Desertmartin: 4-06
Loup: 2-08
U14s played host to Loup in the opening round of the championship on Thursday 1st. Although Desertmartin edged the league encounter early in the season by three points it was obvious that there would be little separating the sides at the end of this game.
Loup opened the scoring on the fourth minute with a point to which Lachlan Murray equalised from a free in the tenth minute. With the breeze at their backs the Loup went 3 – 1 ahead on thirteen minutes. Then came the first goal of the evening. A sweeping movement starting with Ryan McElhennon in the Desertmartin half taken on by Lachlan Murray who then found the on-rushing Martin Mackle who netted from close range. The Saffrons had an opportunity to go further ahead when Lachlan Murray failed to convert from the penalty spot on the sixteeenth minute. But Lachlan made amends a short time later when he nudged the home-side further ahead with a pointed free. Loup finished the first half the stronger when they hit 1-1 to no reply to lead 1-4 to 1-2 at the break.
The second half started in whirlwind fashion from both sides. Desertmartin hit the net for a second time through Martin Mackle following good interplay between himself and Lachlan Murray. But the Loup replied with three points in as many minutes to stay two ahead by the thirty-second minute. But Desertmartin stamped their authority on the game from then to the end of the game. Winning continued possession the home-side kept sweeping forward. In a ten minute blitz Desertmartin scored 2-2 to Loup’s 0-1 with Martin Mackle netting his hat-trick and a superbly fisted goal from Fearghal Bradley. Loup undaunted by the home-side’s onslaught replied with a goal on the forty-fifth minute to trim the deficit to two points. But Ryan McElhennon eased Desertmartin further ahead with a point and Lachlan Murray concluded the scoring with a pointed free on the fiftieth minute to give the Saffrons a four point win on a scoreline of Desertmartin 4-6 Loup 2-8
Desertmartin : M McGurk, C McCool, M Bradley, R McEldowney, S Matterson, C Shiels, R McElhennon (0-1), M Mackle (3-0), O O’Kane, L Murray (0-5, 3f)), G Fullen, R Henry, D McElhennon, C Murtagh, F Bradley (1-0) Subs: D Ormsby, A Stewart, R Mitchell, R O’Hagan