Mullabrack Men win
it for ‘Iggy’
Tears of joy greeted the final whistle at
Beleek on Saturday night when Mullabrack defeated O’Hanlons at
the end of a week which saw Mullabrack’s long standing Chairman,
Ignatius Mallon, pass away so suddenly.
It all did not start as Mullabrack planned
with O’Hanlons putting two points on the board in the first 10
minutes. Mullabrack then registered their first score through
Sean Paul Henry after a good ball in from Philip McKeown. At
midfield Phelim Sands and Dara Smith were fighting for every
ball although O’Hanlons ensured Mullabrack did not have it all
their own way. Pip Agnew and Marty Rice were giving their
opponents a torrid time and both sent good balls to Gerard Agnew
who hit Mullabrack’s second two scores. O’Hanlons were also
upping the tempo and hit 4 points without reply. With 2 points
between them O’Hanlons then scored their goal leaving questions
for the Mullabrack defence. A willing Mullabrack support spurred
the lads on and a long free from Philip Agnew pulled one back.
With 5 minutes to go to half time Eamon Boylan caught a ball on
the edge of the square only to see his shot saved by the
goalkeeper, however he managed to put the rebound over the bar.
At half time Mullabrack were definitely in with a shout at the
score 1:5 to 5 points in O’Hanlons favour.
The second half started with a ‘bang’ with 2
points from the ‘brack’. Both Gerard Agnew and Marty Rice on
target. O’Hanlons managed a sixth point; however it was clear
that John Henry and Tony Murphy had passed on some strong words
at half time. The Mullabrack men were fighting for every ball
with a sense of anticipation. Christopher Dougan, Stephen Baxter
and the elder statesman Colin Murphy were holding the defence
together eagerly supported by Paddy Toal, Philip McKeown and
Simon Gibney. In the 10th minute of the second half
the game moved to a new level. Mullabrack started to get on top
and finally Philip Agnew brought the sides level with a good
point from distance. Suddenly everyone believed that winning
this game was possible and when Gerard Agnew sent the ball to
the O’Hanlons net after a perfect assist by Eamon Boylan the
game turned on its head.
A certain man may have been looking down and
spurring the team on as each Mullabrack man fought for every
ball. Philip McKeown and Dara Smith both put in two wonderful
blocks and a tenacious Christopher Dougan brought the ball out
of defence time and time again. With fifteen minutes to go and a
4 point game in Mullabracks favour; Pearse McGuigan
in the Mullabrack goal sent a quick ball out to Simon Gibney who
put Phelim Sands free on the right. He sent a long ball into the
full forward line which Gerard Agnew caught and on the turn sent
the ball to the top right hand corner of the O’Hanlon’s net.
With a seven point cushion Mullabrack coasted to the finish but
before the end Pearse McGuigan pulled off the finest save of the
game by pushing a goal ward bound shot around the post. It was
an elated Mullabrack team which greeted the final whistle with a
score of 2:9 to 1:7. Ignatius’s son Declan was there to witness
a fitting spectacle to his Fathers memory and in the faces of
every player leaving the field one could see what they were all
saying “that one was for you Iggy”.
Mullabrack team:
Pearse McGuigan, Simon Gibney.
Stephen Baxter, Christopher Dougan, Paddy Toal, Colin Murphy,
Philip McKeown, Sean Paul Henry. Martin Rice, Dara Smith, Phelim
Sands, Eamon Boylan, Colin Rafferty, Gerard Agnew, Philip Agnew,
Subs: Mike Reneghan, Benny Dougan, Blane
Cullen, Willy Wong, Cormac Hutton, Mike Haughey, Liam Conlon,
Luke Cullen and Paul Jordan.
