Minors get campaign back on track

Post date: May 16, 2014 3:43:58 PM

Magh Cuilinn 4-16 Carnmore 1-10

Our Minors had a large panel of 26 on duty in Baile Doite and plenty of support for their second outing against Carnmore. An at times fractious encounter opened with controversy as almost Caleb McGuinness's shot was half parried by the Carnmore keeper and appeared to cross the line before being cleared but as Lairgnean McDermott's follow up was saved the incident was ignored and play continued. The early chance gave Mágh Cuilinn an appetite for goal and several while several attecks threatened it was Carnmore who went into a two point lead. Caleb McGuinness finally got the scoreboard started with a calmly taken point. The goal did come when Lairgnean McDermott was tackled and the ball ran loose for Carl McDonagh was on hand to lift the ball inside the left hand post. Caleb McGuinness repeated his earlier point to put a goal between the teams. Lairgnean McDermott got a deserved score to stretch the lead and second moments later but Carnmore responded with another point. Ronan Higgins was dominant in midfield and for the most part all the defenders had their opponents in check. Ryan Fox converted a free before a long run from Higgins into the square resulted in a foul on McGuinness. Ryan Fox went for goal from the resultant penalty and his low shot beat all to put Mágh Cuilinn in charge. Ronan Higgins collected a yellow card for an innocuous foul in midfield deemed to be cynical. Joe Lydon marked his Minor debut with a point and McDermott and Fox added to their tallies before McDermott was denied by the Carnmore again keeper, but once again McDonagh was alive to the rebound and grabbed his second goal. In reply Carnmore could only manage two points. Ryan Fox finished the half with his first score from play to leave Mágh Cuilinn 3-09 to 0-05 ahead.

In the second half, despite pressure at both ends there was little scoring until Ryan Fox pointed for Mágh Cuilinn from play. Carnmore showed signs of making a comeback mainly because of a man withdrawn to the middle from full forward, but as a result Anraoi Whyte was free to snuff out any threat close to goal. Carnmore were becoming frustrated and late tackles were leading to frees in Mágh Cuilinn half forward area. One such free saw Carnmore allow the ball to land in the small square and Ciaran Barber was the first to react and he finished the ball into the net. Ronan Higgins scored a fine point and Carl McDonagh added another to keep in touch with Fox in the scoring stakes. In the second half, Carnmore had scored more often taking their total to ten points as against 4-12 points to Mágh Cuilinn but Mágh Cuilinn had slackened somewhat fro their earlier effort. Then Ronan Higgins collected a second yellow for another tackle and Mágh Cuilinn would play the final 10 minutes with fourteen. Ryan Fox set the tone with the first point after the sending off. Frustration was creeping in as Carnmore fouled more and at times dangerously. A melee erupted after a Carnmore clearance as it continued Carnmore goaled at the other end. After a further incident, John Lalor and his marker were sent off but even with reduced numbers with Ryan Fox scoring one each from play and a free. Lairgnean McDermott capped a fine display with a point on the turn from 60 metres. With late tackles raising tempers again, the final whistle finally sounded to the relief of many. A fine win by a margin of 15 points for Mágh Cuilinn to set there Championship challenge back on track.

Mágh Cuilinn: Micheal Bohan, Paul Wynn, Anraoi Whyte, Dylan Curran, John Lalor, Shane Richardson, Cian Connell, Ronan Higgins, Caleb McGuinness, Ciaran Barber, Ryan Fox, Donal McDonagh, Joe Lydon, Lairgnean McDermott, Carl McDonagh.

Subs: James Dempsey for Donal McDonagh, Ciaran Scully for Carl McDonagh, Anthony Faherty for Ciaran Barber, Gareth Kenny for Ryan Fox, Tim McDonagh for Caleb McGuinness, Evan Hurney, Kyle Cunningham, Daniel Lydon, Daire Davoren, Sean Barrett, Shane Clancy