Last minute heartache for Darkest Force on debut
News Item added:28-02-2010
The St Brendan’s seconds team kicked off their season in the main event on a ‘Gorman Super Sunday' taking to the field shortly after the St Brendan's A curtain raiser, which featured prominently on the undercard.
St Brendan's got off to a good start and moved the ball well in the oppositions half and Seamus Harrington was unlucky to see his 30 yard effort sail wide. However, it wasn’t long before the Dark Force got going and Paul Tornsey opened the account with a fine point 5 minutes in.
The celebrations were to be short lived however and the men from Rollinstown began to put their stamp on the game, with some fine fielding from their midfielders and an eternal extra man yielding three points without reply.
With the game fifteen minutes old a horde of St Brendan’s A players returned from the Triton showers in the changing rooms and gathered along the side line to support their comrades. Their rousing support appeared to have the desired effect and the Darkest Force began to claw their way back with some fine points from Mick McGinty, Paul Tornsey and Shane Gilbert.
Half time saw team captain and aviation enthusiast John Michael McLoughlin enter the fray. McLoughlin came in at wing forward for Eoin Smith and his effect on the game was almost instantaneous. After some initial Ravens scores John Walsh, Ronan Coone and Darren Kelly began to break the ball around centre field and McLoughlin, Sham, Redican and Gilbert began to run the Ravens half backs ragged.
St Brendans clawed their back from three points down to one and were awarded a penalty. Unfortunately Redican’s effort was unsuccessful and indicates just why the GAA has moved penalty kicks two yards closer to the goal. The Dark Force were not done yet and they drew level and only for a few unfortunate wides could have won the game.
The sides remained at 10 points a piece for much of the closing minutes until the Ravens men got the last score of the game. As has often been said the length and breath of the country “…twas only a kick of a ball twas in it in the end...”.
As the referee blew his final whistle GAA etiquette was abandoned and the Marquis of Queensbury ruled the day, leaving this writer grateful he had purchased a gum shield the previous week
Whilst everyone will be disappointed with the defeat, the result was essentially the only negative in what was a solid performance in the B’s first competitive outing.
Paul Conlon was excellent in goal and kept a clean sheet despite his broken finger. Halpin and Sullivan were reliable in defence as always and it was encouraging to see the return of Conor McGinty and Ronan Coone.
Final Score from Grangegorman- St Brendans 0-10 – 0-11 Fingal Ravens.
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Paul Conlon, 2. Barry Halpin, 3. Conor McGinty, 4. Eoin Smith, 5. Dave Sullivan, 6. Ronan Coone, 7. Noel Lane, 8. John Walsh, 9. Darren Kelly, 10. Willie McCarthy, 11. Seamus Harrington, 12. Shane Gilbert, 13. Paul Tornsey, 14. Mick McGinty, 15. Mark Redican
Subs John Michael McLoughlin for Smith, Timmy Ryan for Halpin
