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Muff juggernaut blasts past Convoy
24.06.11
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Naomh Pádraig...2-14 Convoy...0-06 MUFF, last year’s beaten finalists, qualified for the quarter-finals of the 2011 Junior Football Championship with the minimum of fuss when they had 14 points to spare over a disappointing Convoy at Ture on Saturday night. Damian Diver gave a master class at full forward, winning almost every ball that came his way. With Muff giving him an excellent supply of ball, Diver hit 1-7 himself and set up a number of scores for his teammates. Muff showed a number of changes from the side that beat Lifford seven days earlier, with Barry Hegarty and Brendan McColgan missing out and midfielder Aidan Lynch suffering a suspected broken arm last Saturday morning. On a positive note, they welcomed back Mark Duffy, who enjoyed a great season last year, back as a second half substitute for his first appearance of 2011. Muff had won the first leg in Convoy six weeks earlier, and the visitors needed to start strongly if they were to force the tie to a third leg, but other than a brief period midway through the first half when they hit three unanswered points to draw level, Convoy were second best in almost every department. |
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Two points from Diver on
either side of one from Dermot Keaveney had Muff 0-3 to
0-0 in front after ten minutes, a period in which Convoy
lost John A Kee after he sustained a facial injury in an
accidental clash with Muff keeper Christy Lynch. Convoy came into the game midway through the half, with Anthony Browne hitting three unanswered points (two from frees) to draw his side level by the 18th minute. Damian Diver and Convoy sub Ryan Kettle exchanged points before Muff took command in the run up to half time. Michael Crowley found an inch of space and scored an excellent point from the left before Diver scored a sublime 22nd minute goal. |
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Another accurate ball into
the danger area saw the full back slip and Diver steal
away from him. Keeper Emmet Doherty came off his line to
narrow the angle, but Diver hit a delicate chip over him
that floated into the unguarded net. Diver followed the up with three more points, before Anthony McColgan and Eunan Keaveney hit injury time points to give Muff an unassailable 1-10 to 0-4 half time lead. With the heavy lifting done, Muff deployed Anthony McColgan as an extra defender in the second period and although Convoy had the advantage of the wind, they couldn’t find any way through. Indeed, they were held scoreless until the 55th minute when Paul McMullan fisted a ball over the bar. Muff were out of sight by then, with Gerard McColgan, Eunan Keaveney and Damian Diver all adding points and they led by 1-13 to 0-5. A miserable evening was made worse for Convoy in the 58th minute when Michael Crowley’s mis-kick from 30 yards deceived Doherty between the posts and trickled over the goal line. Midfielder Martin Duffy pointed late on from a Diver lay-off, and Ryan Kettle had the last word when he pointed for Convoy in injury time. For now, Convoy have the Junior B Championship and Division 4 of the league to concentrate on, while Muff will play neighbours Burt over two legs in the Junior A Championship quarter final. (Inishowen Independent) Naomh Pádraig, Iskaheen: Christy Lynch; Laurence Lynch, Enda McColgan, Gary McKinney; John McLaughlin, Raymond McLaughlin, Cathal McColgan; Martin Duffy (0-1), Eunan Keaveney (0-2); Dermot Keaveney (0-1), Anthony McColgan (0-1), Gerard McColgan (0-1); Michael Crowley (1-1), Damian Diver (1-7, 3f), Damian Laird. Subs: Aaron Gallagher for D. Laird (40 mins); Mark Duffy for G. McColgan and Paul Duffy for R. McLaughlin (both 47 mins); Gerard Harkin for C. Lynch (55 mins); Mark Wallace for Crowley (58 mins). St Mary’s, Convoy: Emmet Doherty; Sean Browne, John A McMullan, Emmet McNulty; Liam Prunty, John Doherty, Oisin Porter; Michael Kelly, Thomas McHugh; John A Kee, Raymond McNamee, Anthony Browne (0-3, 2f); Dean Bonner, Laurence McMullan, Paul McMullan (0-1). Sub: Ryan Kettle (0-2) for J. Kee (5 mins). Referee: M. Mulhern (St Eunan’s) Man-of-the-match Corner back Gary McKinney didn’t put a foot wrong all night, and Anto McColgan had another fine outing, but Damian Diver was Naomh Pádraig’s stand out player on a night when everything he touched turned to gold. He was Tony Boyle-esque whether sliding low or jumping high to win whatever kind of ball was kicked into him. And bucket loads of possession came his way over the hour. His goal was well taken, and he was unselfish in laying off to teammates in better positions. It is, of course, only Division 4, but Diver’s displays this season have been top class. The whistler Mickey Mulhern reffed the game well, allowing for the wet conditions and flashing yellow cards only sparingly. A 20-man melee broke out near the endline while Mulhern was attending an injured Convoy player at midfield. He stayed put at midfield, and the row had blown itself out by the time he sauntered down. And, sensibly, he didn’t issue any cards either. Move-of-the-match Anthony McColgan got on the end of a four man move to hit an injury time point at the end of the first half. Cathal McColgan, Marty Duffy and Eunan Keaveney were all involved in the lead up, with Anthony hitting an excellent point from 45 metres out on the right wing. What’s next Having lost last year’s Junior final to Naomh Colmcille after a replay, Naomh Pádraig will be hoping to go one better this time around. They face neighbours Burt over two legs in the first round proper of the Junior Championship. The league meetings between the sides last year were close affairs, with a draw in Burt and Naomh Pádraig falling to a one point defeat in Ture in September. Burt are finding the going tough in Division 3 and Naomh Pádraig are getting into a winning habit in Division 4. Muff are home in the first leg, and it promises to be a fascinating tie. For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent. |
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