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Urris grind it out in Clonmany
19.08.09
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Urris...2-10 (Urris: E. Kelly 1-7 (5f), A. Friel 1-1, B Doherty 0-1, D Kelly 0-1). Na Rossa...0-13 (J McCready 0-6 (3f), Clerkin 0-3(f), D Melly (0-2), T Melly 0-1, P Melly 0-1). by Simon McGeady, Inishowen Independent, at Crampsie Park URRIS saw off a serious Na Rossa challenge in Clonmany on Sunday lunchtime to advance to the next round of the Daly Brothers Lifford Intermediate Championship. The hosts were rocked by an early points blitz from Declan Bonner’s boys who looked on course for a win that would have taken this tie to a playoff, but a straight red card for John Paul Breslin in the 18th minute upset their plans. Leading 0-5 to 0-1, the Na Rossa half-forward was adjudged to have struck an Urris man. Breslin did not take kindly to the decision and vehemently protested his innocence to the particular linesman who’d drawn the referee’s attention to the foul. |
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Once tempers died down the
visitors regrouped and a John McCready free restored
their five-point lead. Playing into the teeth of the wind in the first half, Urris found scoring chances hard to come by. Their first sniff of a chance came in the 13th minute, but Brian Doherty passed it up before Rocky Ivors hit a free wide. Doherty did register Urris’ first score of the match in the 16th minute, but by that stage his side were already five points behind. In the 23rd minute Eddie Kelly took the ball and barged up the middle to win a free 35 metres out. Forcing his kick into wind, Ivors got the distance right but not the accuracy. Then, out of the blue, Urris found the back of the Na Rossa net. A high ball into the full-forward line was deftly flicked on by Brian Kelly to Alan Friel. Friel collected in front of goal and finished low between Martin Molloy and his near post. |
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Now up a man, down by just
two points and with the benefit of a strong downfield
breeze to come in the second half, Urris had to fancy
their chances. Nevertheless, the home side knew they would have to see out the remainder of the half and they had Shaun McDaid to thank when he blocked McCready’s kick from the edge of the square. The ball spun out to Shane Melly, but the Na Rossa back failed to hit the target. At the other end of the pitch Na Rossa had their keeper to thank for preventing another Urris goal after Brian Kelly played Doherty in on goal. Doherty’s shot rebounded off Molloy to Friel who got there a second too late think about going for goal and took his point instead. Trailing 1-4 to 0-8, Eddie Kelly drew Urris level for the first time in the game in the 36th minute. Moments later Adrian Doherty did well to deny McCready a clear goal-scoring chance as Na Rossa looked to strike back. Kelly was deadly from the dead ball in the second half and with the wind at his back any frees conceded inside 55 metres were within his range. Unsurprisingly, Declan Bonner barked a ‘no frees’ command to his backs and for a while Daniel Melly and Cormac McHugh’s disciplined defending shepherded Alan Friel and Co down cul de sacs. Na Rossa rallied. A great Mark Clerkin score on the run from wide on the left had his side in front. And when Trevor Melly finished off a well-worked move up the right, Na Rossa led 0-11 to 1-6 with just seven minutes to play. Urris were not to be denied, however, and Eddie Kelly edged his side in front going into injury time. As Na Rossa pushed hard for a goal Kelly also popped up at the back out-jumping everyone to claim a dangerous ball into the Urris square. Na Rossa’s misery was compounded in the closing minutes when Damian Melly turned Kelly’s long distance punt beyond Martin Molloy for a second Urris goal. Paddy Melly was then sent to the sideline as Na Rossa finished the game with only 13 men on the field and a bitter taste in their mouths. How different it had been at the start of the game. Urris’ backs struggled to come to terms with the wind and looked vulnerable under the high ball. John Friel’s side didn’t help their cause either as they laboured to work the ball through their backs. For Na Rossa, John Paul McCready was the danger man in the first half. After Paddy Melly opened the scoring in the 3rd minute McCready jumped on a poor Urris pass to score and then benefited from good approach play by Mark Clerkin and Pat Caulfield to make it 0-3 to no score in the 8th minute. Clerkin then got in on the act, showing great strength to fend off Patrick Doherty’s attentions and collect a high ball 25 metres out before firing over right footed. McCready hit another free before Brian Doherty got Urris’ first score in the 16th minute. That was just before Breslin’s sending off turned the game on its head. Urris: Johnny Noone; Shaun McDaid, Patrick Doherty, Adrian Doherty; Martin Kelly, Phil Pat Doherty, Mickey Grant; Donal Kelly, Edward Kelly; Kieran Friel, Rocky Ivors, Brian Doherty, Mark McLaughlin, Brian Kelly Alan Friel. Subs: Bernard Friel for Mark McLaughlin (13), Liam Diver for K. Friel (39), Mickey Kelly for B. Doherty (60). Na Rossa: Martin Molloy; Daniel Melly, Eugene Molloy, Shane Melly; Martin Bonner, Cormac McHugh, Paddy Melly; Damien Melly, Donal Trimble; Ryan McCready, John Paul Breslin, Trevor Melly; Mark Clerkin, Pat Caulfield, John Paul McCready. Subs: Ryan Hennessy for Ryan McCready (38), John Joe Breslin for Trimble (53). For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent. |
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