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Saturday 17th June at 8pm
Mullabrack
GFC v
Collegeland
Junior Championship
venue:
Abbey Playing Fields, Armagh
‘
Mullabrack fall to
Collegeland
1: 16 points Collegeland
to 1: 4 points for Mullabrack
Mullabrack travelled to
Abbey playing fields for their second round championship game
against a very well fancied Collegeland team from the top of the 3rd
division.
The game started brightly on
a warm summers evening on Saturday past with a very large crowd at
the Armagh harps ground. Collegeland were first of the mark with a
well worked point from the middle of the park. Mullabrack then had
Marty Rice fouled on the right hand side. The corresponding free
taken by Gerard Agnew landed in on top of the goalkeeper and into
the back of the net.
Mullabrack then with their
tails up provided a good deep ball from Gary Gorman into the full
forward Eamon Boylan who seen his kick just go wide of the far post.
Collegeland then picked up the pace in the first 15 minutes and 5
unanswered points, 2 from frees and 3 from open play left the score
at 1 goal to Mullabrack and 6 points to Collegeland.
A quick ball in from Dara
Smith to Pip Agnew who had a quick snap shot from his right boot saw
the first point for Mullabrack.
A fired up Mullabrack side
then began to take control in midfield with some well caught ball by
Sean Agnew and Dara Smith. A high ball caught by Kevin Smith on the
22 sent a good ball to Marty Rice who was fouled close to the side
line about 40 yards out from goal.
Gerard Agnew then had the
job of taking the free. A fine accurate kick saw Gerard put
Mullabracks second point on the board. Collegeland then responded
with a free of their own and for the rest of the half Mullabrack
piled on the pressure. A good move was started down the right from
Danny O’Hanlon with a fine cross field ball to Dara Smith who caught
it on the run. Dara then fed the ball to Pip Agnew who drew the
foul. Philip Butler then put the corresponding 30 yard free over the
bar. Just before half time with Mullabrack on top Dara Smith sent a
wonderful ball the corner forward Paddy Toal far out on the right
hand side. A couple of steps and Paddy sent one of the best points
of the game over the bar from distance leaving the half time score
Collegeland 7 points, Mullabrack 1 goal and 4 points.
The second half started very
well for Collegeland who put 3 quick points over the bar. A stunned
Mullabrack side tried to fight back with near misses by Eamon
Boylan, Gerard Agnew and Paddy Toal. The Mullabrack defence held
resolute with good defending from Hugh McSorely, Tommy O’Hagan and
Danny O’Hanlon. Following 3 further unanswered points by
Collegeland, Charlie Agnew then made the changes bringing on John
Conlon in the half back line, Philip Murphy in the half forward line
and Stephen Baxter at full forward. The game was drifting away from
Mullabrack, but they still battled. Collegeland proving the more
experienced put a further 4 unanswered points over the bar and only
for David Toal in the Mullabrack goal who made a magnificent point
blank save from the Collegeland full forward, Mullabrack could have
been further behind. Fine running up the right from Gerard Agnew
resulted in a free for Mullabrack; however a poor finish by Pip
Agnew saw the ball go to the right and wide.
Mullabrack had few goal
chances in the second half and following the changes Collegeland
broke into the Mullabrack defence and scored a goal with 5 minutes
to go. A final change by Charlie Agnew saw Sean Paul Henry come on
for Paddy Toal. A resolute Mullabrack side finished the game
extremely disappointed. A fine first half performance against a top
division 3 side could not be capitalised upon in the second half.
Fitness and experience finally outdone Mullabrack, but the club
should be proud of a good championship performance from both games.
Fine performance by David Toal in goals, Gerard Agnew, Hugh McSorely
and Tommy O’Hagan were some of Mullabracks best.
Mullabrack team:
D
Toal,
T O’Hagan, D O’Hanlon, C
Duggan
K Smith H McSorley G Gorman,
S Agnew D Smith,
G Agnew, P Agnew, C Toal,
P Toal E Boylan, M Rice
Subs, P Jordan P Murphy, G
Smith, J Conlon, L Conlon, M McCusker, S Baxter. S Henry
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