2013 Championship off to a great start

Post date: Apr 11, 2013 9:01:32 PM

Mágh Cuilinn 6-10 Ballinderreen 5-08

Having play two challenge games without a full team or with the assistance of some Minors, the first target was for the Championship opener was to achieve a full team. Both challenge had been encouraging despite the difficulty with numbers and had been won comfortably against Salthill/Knocknacarra (in our division) and Oranmore Maree (in the B division).

Seventeen players turned out, although the first blow was that Caleb McGuinness was injured and unable to play. while Ciaran Scully was sporting a shiner to be proud of but seemed unperturbed. U14s Daire Davoren, Joseph Lydon and Tim McDonagh all showed up for their U16 Championship debuts.

Ballinderreen made the better start putting two points on the board before a Ryan Fox goal gave Mágh Cuilinn some confidence. The goal was followed by a point from Anraoi Whyte and although Ballinderreen responded with a point, Ryan Fox struck again to stretch the lead. Ryan and Anraoi added points before Gerard McDonagh forced the ball over the line for another goal. Ballinderreen did score a point in reply and soon after finally broke through for a goal. Ryan Fox scored a goal and a point before the end of the half and Mágh might have had another but Anraoi Whyte's 20m free was saved. Nevertheless halftime came with a comfortable 4-04 to 1-04 lead.

On the resumption, Ballinderreen were the first to score but this time it was goal. Ryan Fox responded with a point almost from the puckout. Anraoi Whyte added another soon afterwards but it was Ballinderreen who began to dominate bagging another goal and adding three further points while Mágh Cuilinn seemed to tire. A wild pull with 12 minutes left allowed Anraoi to convert the free and restore a three point lead. Ryan Fox intercepted the puckout and punished with a point while Anraoi scored another from the left wing moments later. When Ryan Fox judged the flight of the ball better and ran through on goal to score his fourth major, the game looked over. Not so, as Ballinderreen launched an all out attack to score two goals and a point in quick succession reduced the gap to a single point. As the siege continued Paul Wynne found Ryan Fox inside the Magh Cuilinn half. With no options ahead he took the ball forward down the right wing and found Cian Connell with a long high pass to the far post. Having caught the pass, Cian calmly dispatched the ball to the net. Seconds later having retrieved an Evan Hurney cross, Cian returned the compliment and Ryan dispatched his pass over the bar. The final whistle sounded soon after with Mágh Cuilinn on the attack.

Mágh Cuilinn: Daire Davoren, James Dempsey, Paul Wynne, Ciaran Scully, Dylan Curran, Micheál Bohan, Daniel Lydon, Cian McLoughlin, David Jackson, Joseph Lydon, Anraoi Whyte, Cian Connell, Evan Hurney, Ryan Fox, Gerard McDonagh

Subs: Tim McDonagh for Joseph Lydon