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Super start for Scarvey boys
19.03.09
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Buncrana...1-11 (McGonigle 1-3(f), Treacy 0-4, Bonner 0-1, Doherty 0-1, Duffy 0-1, McDaid 0-1) Malin...1-10 (Farren 0-4 (f), McDaid 0-3 (3f), McLaughlin 1-1, S Doherty 0-2) by Simon McGeady, Inishowen Independent, at the Scarvey BUNCRANA'S minor footballers got their 2009 campaign off to an excellent start with the narrowest of wins over reigning champions Malin on Friday evening under lights at the Scarvey. Considering this was the opening match of the season, this was an excellent game of football played at a high tempo and in a good spirit by both sets of players. Paul Martin McLaughlin’s Malin minors are going for their fourth Inishowen title in a row, but they made a slow start to this encounter. With Seanan Murphy and Dara Tinney in command in the centre of the pitch, Buncrana opened up a four points to no score lead inside fifteen minutes. Indeed the hosts should have had a bigger advantage after Martin Doherty ran through soccer style to set up Ciaran McDaid only for the corner forward to pull his shot wide from close range. |
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Malin’s forwards took a
while to find their range, the pacy Seamus Doherty
pulling two chances wide of the posts after driving runs
at the heart of the Buncrana defence. Indeed, the
visitor’s first point, a free from the boot of Daniel
McDaid, didn’t arrive until the 16th minute. The same
player reduced the arrears with another free after
Doherty was pulled down in full flight. Buncrana were at times guilty of over-committing in attack and on more than one occasion Malin players found themselves unmarked with acres of green grass to run into. Patrick McLaughlin found Gary Farren in space and the stylish midfielder brought his side back to within one. The sides then traded points before Malin took the lead for the first time in the match right at the end of the first half when Seamus Doherty and Patrick McLaughlin combined to set up Brendan McLaughlin on the edge of the square. Rory Kelly blocked the Malin man’s initial effort but McLaughlin tucked the rebound under Kelly’s body to make the half time score Malin 1-4, Buncrana 0-5. |
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Buncrana brought Kelly
outfield in the second half and the move paid immediate
dividends for the hosts when he set up Kevin Treacy for
the first point of the second half. Seamus Doherty
continued to terrorise the Buncrana half back line in
the second half. His 34th minute point made the score
1-5 to 0-6. Seanan Murphy continued to drive his side forward and from his accurate ball into McMonagle Buncrana won a free that the latter scored. Johnny Bonner was instrumental in the Buncrana’s 37th minute equaliser, when he carried the ball beyond the Malin 20 metre line and released McGonigle who was thwarted by Malin keeper Byrne. The ball came out to the right to Bonner who applied an assured finish. Bonner then played a key role in the Buncrana goal with a stong run and when Malin conceded a penalty McGonigle stepped up and calmly beat Byrne to give his side a three-point lead. Malin rolled up their sleeves. The powerful Daniel McDaid hit a free then a pair of scores from Farren saw the sides tied up once more at 1-8 apiece with twenty minutes to go. A poor kick out from Byrne then presented McGonigle with an easy chance to restore the Buncrana lead. However the lead changed hands again with eight minutes left after points from McLaughlin and the irrepressible Farren. Back came Buncrana to level courtesy of a sweetly struck shot on the turn off of Treacy’s left foot. There were chances for both sides to claim the points in the closing stages. Tony McColgan made a telling block from Bonner’s stinging shot, while at the other end McDaid struck the Buncrana post with a free. A swift Buncrana break stretched the Malin defence only for McGonigle to miss-control the ball at the crucial juncture. It looked as though Buncrana had thrown away the chance to win in time added when Treacy made a hash of a close range free. Much to his relief Buncrana got a second bite of the cherry when Ruarai Connolly won possession in the middle of the park and, following good work by Adrian Duffy and Bonner, the ball came back to Connolly who was fouled as he shot. Duffy kept his head to give his team a hard fought win. Buncrana: Rory Kelly; Diarmaid Porter, Emmet Downey, John Cassidy; Pauric McMyler, Ruarai Connolly, Philip Harkin; Dara Tinney, Seanan Murphy; Johnny Bonner, Mark McMonigle Kevin Treacy; Ciaran McGonigle, Martin Doherty, Adrian Duffy. Subs: Ciaran Grant for Harkin (42). Malin: Lochlain Byrne; John Doherty, Gary Monagle, Tony McColgan; Ciaran McColgan Finbar Collins, Cathal Collins; Gary Farren, Patrick McLaughlin; Seamus Doherty, Daniel McDaid, Brendan McLaughlin; Cathal McGrenaghan, Pauric Doherty, Mark McKinney. For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent. |
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