Mágh Cuilinn Fade Out Of Championship 2013

Post date: May 13, 2013 6:46:34 PM

Ardrahan 2-22 Mágh Cuilinn 2-12

The many plaudits for an entertaining match were of little consolation as Mágh Cuilinn's Championship hopes ended with a hardly deserved 10 point defeat. As in the Pearses game it was Ardrahan who set the early pace, with Jonathan Glynn a handful and Maurice Callanan reprising the role he played for Robert Emmetts' in London two years ago. David Kennedy was busy at midfield firing over two early points. Ardrahan were already six points to two up when Jonathan Glynn drove through the centre of defence to and a bad day at the office loomed but almost from the restart, Chris Hurney latched on to a pass and drove at goal with equal determination and a similar result. The goal seem to settle the team and after Mágh Cuilinn had reduced the deficit to three points the teams proceeded to exchange scores with neither team able to press home the advantage. Ardrahan finally pushed the gap out to five but Conor Noone made an instant impact as a substitute when batting Eanna Noone's sideline ball into the net. Mágh Cuilinn exerted most of the pressure for rest of the half, creating several goal opportunities but without success. The gap had been reduced to one point until a free at the end of the half saw Ardrahan go in 1-12 to 2-07 ahead at halftime.

The pattern of the second half was similar to the first. Ardrahan converted a free awarded at the throw in and began to extend the gap with three further points. Mágh Cuilinn found a response with three points of their own before being awarded a 20m free when Conor Bohan was hauled down as he cut through the defence. Vinnie Faherty attempted the goal option but was denied and the recycled ball was driven wide. More calamity followed when a minor collision between full back and goalkeeper saw Ardrahan have the simplest of tasks to slip the ball into the unguarded net. The gap was now six points 2-16 to 2-10. From there to the end Ardrahan outscored their opponents by six points to two as Magh Cuilinn gave up point opportunities in pursuit of a game changing major. It was not to be and the sending off of an Ardrahan player in the final minutes came too late to have any impact on the game. Mágh Cuilinn share an interesting fact with Sarsfields, in that both teams have scored 18 points or more in losing both of their 2013 matches; a score which would have been sufficient to win all of the remaining twelve ties in Championship 2013 thus far. Some work on score prevention is clearly needed.

Mágh Cuilinn: Eric Fox, Tomás Higgins, Matt Donohue, Eanna Malone, Seosamh O'Faharta, Mark Lydon, Richard Devaney, Niall Mannion, Pat Lydon, Eanna Noone, Vinnie Faherty, Philip Lydon, Chris Hurney, Conor Bohan, Michael Hurney.

Subs: Conor Noone for Michael Hurney, Robert Molloy for Pat Lydon, Sean Rossa McDermott for Richard Devaney