St. Vincent’s 5-12 Cortown 0-08

St. Vincent’s continued their Junior Football Championship when they played Cortown on Friday evening in the sunshine in Donore.

St. Vincent’s attacked from the throw in and after the initial shot was deflected wide Tommy Field slotted over the opening point from a 45. Cortown equalised from a free in the 5th minute directly in front of the posts. In the 7th minute the Cortown keeper took a short kick out which was intercepted by Nigel Hand who raced clear and finished low to the net. Eric Callaghan was shown yellow in the 9th minute for an awkward tackle. Cortown narrowed the gap with a point from a 45 in the 11th minute. In the 12th minute Mark Crawley received a red card following an altercation with the Cortown corner forward. In the 16th minute Callaghan pointed from close range after taking a forward mark from a cross field ball from Nigel Hand just before the water break to leave St. Vincent’s a goal in front.

Cortown won the kickout after the break and narrowed the margin with a point from a free. In the 20th minute, following great build up play, Conor Harford scored an excellent point from long range to once again leave a goal between the teams. Cortown worked a point from play shortly after before their left half forward received a yellow card for a high tackle. Nigel Hand extended St. Vincent’s lead in the 23rd minute with a pointed free after the ball had been illegally passed back to the Cortown keeper. Then in the 24th minute Bob Tallon floated a long ball into the square but the Cortown keeper dropped the ball under pressure from Ryan Hand and Eric Callaghan and Callaghan slotted for St. Vincent’s second goal of the game. Nigel Hand once again pointed from a free on 27 minutes after some great build up play. Cortown finished the half with a point from a free

Half time: St. Vincent’s 2-05 Cortown 0-05

St. Vincent’s started the second half the better with a well worked attack that resulted in a close in free that Nigel Hand duly pointed. On 33 minutes the Cortown midfielder received a yellow card after sustained disagreement with the referee. It was 6 minutes before the next score which was point for Cortown following an interception from the short kickout. St. Vincent’s then worked a ball out from defence with several players involved before Harford found Callaghan free in the corner who fisted a great ball to the oncoming Martin Fox who duly clocked up St. Vincent’s 3rd goal of the game. St. Vincent’s controlled the ball well in the build up to Paddy Arnold hitting the butt of the post before Nigel Hand fisted over the rebound to leave it 3-07 to 0-06 at the water break.

Cortown started the final quarter brightly with a well worked point from play. St. Vincent’s then worked a ball well from their own defence going through the hands of nearly all the team before Nigel Hand finished with another point on 50 minutes. Sustained pressure from the men in maroon resulted in another point from play as Patrick McGill found Robbie Lynch clear to fire over. Ryan Hand put in two important blocks as Cortown tried to force a way through. On 52 minutes the Cortown midfielder was shown red after once again remonstrating with the referee. St. Vincent’s again worked a ball very well from defence before the forwards showed quick hands in the build up as McGill passed to Stefan O’Neill who fisted the ball to the back of the net on 53 minutes. Robbie Lynch and Conor Harford exchanged passes before Lynch pointed again in the 54th minute. From a sideline ball deep in their own half Cortown worked the ball well up field before pointing from a free close in. St. Vincent’s turned the screw with a burst down the sideline and Nigel Hand found Patrick McGill unmarked to slot home the 5th goal for the Ardcath men. St. Vincent’s won the resulting kickout and Patrick McGill fisted over in the 59th minute. St. Vincent’s again won the midfield battle for the kickout and Harford again found McGill unmarked to slot over the last score of the game

There were some impressive performances on the St. Vincent’s team including Niall Tallon, Ryan Hand and Nigel Hand but Conor Harford was the man of the match with fantastic defence, link up play, runs forward and a point from play.

St. Vincents: Evan Connor, Ciaran Brangan, Mark Crawley, John Corry, Conor Harford (0-1), Niall Tallon, Leo Corry, Bob Tallon, Ryan Hand, Martin Fox (1-0), Tommy Field (0-1), Paddy Arnold, Eoghan Corry, Nigel Hand (1-5), Eric Callaghan (1-0).

Subs: Jack Byrne for Ciaran Brangan 43, Patrick McGill (1-2) for Tommy Field 45, Robbie Lynch (0-2) for Eoghan Corry 45, Stefan O’Neill (1-0) for Leo Corry 52, Colin Hand for Eric Callaghan 56.

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