Mágh Cuilinn overcome Mellowes to reach quarter final

Post date: Aug 22, 2012 3:59:25 PM

Mágh Cuilinn 4-08 Liam Mellowes 1-10

The U16s, back to full strength after the Athenry game, proved the theory that goals win matches in making the most of home advantage in their preliminary quarter final on Monday. With wind advantage in the first half playing into the clubhouse end, CIMC rocked Mellowes with two early goals. All Mellowes could do for the remainder of the half was trade score for score leaving the home side ahead by 2-04 to 0-04 at halftime. On the resumption it was Mellowes that were doing most of the pressing but after a long period without a score Lairgnean McDermott pointed. Mellowes restored the margin immediately and then suffered a hammerblow when a Mágh Cuilinn attack finished with another goal, leaving nine points between the teams. To their credit, Mellowes responded and the home defence was having to battle hard to hold out. Ryan Fox responded to a further Mellowes point by converting a free, but after many attacks and some dogged defending Mellowes had only reduced the margin by single point. They had pulled a lot of their bigger players to the half back line and were dominating there and generating a continuous supply of ball. With eight minutes left, a well worked sequence of passes delivered a man free in front of goal and the shot left Micheál Bohan with no chance. When the goal was followed up with a point, the margin was down to four points and with both teams capable of scoring the game was back in the melting pot. Even though his final shot drifted wide, Lairgnean McDermott effort on goal finally gave the defence some relief. From the resultant puck out, Aodhán Claffey won possession shrugged off his marker and surged forward to score from the ring wing. In one of the few dominant phases of the second half, Ryan Fox added another a couple of minutes later to restore the halftime margin. With the clock ticking down, Mellowes came again but once again a singl point was all they could muster. A little indiscipline in added time, gave Ronan Higgins a free, which Annraí Whyte dropped into the goalmouth. From the resultant scramble, the ball was forced into the net and the win was secure. Mellowes centre forward did bring his points total to five with a well taken point from the left wing but from that puckout the final whistle confirmed a seven point victory.

Mágh Cuilinn advance to the quarter finals which are scheduled for the weekend (Friday or Saturday) of the All Ireland hurling final.