ACFL Division 1 League
Belturbet 1-12
Cootehill Celtic 2-9
Belturbet and Cootehill shared the spoils on a sweltering hot evening in the ACFL Division 1 League clash in Pairc na gCead Ultach, Ballyconnell on Saturday evening last.
Belturbet opened the scoring in the first half, with Brendan Fitzpatrick converting a second minute free, after Sean Og Lawlor had been fouled. Enda Hessin replied for the visitors with a third minute free to level proceedings. The Rorys regained the lead with four minutes gone when Conal McGinley floated over a well taken point on the run. Cootehill full forward Colm Smith drew the teams level with five minutes gone splitting the posts after good approach play from Caoimhin Carney. Cootehill continued their excellent early conversion rate, registering their third point from their third attempt through Caoimhin Carney, just before the six minute mark. Diarmuid Carney then curled over a point from play in the seventh minute to increase Cootehill's lead to 0-4 to 0-2.
Cootehill had the use of a strong wind advantage in the first half and were making full use of it with Cootehill's Colm Smith notching their fifth point in the ninth minute. Cootehill's Colm Smith reacted quickly to a short Belturbet kick-out to snaffle possession and he ran forward before slipping the ball under the body of the advancing Danny Anscombe in the 12th minute to put Cootehill into a commanding 1-5 to 0-2 lead.
Belturbet reduced their arrears to 1-5 to 0-4 by the 19th minute of the first half with Brendan Fitzpatrick converting two close range frees. Brendan Fitzpatrick slotted over his fourth free of the first half in the 23rd minute to leave a goal separating the sides. Belturbet levelled the match for the third time in the first half in the 24th minute when Damien O'Reilly played an inch perfect pass into Sean Og Lawlor. The corner forward then fisted the ball into Niall Lawlor in space and he battered a cracking shot into the roof of Ryan Carroll's net to leave it 1-5 apiece.
Cootehill's response was emphatic, as they worked the ball at speed up the pitch with Colm Smith cutting inside two Belturbet defenders, before sending a rocket of shot into the top corner of Anscombe's net a minute later. Damien Sherlock then landed a cracking point from the left hand wing for Cootehill in the 26th minute to move them four points clear. Dean Connolly rifled over another Cootehill point from an acute angle on the right hand side in the 27th minute as the away side displayed excellent accuracy in front of goal in the first period.
Cootehill wasted little time in building upon their 2-7 to 1-5 half time lead, with Damien Sherlock blasting in a low shot at goal that was deflected over the bar by a Belturbet defender, two minutes into the second half. Damien O'Reilly landed a 33rd minute free for Belturbet and the Rorys began to gain a firm stranglehold of possession which lead to them slowly but surely eating into Cootehill's lead. Damien O'Reilly converted another close range free in the 35th minute and Brendan Fitzpatrick scored a peach of a point curling over a point from the right hand wing to leave the scoreline 2-8 to 1-8 with 36 minutes played. Enda Henry laid on an assist for the next Belturbet point in the 40th minute with Brendan Fitzpatrick again supplying a composed finish. Colm Smith got what would transpire to be Cootehill's last score and second of the half when the tapped over a 51st minute free for his side to leave Cootehill holding a 2-9 to 1-9 advantage. Enda Henry rifled over a 52nd minute free for Belturbet after Brendan Fitzpatrick had again been fouled. A four man move which began with Mark Teevan was worked through Damien O'Reilly and Brendan Fitzpatrick with the intelligent thinking of the full forward playing a clever pass into Cian Vaughan who strode forward before drilling his kick just inside the post to leave it a one point game with 54 minutes on the clock.
The ending of the game was littered by several fracas breaking out which killed the flow of the game late on. Belturbet defender Kevin McConnell was given his marching orders in the 58th minute as the home side were reduced to 14 men. Belturbet's Stuart Dunne went on a surging run upfield from his defensive berth and was fouled with 60 minutes gone with Enda Henry converting the resultant close range free to tie the game up.
Belturbet: Danny Anscombe, Shane Fitzpatrick(C), Peter Shannon, Kevin McConnell, Stuart Dunne, Mark Teevan, Conal McGinley(0-1), Damien O'Reilly(0-2 2f), Eoin McGuigan, Fionan O'Reilly, Enda Henry(0-2 2f), Niall Lawlor(1-0), Donal McDonald, Brendan Fitzpatrick(0-6 4f), Sean Og Lawlor. Subs: Mark Lawlor, Niall O'Reilly, John Cahill, Cian Vaughan(0-1).
Cootehill Celtic: Ryan Carroll, Gerard Argue, Barry McGahan, Sean O'Connor, Ciaran Fox, John Carney, Dean Connolly(0-1), John McCutcheon, Paul McCarney, Stevie O'Connor, Enda Hessin(0-1 1f), Damien Sherlock(0-2), Caoimhin Carney(0-1), Colm Smith(2-3 1f), Diarmuid Carney(0-1). Subs: Jamie Smith, Mark Mullen.
Referee: Packie Smith.
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