Desertmartin Versus Craigbane

Desertmartin Vs. Craigbane (15/05/11)

 

Desertmartin played host to Craigbane on Sunday at Longfield on a day that threatened to turn into a thunderstorm, with conditions hot and moist most of the day. The reserves took to the field first and had to re-shuffle the line up as the game was only being played with 13 players a side. The game was slow to come to life with both sides trading points and Desertmartin holding a slim lead throughout. The second half saw the home side pull away with two quick fire goals putting the game to bed midway through, the return of Stephen Gormley a huge boost to the’ Martins. Then it was the turn of the seniors to produce the goods against an understrength Craigbane side that were unable to field a few key county players. The game started brightly with Desertmartin winning the breaking ball from the throw in and after a fast ball into Cormac McGuckin, the full forward rounded well and fired over the first score. Then in the next attack Enda McGuckin burst through the Craigbane defence and just outside the 13m line he was brought down, resulting in a simple free kick that he converted himself. The home side then moved into a three point lead after excellent fielding by Johnny McGovern gave Mark Madden the opportunity to split the posts from the right side of the goalposts. Desertmartin were on top of the game but still quite wasteful in front of goal, hitting five wides in a row before Enda McGuckin was again fouled and converted another free. Craigbane then opened their scoring for the day after a controversial effort was deemed to have sailed inside of the post. A missed free from the home side went unpunished before Gregory McGovern is brought down after good work by his brother Paul and Cormac McGuckin. Enda McGuckin then coolly points the resulting free. JP Higgins then received a yellow card for an off the ball challenge after the referee misses several fouls from the Craigbane centre back on Enda McGuckin. Gregory McGovern then received the same treatment as the referee struggles to keep a lid on the match and it threatened to get ugly. Craigbane then get a bit of wind in their sails and fire over three unanswered points to bring them back within one before another free kick is well converted by Enda McGuckin to leave the half time score-line Desertmartin 0:06 to Craigbane 0:04. As they second half started the away side started brighter, launching a high ball in and pointing from their first attack. The home side’s forward line failed to capitalise on some powerful running by Gregory McGovern in the half back line, however Enda McGuckin adds a further free when Craigbane are judged to have touched the ball on the deck. Another point a minute later from the on form McGuckin put three between the sides. Craigbane pull one back before yet another penetrating run from Gregory McGovern won the home side another free kick, this time McGuckin choosing to use his weaker left foot to convert. JP Higgins was controlling things in the Desertmartin half back line and set up a good chance to stretch the lead but the attack is squandered with a rare wide from McGuckin. Craigbane struck one back before the excellent Enda McGuckin redeems himself with a superb 30 metre point on his weaker foot to put three in it with eight minutes remaining. Danny Murray then thumped over a 45m kick to lift the home side again and with the tails up Cormac McGuckin found the back of the net in the next attack to put the result to bed. Substitute Gavin Kidd then neatly beezed over the last score of the match to leave the final score-line Desertmartin 1:13 to Craigbane 0:07. This was a great effort from the senior panel and both teams had to dig deep and grind out the results. A special mention must go out to the evergreen Micky McCann who managed to last an entire match without injuring an opposition player.

 

Man of the match: Enda McGuckin

 

Desertmartin team and scorers:

 

Brian McElhennon, James Breen, Paddy McCann, Connor Monaghan, Cahir Madden, JP Higgins, Danny Murray (0:01), Johnny McGovern, Micky McCann, Enda McGuckin (0:09), Aidy McGuigan, Paul McGovern, Cormac McGuckin (1:01), Mark Madden (0:01)

Subs: Aidy McGuigan for Gavin Kidd (0:01)

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