Maguires show more skill and hunger
Sam Maguires 3-10 St. Brogans 1-8
The minor A footballers of Sam Maguires showed much greater skill and hunger when accounting for St. Brogans in the first round of the championship in Castletownkenneigh on Friday evening last. Goals win games, especially football, and this game was finally balanced until Maguires struck for two vital goals in the second half, one on the three quarter mark which opened up a sizeable five-point gap and the second five minutes from time to kill off any lingering Bandon hopes.
The first half was nothing to write home about as both sides left their shooting boots at home and scores were missed at both ends. Brogans started the better and had two points on the board per Ronan Crowley, free, and lively corner forward, Phil Crowley, before Maguires finally found the target to level the scores with points from Brian O'Sullivan and John Healy, corner forward, who was to emerge top scorer with 1-3 to his credit.
We had a ten minute scoreless gap with Maguires in particular guilty of some bad misses despite the dominant form of Tom and James Collins at midfield. Eventually, they hit the target when Brian O'Sullivan finished an Alan Sheehan free to the net. They came within an ace of two more goals when the hard-working Clinton Sweetnam fisted just wide and Gearóid White hit the butt of the post with a great shot. The impressive Alan Sheehan increased the lead to four points but Brogans finished the half well with Joe Harrington, Jason McCarthy and Phil Crowley prominent, and Ronan Crowley had the last say of the half with a point from a free to leave his side trailing by a goal, 1-3 to 0-3, at the break.
There was a big improvement in the quality of the football in the second period and when Maguires struck for two quick points from the flying Jeremy Moloney, who had a great second half, and Alan Sheehan, it seemed they would pull away. Brogans had other ideas and Cian O’Mahony rattled home a fine goal in the 35th minute to reduce the lead to two points and the battle was on again. Matters were heating up more now as impressive Brogans’ sub, Chris O’Donoghue, swapped points with John Healy and Phil Crowley did likewise with Alan Sheehan, free. At the end of the third quarter Maguires still led by two points and in the 46th minute Jeremy Moloney, set up by Sheehan, raced through for a great goal and there was clear daylight between the sides, 2-7 to 1-5.
Even though the hard-working midfielder, Jason McCarthy, had a Brogans’ point, Maguires were in the ascendancy now with David Collins showing up well at centre back. Cian Collins, the Brogans’ keeper, brought off a great save from Clinton Sweetnam but then the two outstanding Maguires’ wingbacks, Brian McCarthy and Ger Lynch, both got on the scoring sheet with points and Maguires were six points clear with only eight minutes left.
To their credit Brogans refused to give up the chase and Chris O’Donoghue kicked a Brogans’ points as they applied a lot of pressure. Their hopes of a dramatic recovery were knocked on the head in the 55th minute when a great Maguires’ move saw John Healy finishing to the net and there was no way back for the Bandon side after that. John Healy and Chris O’Donoghue swapped points before the final whistle, which saw Maguires advancing to the semi-final on a 3-10 to 1-8 scoreline.
Referee, Mick O’Leary, Diarmuid Ó Mathúna.
Scorers – Sam Maguires; John Healy 1-3, Jeremy Moloney 1-1, Brian O'Sullivan 1-1, Alan Sheehan 0-3, 0-1 free, Ger Lynch 0-1, Brian McCarthy 0-1. St. Brogans; Cian O’Mahony 1-0, Chris O’Donoghue 0-3, Phil Crowley 0-2, Ronan Crowley 0-2 frees, Jason McCarthy 0-1.
Sam Maguires – Cathal O'Sullivan, Conor Doyle, Aidan Hurley, Daniel McSweeney, Brian McCarthy, David Collins, Ger Lynch, Tom Collins, James Collins, Alan Sheehan, Brian O'Sullivan, Jeremy Moloney, John Healy, Gearóid White, Clinton Sweetnam. Subs, Patrick Lynch, James Deane.
St. Brogans – Cian Collins, Mark Muir, Eoin Sugrue, Stephen Lynch, Peter Murphy, Joe Harrington, Eoin Jackson, Seán O’Riordan, Jason McCarthy, Cian O’Mahony, Ronan Crowley, Cian O’Donovan, Fintan O’Leary, Kevin Dwyer, Phil Crowley. Subs, Mark Sugrue, Chris O’Donoghue.
“Cois Farraige”