Carryduff club notes
November 11, 2014
Under-21 football Championship Group Stages Castlewellan v Carryduff
Carryduff and Castlewellan served up a high quality contest in a wet St Malachy's Park on Sunday morning. In a nip-and tuck game the teams traded scores in the first quarter. Both teams' defences held their own and forced forwards to work hard for what scores they mustered and for the frees they won. Sean Mcgonigle opened the scoring converting from the right wing but his point was immediately cancelled out when Niall McKibben brought Castlewellan level in the fourth minute. Matthew Grimley restored the Carryduff advantage (6th) but Sean Hardy Michael Gilmore levelled again with Castlewellan's second point (9th) Jack Brennan put Carryduff head again (12th) but Michael Gilmorelevelled the game again (13th) before Chris King fired Castlewellan into a one point lead thirteen minutes in. McGonigle brought it back all square with his fifteenth minute conversion. Points from Hardy (18th) and Stratton (22nd) gave Castlewellan command before Darragh Connolly got on the end of a blocked shot to rifle it to the Castlewellan net with a soccer-style volleywith twenty-four minutes played. Ryan Lundy's point (27th) saw the teams meet half-time on level terms Castlewellan 0-07 Carryduff 1-04.
The second half saw plenty of action and the thirty minutes football entertained both sets of supporters right to the final whistle. Castlewellan had a point from Aidan Doran to give them the narrowest of leads in the 32nd minute. A Carryduff goal from full-forward Ryan McKee (33rd) livened things considerably and Castlewellan immediately reclaimed the lead with a 35th minute goal from Niall McKibben. James Lawlor added Carryduff's third goal in the 40th minute playing a bit of soccer running the ball on the ground through two tackles before placing it past Castlewellan 'keeper Pairic Hardy. However, Matthew Stratton's goal for Castlewellan in the 39th minute restored their one point advantage.
Carryduff then enjoyed a purple patch with three points inside four minutes from McGonigle (39th) Lawlor (40th) and Connolly (43rd). McKee (45th) and Lawlor (46th) added two further points to provide Carryduff a cushion and Brennan (39th) extended their lead before two Castlewellan points brought it back to a three point margin. In a game that could have gone either way the teams traded points in the dying minutes of the game as Michael McGrath (58th) and Seán McGonigle (59th) pointed for Carryduff and King (55th) and Lundy (59th) scored for Castlewellan.
Carryduff claimed a hard-fought but well deserved victory on a scoreline of 3-12 to 2-12 and remain unbeaten in their group stage.
The Carryduff team was;- M Hinds, P McConnell, C Cassidy, R McGrady, M McGrath, C McFlynn, S McCann, P Lavery, M Grimley, J Lawlor, J Brennan, D Connolly, J Artherton, R Mckee, S McGonigle.
Substitutes;- T Grimley, E Rodgers, R McGrath
The Castlewellan team was;- P hardy, R McCartan, E McCartan, R Burns, M Gilmore, R Lundy, C King, T Hardy, A Doran, S Doran, M Startton, S Hardy, B McVeigh, M Cunningham, N McKibben,
Substitutes;- M Brannigan, C Keown, C Crilly, C Corrigan, J O'Neill, M Rooney, C Rodgers, R McAteer, S Harrison
Referee; - Shane Lowry
Carryduff take East Down Year 9 Division 1 Championship Title
On a crisp Autumn day in Ballykinlar the Carryduff u12.5 boys lined out against local neighbours Bredagh in the final of the East Down Division 1 Championship. Having topped their group unbeaten Carryduff were in confident mood: however everyone knew it would be a tight and hard fought game just as the group game was.
After some tight nervy play from both teams the Carryduff boys gained the first strike with a goal when Josh Cullen broke through from midfield to find the back of the Bredagh net. Carryduff's early midfield dominance was underlined with two further points from Josh's midfield partner Oran O'Neill and one from Eoin Haigney. Just as the match was tightening up Ewan Duncan finished off a ball over the top in response to Bredagh's first score to stretch the Carryduff lead to 8 points. The Carryduff defence had to dig in as Bredagh came back strongly. With Eamon Swail and Dermot Donaldson tackling tenaciously in the half back line the full back line held its own. A memorable goal line clearance from Leo McMahon steadied Carryduff nerves. The boys did well to greet the break with a 3 points lead as they limited the Bredagh forwards to a goal from Con Doherty and 2 further points before half time.
The second half started very evenly again, with Carryduff knowing that if they could get the scoring forwards chances, the scores would come. Gradually Carryduff began to dominate in the middle and Joseph Tunney and Jude Lynam began to get more ball and influence in the half forward line. Ben Tweedy proved to be an able target and link in the corner.
The breakthrough came when a long range effort from Joseph Tunney dropped into the goal. This was followed by points from Odhran Sherry and Joseph Tunney to provide a cushion. An increasingly confident Carryduff began to keep possession and pass more fluently and their interplay was rewarded when the lead was extended when Daniel Connor displayed his eye for goal to move the boys 11 points clear.
But local derbies are never that easy and again Bredagh replied with a goal and after exchanging points, Daniel Connor again displayed calmness in front of goal to coolly find the net again. The backline was now being well marshalled by Euan Neeson, Conor McKeever, Eoin McGleenon, and Dermot Donaldson as Bredagh made a final push. Carryduff introduced fresh legs from the bench in Tiernan McCullough, Conor Doherty and Conal Watson to close out the game as further points from Tunney and Cullen cancelled out those from Bredagh to secure a well earned victory and fitting finale to the season with a 5-9 to 2-7 victory.
The Carryduff team was;- Euan Neeson, Leo McMahon, Conor McKeever, Eoin McGleenon, Dermot Donaldson. Eamon Swail, Eoin Haigney, Joshua Cullen, Oran O'Neill, Joseph Tunney, Daniel Connor, Ben Tweedy, Ewan Duncan, Jude Lynam, Odhran Sherry, Tiernan McCullough, Conor Doherty, Conal Watson, Matthew O'Rourke, Frank McWilliams.
