One step further for St. Michael's
November 27, 2010The Carlanstown/Kilbeg side had former Dunshaughlin and Blackhall Gaels boss Gordon Ward as their new manager with Tony Kearney, who guided Wolfe Tones to SFC glory in 2006, as one of his selectors along with club stalwart Tom Halpin.
With the number of participants in the Eddie Finnegan & Sons IFC down to 15, there were three groups of five with St Michael's in Group B along with Na Fianna, Syddan, Castletown and Longwood. They were idle in the opening round and began their campaign on the Sunday evening of May 2nd.
Na Fianna provided the opposition in Athboy and the south county side, managed by Graham Geraghty, prevailed on a 1-16 to 1-13 scoreline to reverse a championship result between the teams in 2009. St Michael's were behind by the minimum margin (0-8 to 0-9) at the break and fell six points in arrears in the second half.
Ciaran Lynch with 1-6 and Daithi Regan with five points shared all bar two points of the losers' total and the goal from Lynch brought them back into contention and with John Barry O'Reilly showing up well at centrefield, they got on equal terms eight minutes from the end of the hour.
However, St Michael's were unable to push on and claim the win as two points from Daniel Queeney in added time ensured that the spoils went to the Enfield/Baconstown
team.
St Michael's gained their first brace of points with a slender 0-11 to 0-10 win over Syddan in a Friday evening clash at Drumconrath. After being in arrears in the early stages, they recovered to lead by four points after 20 minutes and were ahead by 0-7 to 0-5 at the break.
In a scrappy encounter the best chance of a St Michael's goal fell to Phelim O'Reilly but his attempt was kept out by the opposing 'keeper. It took a late point from a free, slotted over by Ciaran Lynch for his fifth score, to clinch the win.
Former county forward Daithi Regan helped himself to a fine total of 2-6 as St Michael's chalked up a second victory when outscoring Castletown by 2-14 to 1-11 in a Saturday evening outing at Rathkenny in which all the goals were netted in the second period.
The side in red and black were 0-6 to 0-4 to the good at the halfway stage and two minutes after the restart Kevin Cassidy was brought down in the penalty area and Regan raised the green flag from the resultant kick.
Although Castletown quickly replied with a goal of their own, Regan doubled his side's lead with five minutes to go when firing his second goal following an assist from John Barry O'Reilly. Daithi Reilly, Sean Gaffney and Ciaran Lynch, who sent over five points, were others to impress in that success.
St Michael's were only in third place in their group after that win but the situation changed with the emphatic 1-16 to 0-6 success over previously unbeaten Longwood in Athboy to clinch the top spot. Longwood finished second and Na Fianna missed out on qualification.
The Carlanstown/Kilbeg side assumed control soon after the start and John Barry O'Reilly's well-taken goal on 25 minutes boosted them to a 1-10 to 0-4 interval advantage. O'Reilly also scored three points in the first half and white flag efforts from Daithi Regan and Ciaran Lynch as well as Peter Clinton and Ronan and Kevin Cassidy helped to push them comfortably clear.
Regan and Lynch added a brace of points each in the second period and Philip Rogers and Ben Farrell completed the winning total. A black mark against the emphatic victory was the late dismissal of Michael's full-back James Farrell who was shown a straight red card and missed the next IFC outing.
St Michael's were through to the semi-finals and awaited the winners of the Carnaross versus Gaeil Colmcille quarter-final tie. Carnaross surprised their rivals from Kells in that game and the favourites fell again when St Michael's were outpointed by 0-9 to 0-7 in the second of the last four ties on the first Saturday of September.
The losers were left to regret not taking a couple of goal chances at the end of the close contest at Pairc Tailteann as Daithi Regan and Kevin Cassidy failed to find the net, being thwarted by opposing 'keeper Cillian Comaskey.
The sides were on level terms (0-4 each) at the break after the St Michael's scores in the first half were made up of converted frees by Cian Lynch (two) and Daithi Regan and a 45 from Derek Flood. The lack of points from play was another factor against the losers as an effort by Lynch in the third quarter was their only such score.
Lynch finished up with a return of five points in a game in which the teams were on level terms six times before Carnaross made their break towards the winning post in the closing stages to leave an air of despondency hanging over Carlanstown once again.
Tony Kearney, who doubled as a St Michael's selector and manager of the St Fechin's junior side in Louth in 2010, feels that the Carlanstown/Kilbeg outfit did not perform to their capabilities in the IFC.
"We had an easy enough run through to the semi-final stage after losing the opening game to Na Fianna. We expected to win that opener, especially as we had beaten them in the championship last year.
"After that we struggled to get the better of Syddan and the wins over Castletown and Longwood were more clear-cut. The intermediate championship often throws up dark horses and this year Carnaross filled that role.
"Even though they did very well to put out Gaeil Colmcille, we were confident enough of beating them. They are strong down the middle and our plan was to use the wings as much as possible. However, the plan was not adhered to as much as we hoped.
"Credit has to be given to Carnaross for the way they played and Ollie Murphy was outstanding. We had plenty of possession but gave away the ball too much and missed two good chances of goals at the end.
"A lot of time and work was put into the preparations, we expected a big performance in the semi-final but it just didn't happen," Kearney ruefully reflected. The Carlanstown National School principal had a number of the St Michael's players as pupils in years past and he also taught Carnaross players Ollie Murphy and Steen Carpenter.
St Michael's forward Ciaran Lynch came home from his work base in London for games during the season and Kearney spoke highly of the contribution of St. Michael's former county forward.
"Daithi Regan has given exceptional service to the club over the years," Kearney added.
And what does Tony think of prospects for 2011? "It will be difficult but you have to hope for the best. But with the recession and shortage of work, it's hard to know who will be available then," he said.
Tony Kearney, Gordon Ward and Tom Halpin also formed the management team for the club's second string who got to the semi-finals of the Junior C FC where they were beaten by Donaghmore/Ashbourne's third side.
Kildare-native Ward, who lives in the Carlanstown area, and Halpin were also playing members of the junior C team although both are well into the veteran stage. After winning all their group games, against Duleek/Bellewstown, Na Fianna, Moylagh and Nobber, they got the better of Walterstown by 4-9 to 1-9 in a quarter-final clash at Walterstown.
However, St Michael's were well beaten (0-11 to 1-1) in the semi-final at Seneschalstown. "We only got two scores, both in the early stages, a goal from Ronan Farrell and a point from Sean Cassidy," said Kearney.
While the St Michael's men again fell short in their bid to lift the IFC title, the club's female counterparts tasted outright glory in the Intermediate Championship with a 4-13 to 3-8 final victory over Duleek/Bellewstown in the final played in Kells.
The girls from the Carlanstown/Kilbeg area got away to a flying start with three early points from Laura McCabe, Sinead McCormack and Aisleen Regan. Although the opposition replied to go into the lead, goals from Alisha Curtis, Aisleen Regan and Aine Fagan boosted them to an interval lead of 3-4 to 1-2.
Duleek/Bellewstown hit St Michael's with a short scoring burst which yielded 2-3 in the early stages of the second half. But with experienced players like Sinead McCormack, Fiona Nevin, Mary Smith, Mary Clinton and Aine Fagan showing up well, St Michael's regained the initiative to run out comfortable winners.
St Michael's team and scorers in the final: Edwina Olwill; Therese O'Brien, Mary Clinton, Fiona Drew; Katie Reilly, Mary Smith, Rachel Lynch; Sinead McCormack (0-3), Aine Fagan (1-0); Leanne Lynch (0-1), Megan O'Brien (0-2), Fiona Nevin; Laura McCabe (0-1), Aisleen Regan (1-4), Alisha Curtis (2-1). Subs: Marita Rogers for Reilly, Elaine Dolan for Lynch, Gillian Bennett (0-1) for McCabe, Niamh McCormack for T O'Brien, Rebecca O'Brien for S McCormack. Tweet
