyle scored the final two as he made two great runs from the half back line to complete two attacking moves by chipping over the bar from twenty metres on the left.
Final Score Aughlisnafin 0-10 Aghaderg 3 -10.

This was an excellent team performance which was built around a dominant half back line and hardworking mid field which won the majority of possession scored 1-4 and fed good quality ball to the forward line who made it count on the scoreboard as 3 -9 of the 3-10 came from open play and eight players contributed to the total.
The management duo of Lennon and Lennon must be pleased with their efforts to instill confidence, structure and spirit into a willing panel of players who were decimated during the second half of the last season and close season. At the beginning of 2009 the management duo of Graeme Donaghy and Myles Cahill had a panel of twenty seven but by the start of season 2010 the management team and eleven of the group were unavailable. D McGovern, D Simpson, R Simpson, C Lavery, K Anderson, B Quinn, G Donaghy, P O’Neill, A Carr, K Falloon and N Polland all contributed last year but have been unavailable this season. .

Team: Paul McGrath, Ciaran Connolly, Martin Fitzpatrick, Conor McAlorum, Paul McGivern, Cathal McGrath(0-1) , Keelin Doyle(0-2) Stevie Fitzsimons(1-0) James McGrath(0-1) Niall McAlinden, Stevie Comiskey(0-1) Shay McDonald(1-2) Conal Sands(1-0) Aaron McAvoy (Capt 0-3) Tony Hegarty. Subs Paul Colgan, Mark McGrath, Conor McGivern.

The next league match –v- Ballykinler is due on Fri 30^th July and the championship –v- St Michaels the following week.