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PRESS
RELEASE
Junior
Championship Semi Final Match
Monday 23rd July
Mullabrack
0:8 v
Cladai
0:13
Gary Gorman with
the Referee and Cladai Captain
Mullabrack edged out by
Clady
This eagerly awaited junior championship semi-final and local derby
lived up to all expectations. Mullabrack with two wins under their
belt in the championship had little to fear from a Cladai side
struggling in Division 3.
With Phelim Sands and Sean Agnew in the midfield they won the first
throw in above the head of Philip Loughran. A quick ball laid off to
Marty Rice and a snap shot just sent wide registered Mullabracks
first scoring attempt. Cladai then won the kick out and sent a long
ball in to the full forward who rounded his man and registered the
first score of the game. Philip Loughran then pointed again from 30
yards out and once again 4 minutes later. At this point Mullabrack
could not get their hands on the football and some championship
nerves did not help matters when Mullabrack gifted Cladai two
further points in front of goal. At 5 points to no score it looked
as if Mullabrack were to be overrun and then suddenly they burst
into life. Dara Smith caught a good ball far out on the left hand
side and sent a kick pass down the line to Gerard Agnew who
registered Mullabracks first score from 25 yards out. The same man
again caught the kick out and some intricate hand passing with Benny
Dougan and Eamon Boylan, Agnew registered his second score within a
matter of minutes.
Cladia, however kept plugging away and they registered two
additional points with five minutes to go at half time, but
Mullabrack was not to be undone as Gerard Agnew registered
Mullabracks 3rd score as the half time whistle blew.
At the end of the first half all the players had certainly been in a
battle. As the second half started both teams came out with a
renewed vigor as it was clear to see the match had still a long way
to go.
 
Philip Loughran registered the first score of the second half and
shortly after Mullabrack changed things with Taff Toal replacing
Sean Agnew and Benny Dougan moving to midfield. The tackles were
coming in thick and fast and no quarter was given by either team.
Hugh McSorely and Christopher Dougan were leading by example with
Stephen McKinney and Colin Murphy showing their experience in the
half forward line. At full forward Eamon Boylan and Gerard Agnew
were doing their best with the few balls that came their way,
however it was Benny Dougan who was doing most of the ball winning
for Mullabrack around the midfield area.
Cladia’s second score of the half once again was due to poor passing
from the Mullabrack midfield which gifted a 9th point to
Cladai after ten minutes. Mullabrack then hit their purple patch and
replied with a good free won by Benny Dougan following a surging run
towards the Cladai goal. Gerard Agnew converted the resulting free
for Mullabrack and then Mullabracks young star Taff Toal followed
that up with a surging run of his own into the Cladai area and
slotted the ball between the uprights. This was then followed by a
fifth point from the boot of Gerard Agnew leaving the score at 9
points to 6 points. Mullabrack were on a roll at this stage with
suddenly 70:30 and 60:40 ball being won all over the park. A new
belief was evident on the Mullabrack faces and it seemed as if they
had sight of the final birth. Cladai suddenly could not win ball in
the midfield. Sands and Dougan seemed to be winning everything half
way through the second half and then a poor decision by the referee
cut short the Mullabrack resurgence. A fantastic move started by
Stephen McKinney from half back sent a good ball out on the right to
Benny Dougan who sent it into the path of Gerard Agnew. Agnew with a
deft touch sent an on running Eamon Boylan towards goal only to see
the Cladai full back drag him down. The crowd shouted for a penalty,
the umpire’s body language seemed certain an offence had been caused
yet only the referee managed to miss the turning point of the game.
No penalty was awarded and Cladia breathed a sigh of relief.
It was clear that this decision had broken the hearts of the
Mullalbrack team, but as a team they battled on. Cladai registered
two further points from the boot of Philiip Loughran with 15 minutes
to go. Mullabrack then made a couple of changes bringing on Gary
Gorman for Christopher Dougan, Sean Paul Henry for Martin Rice and
Paddy Toal on for Kevin Smith.
With ten minutes left on the clock Mullabrack were still battling
for breaking ball. Mullabracks man of the match Benny Dougan caught
a good ball in the midfield and won his resulting free 30 yards out
from goal. Gerard Agnew then stepped up and knocked the ball over
the Cladai bar leaving the score at 11 points to 7 in favour of
Cladai.
With little time left the crowd were once again on the edge of their
seats following a bit of sheer class from the boot of Taff Toal who
round his man on the far right hand side of the pitch and sent a
volley which cleared the Cladai bar. With time running out and the
Mullabrack team having worked tirelessly it was all too evident that
Cladai had won the day when they followed up with three unanswered
points during the last 6 minutes of the game.
Although the game had been played with vigor and no quarter given
between these neighboring sides, it was an honorable Mullabrack side
who congratulated their near neighbors and wished them every success
in the final.
This was a very determined display by a Mullabrack team who after a
twenty four year wait reached the semi final of the junior
championship. All the players can take heart from the team display
on the night and not dwell too much on the “if only” that dominated
the final outcome.
Mullabrack
team:
Mullabrack
Team
Danny
O’Hanlon, Hugh McSorely, Tommy O’Hagan, Christopher Dougan, Martin
Rice, John Conlon, Dara Smith, Benny Dougan, Sean Agnew, Phelim
Sands, Eamon Boylan, Gerard Agnew, Colin Murphy, Stephen McKinney,
and Kevin Smith
Subs: Gary
Gorman Paddy Toal, Liam Conlon, Daniel McNeil, Mickey McCusker,
Colin Donnelly, Stephen Baxter, Simon Gibney, Taff Toal Colin
Gibney, Paul Jordan, Michael Haughey and James Lavery.
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