21/02/04 Fingallians put to the
Sword as Moss slides in to 'Clip the Fins Wings'
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Saturday Fingallians, Dublin : 2:13 St.Johns,
Antrim : 3:13
Our senior Hurlers pre-season tour switched to
Dublin at the weekend with an exciting close encounter
with Fingallians from Swords. Certainly this was
an entertaining game with both teams coming off
with much credit for the hurling produced.
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the ref starts proceedings
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St. Johns opened their account after 2 minutes with
youngster Simon McCrory picking off a 40m point from
the right before Stephen Thompson increased their lead
with an excellent point from an impossible angle from
the left corner flag.
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Locky gets into the thick of the action
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Finallians David Markey rampaged forward to
reply with their first score from 50m on the
left on 7 minutes before Thomson broke again
for St. Johns to feed Brendan Moss in the right
corner who picked off a 20m point on the right.
The 'Fins' countered again with midfielder
Malachy Nulty fielding in the centre to hand
pass to Donal Farrell who pointed from 45m in
the centre.
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Gerard McFall then picked off a 50m
free for St. Johns before Martin McMahon was fouled
to give McFall an easy tap over from 25m in front of
goal.
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play St. Johns had a 3 point lead of 0:05 to 0:02
and were looking the stronger team. The irrepressable
Thompson was fouled again to give McFall another
25m free which he duly converted for the Johnnies.
A minute later Brendan Moss intelligently played
a cross-field ground ball to McFall who picked off
his first score from play from 35m. |
Monty shows his marker some friendly attention |
But from the puck out Fingallians managed to feed their
starved full-forward Colin Clarke who was duly fouled
in possession. He stepped up and pointed his first and
the 'Fins ' third score of the afternoon. Certainly
at this stage St. Johns, with the wind at their backs,
were playing a more direct game than Fingallians whose
half forwards in particular were playing a running game
which didn't bring the return expected with some good
chances going astray and a lot of the good work being
done by their half backs and midfield ultimately wasted.
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Young Simon McCrory clears the sliotar
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With ten minutes to half time a dropping ball
into the square allowed the Fins Colin Clarke
to bundle his way through the St.Johns full-back
line to smash a one handed ground stroke from
4m out to the Johnnies net.
But this was countered almost immediately from
the puck out with Brendan Moss for St. Johns gathering
a ball under severe pressure on the right wing.
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He fed the ball across in front of
Stephen Thompson who rounded Paul Carney to drive a
spectacular shot to the top left hand corner of the
net from 20m. Colin Clarke replied for Fingallians with
a 30m point after some good approach work from Domhnall
Connor. Clarke again some 2 minutes later pointed another
35m free on the left to leave the scores at the interval.
Fingallians 1:05 St.Johns 1:08.
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Hugh Kennedy just back from a long lay off with
injury which required surgery switched into goal
for Joe Herald during the interval.
Hugh had given a steady performance in his first
30 minutes and looked in fine form.
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Locky goes in for the hook |
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Upon resumption St. Johns substitute Colin Thompson
was fouled just outside the box and McFall opted for
a strike at goal instead of the safe percentage point.
His strike was well blocked by the Fingallian backline
which was beginning to grow stronger as the half progressed.
Stephen Thompson broke again on the left for St.Johns
to pop over another 25m point before Domhnall Connor,
for the Fins, again fired over an excellent strike from
45m on the right to leave Fingallians trailing by 1:06
to 1:09.
Simon tries to stop his Fingallian counterpart |
Another free on the right from 45m was well converted
by the towering Colin Clarke for Fingallians to
leave only 2 points between the sides after 13
minutes gone in the second period.
This seem to awaken the Johnnies who replied
with a string of scores beginning with Stephen
Thompson fielding a ball to hand pass across to
McFall who pointed from 30m.
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This was followed by another 20m point from Brendan
Moss, before Moss again two minutes later fed substitute
Colin Thompson who pulled on the delivery from 8m out
to score a goal. Colin Thompson increased his tally
shortly afterwards with another point from 20m to leave
St.Johns 2:12 to 1:07 in front and looking good for
the game. Fingallians then hit the post with another
effort from Colm Downey before Colin Thompson picked
off another point for St.Johns from 10m out on the left
to leave St.Johns 2:13 to 1:07 up with 12 minutes to
go.
| The 'Fins' then managed to raise
their game with an amazing string of scores. Colin
Clarke pointed yet another 45m free before substitute
Brian Mulhall got in the action with his first point
(literally) for Fingallians. This was followed by
a Colin Clarke goal from 20m before he had to convert
yet another free from 25m. |
'chasing the ball' |
The giant Brian Mulhall who was beginning to cause
problems in the Johnnies defence picked off another
point fro 20m to leave the 'Fins' two points behind
with 4 minutes to go. Donal Farrell narrowed the gap
to one point moments later before the mercurial Clarke
levelled the game with 2 minutes to go with another
extremely accurate 45m free much to the delight of the
'Fins' supporters and management.
Monty battles for the ball |
But unfortunately the 'Fins got their Wings clipped'
when from the puck out St.Johns won a side line
40m out on the right which the steady Paul Montgomery
guided right into the edge of the square where Brendan
Moss latched onto the ball to rattle the net and
give St. Johns a 3 point victory. |
Certainly full credit must be given to both teams who,
for the most part, served up a good sporting hurling
game with some fine hurling and individual performances.
Colin Clarke certainly was man of the match with a
superb performance. He was well accompanied in the Fins
defence by full-back Derek Daly who shone in the 2nd
half and by half backs Ian Fahey, Sean Moore and David
Markey who particularly had a good game.
Malachy Nulty played some good ball up to his forwards
where Domhnall Connor, Donal Farrell and Colm Downey
looked sharp and showed some excellent movement
but perhaps should have taken more scores as a unit.
Substitute Brian Mulhall certainly performed well
with his introduction and caused a lot of trouble
for the St.Johns defence.
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Simon McCrory keeps the ball
moving on |
For St. Johns Stephen Thompson played a top drawer
performance and looked good enough to have been away
with the County to Wexford. The panther Gerard McFall
prowled around the centre of the park and looked sharp.
John Joe Hartigan was the pick of the Johnnies defence
and he was well supported by the 'rock' Ronan Heenan
who was immovable. Brendan Moss played some quite intelligent
Hurling up front and Colin Thompson took his scores
when he came on.
Gatlin breaks into his famous
russian dancing routine |
The St.Johns half forward line of Montgomery,
Rafferty and McCurdy played a steady old pro's
game and ensured an adequate supply into their
full-forward line where Martin McMahon battled
bravely.
Full marks to referee Camilus Fitzpatrick who
handled the game expertly.
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We would like
to say a sincere thank-you to Fingallians for their
hospitality and hope that they can fulfil a return fixture
in Corrigan over the next few months.
SC
FOOTNOTES:
Best mates Ron, Monty & Raffo at Fingallians
Fingallians:
1.Conor Maxwell, 2.Paul Carney, 3.Derek Daly, 4. Enda
Connor, 5.Ian Fahey, 6.Sean Moore, 7. David Markey.
8. Malachy Nulty, 9. David Mills, 10.Domhnall Connor,
11.Donal Farrell, 12. Barry Manton, 13. Colm Downey
14. Colin Clarke, 15. Ross McGarry, 16.Cahal McGee,
17. Carl Jones, 18. Darren Reilly 19.Fiachra Hoey, 21.
Brian Mulhall.
Manager : Colm Crowley
Mentors: Niall Howard , Paddy Kelly, Sean McGarry
Fingallian's Scorers:
Colin Clarke 2:07 (0:05 frees), Brian Mulhall 0:02,
Donal Farrell 0:02, David Markey 0:01, Domhnall Connor
0:01
Referee:
Camilus Fitzpatrick
St Johns:
1.Joe Herald, 2.Hugh Kennedy,3.Michael
O'Neill, 4. Anto Brennan 5.Conor Gannon, 6. Ronan Heenan,
7.JJ Hartigan, 8. Gerard McFall, 9.Simon McCrory,10.Paul
Montgomery, 11.Kevin rafferty, 12.Locky McCurdy, 13.
Brendan Moss, 14. Martin McMahon, 15.Stephen Thompson,
16.Neil Kelly,17.Colin Thompson, 18. Eoghan Caldwell,
19.Conor McStein.
St.John's Scorers: Gerard
McFall 0:05 (0:03 frees), Stephen Thompson 1:02, Brendan
Moss 1:02, Colin Thompson 1:02, Simon McCrory 0:01,
Kevin Rafferty 0:01
Manager: Liam Donnelly
St. John's Hurlers
