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Burt falls after sucker punch
19.11.09
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Burt...0-11 (J. Boyle 0-3 (3 frees); M. McGavigan 0-2; E. McDermott 0-2; P. McDermott 0-2 (2 frees); K. McDermott 0-1; L. McKinney 0-1) Na Rossa...0-12 (M. Caulfield 0-4 (1 free); JP McCready 0-4 (1 free); R. Hennessy 0-2; C. McHugh 0-1; M. Clerkin 0-1) by Damian Dowds, Inishowen Independent, at MacCumhaill Park BURT were felled with a sucker punch as Na Rossa’s Mark Clerkin pointed a free with the last kick to snatch victory in a game that seemed to be heading for a replay. Na Rossa had led by 0-5 to 0-3 after a tense first half, but Burt reeled off four unanswered points to assume a two point lead within ten minutes of the restart. Momentum then swung Na Rossa’s way and they hit four unanswered points of their own to lead by two with ten minutes remaining. They held a one point lead as the game careered to its conclusion. Burt substitute Michael McHugh was fouled close to goal and Paddy McDermott converted the free to equalise. Na Rossa mounted one final attack and won a free kick on the 13m line tight to the right sideline three minutes into injury time. Mark Clerkin swung it in left footed and while the ball rebounded out referee Pat Walsh and his umpires correctly judged that it had gone over the bar and Kevin McDermott had reached up through the net behind the crossbar to palm it out. |
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There wasn’t even time left
to take the kickout and Burt players fell to go the
ground in despair. Clerkin, who transferred to Na Rossa
from Dungloe earlier this year, had ensured that Declan
Bonner’s side would be playing Division 3 football again
in 2010 while Burt would join Robert Emmet’s in being
relegated to Division 4. The game was slow in settling down, but the first half was a tale of Burt squandering numerous scoring chances with Na Rossa making the most of those that came their way. Burt hit seven wides over the half hour to Na Rossa’s two, while the Inishowen side also dropped several balls short of the target and into goalkeeper Martin Molloy’s hands. Both sides looked nervous early on and their opening scores, Martin Caulfield in the first minute for Na Rossa and |
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Mark McGavigan soon after
for Burt, came from mistakes in either defence. Corner back Cormac McHugh meandered up to attack and was unmarked when he extended Na Rossa’s lead in the seventh minute. Burt, for their part, hit four wides before Enda McDermott brought the sides level after good work by Liam McKinney. Na Rossa edged in front again when Martin Caulfield found space to fire over from the right win on 18 minutes. Burt levelled again two minutes later when McKinney soloed down the right wing and switched a ball into the unmarked Kevin McDermott who pointed from a central position. But Na Rossa closed out the half with two scores from corner forward John Paul McCready. His first was from a 20m free in the 26th minute and he followed that up with a fine effort after rising high to field the ball and pointing on the turn from all of 25 metres. Trailing by four points, Burt responded well after the break with points from Enda McDermott and Mark McGavigan, and two Joe Boyle frees putting them two clear. Na Rossa equalised through Ryan Hennessy and a Martin Caulfield free and the sides traded scores for the remainder of the game. Another Joe Boyle free edged Burt in front before the impressive John Paul McCready equalised for Na Rossa. Points from Ryan Hennessy, who cut in from the right and needed the help of the upright, and John P McCready had Na Rossa 0-10 to 0-8 ahead with 50 minutes gone. Paddy McDermott responded with a free for Burt before Clerkin passed to the unmarked Martin Caulfield to re-establish Na Rossa’s two point advantage. Niall Campbell and Mark McGavigan combined to set up Liam McKinney for a 55th minute point for Burt and they equalised on the stroke of full time when Paddy McDermott converted a close range free. But just as it looked like the game would head to a replay, Mark Clerkin scored that remarkable free kick from the wing to consign Burt to Division 4 next year. Na Rossa: Martin Molloy; Daniel Melly, Brian Breslin, Cormac McHugh; Shane Melly, Donal Trimble, Patrick Melly; Damian Melly, Eugene Molloy; Ryan McCready, John Paul Breslin, Mark Clerkin; John Paul McCready, Martin Caulfield, Ryan Hennessy. Subs: Shane McCready for JP Breslin (46 mins); Trevor Melly for R. McCready (52 mins); Martin Bonner for R. Hennessy (58 mins). Burt: Ronan McLaughlin; Benn Harrigan, Martin Donaghey, Mickey McCann; Johnny Downey, Eamon Reddin, Niall Campbell; Kevin McDermott, Enda McDermott; Mark McGavigan, Liam McKinney, Paul O’Brien; Paddy McDermott, Niall McCarroll, Joe Boyle. Subs: Andrew Wallace for P O’Brien (48 mins); Michael McHugh for L. McKinney (58 mins) For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent. |
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