Swatragh entertained Desertmartin on Saturday evening last.
Following some unrest in the Desertmartin management team Swatragh were
the favourites for this encounter. Under the caretaker management of
Smith and Kidd Desertmartin put up a spirited performance.
Swatragh
played with the breeze in the first half. Superb defending by the
'Martin's and especially young Colm McDaid saw the sides with eight
points a piece at the break. Indeed, but for a clumsy tackle by Ciaran
Higgins on the Swatragh full forward, resulting in a penalty,
Desertmatin would probably have lead by three at the break. Jimmy
McElhinnon was the top scorer in the first half with five superb
points.
Danny Murray in an unfamiliar position at full forward scored
two and one from corner forward Michael McCann. Desertmartin it has to
be said, were superbly solid in defence. James Breen easily had the
upper hand, as did Ruari Murray. Both worked tiresley through out the
match, thwarting Swatragh's attacks and quickly feeding the ball out to
the mid-field pairing of Paddy Kidd and Patrick McCann.
In
the second half Swatragh got off to dream start. With in a minute and a
half of the restart an opportunist shot from Swatragh found itself in
the roof of the net. Desertmartin fought back with points from Jimmy
Mcelhinnon and Kevin Gormley.
The Martin's had an opportunity to level
the match when Michael McCann bearing down on goal had his pass to
Murray intercepted. The Swatragh full back quickly cleared the ball,
built on their possession and fired over four unanswered points. Kevin
Gormley pointed a free and points a piece from Murray and Brian
McElhinnon left the final score: Swatragh 2-11, Desertmartin 0-13.
Although the Martin's were unfortunate to be on the losing side it, it
was a spirited performance considering the difficulties at present with
the management of the team. Pat Kidd and Brian Smith has to be
commended for this, but hardly needs reminding that this club and its
members doesn't suffer fools at all, never mind gladly. On a lighter
note the other half of the duo, Brian Smith apparently went South to
pick up a few ideas from the Tipperary senior football team!
The
reserves played a spirited game in the opener to the senior game.
Playing against a stiff breeze in the first half, and winning the
battle at mid-field they held Swatragh scoreless for the first ten
minutes. During that time Eamon Mc Bride and Aidan Bradley had scored
two a piece. In the second half Swatragh battened down the hatches and
played some excellent flowing football.
Desertmartin hit back with
frees from Bradley and McGuigan but two goals from Swatragh eventually
put the game beyond Desertmartin's reaches. The final score 2-13 to
0-10. The reserves are having quite a lot of success of late and this
defeat shouldn't trouble them too much. No doubt they enjoy an
excellent relationship with their manager, and this positive is very
evident in the field of play.