MC GUIGAN BUILDERS INTERMEDIATE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP.
Doohamlet 1-8
Eire Og 0-4

Doohamlet always looked as if they were going to win this match but they contrived to make life as difficult for themselves as Eire Og did in what was a very low key, scrappy encounter that was played in blustery conditions in Clontibret on Sunday evening last. Prior to the start of the match a minute's silence was observed as a mark of respect to the Roseleen Connolly, Doohamlet, the mother of Doohamlet players who died recently. This was a game that never really took off as mistakes abounded on both sides and missed chances were the order of the day. Testimony to that is the fact that Doohamlet hit 15 wides in all, six in the first half while Eire Og were guilty of missing the target on six occasions, an indication of the overall trend of the game. Eire Og's cause wasn't helped by the fact that they were forced to feed without the services of Pauric McKenna who was ruled out through suspension and they also started without Darren McMahon and Paddy Skeath. They also lost the services of Paddy Croarkin through injury at the end of the third quarter and that robbed them off the greater part of their scoring threat. The game overall lacked quality but to be fair to both sets of players they worked extremely hard all through but both must realise that the standard they produced would not be sufficient to win the intermediate football championship outright. The Doohamlet defence again worked hard and instigated many counter-attacks, Glen Cumiskey and Ciaran McManus shaded the midfield exchanges marginally and up front, while they did not function as efficiently as they can Doohamlet did have that much more firepower than Eire Og could muster although their ratio of scores to chances created was disappointing. Eire Og for their part had good performances from Mark McCaffrey who was a late placement in defence, Colin Casey and Mark McBride, but up front despite the best efforts of Paddy Croarkin, Johnny McMahon and Kevin Skeath they struggled for scorers. An indication of the scrappy nature of what was in store was evidenced in the opening minutes with both sides squandering good chances before Ted Duffy sent over the opening point for Doohamlet in the seventh minute to give them a lead they never subsequently relinquished. Six minutes later Shane McManus fisted over a good point when he was placed on the run by Ted Duffy and a minute later still Mark Murphy finished off a good move that involved Colin Walshe and Ted Duffy to put Doohamlet three points in front. Eire Og now began to settle but registered three wides in quick succession while Doohamlet saw a couple of efforts by them also off target before a good effort by Shane J. Connolly at the end of a strong run dropped short to the keeper who initiated a counter attack that saw Kevin Skeath place Johnny McMahon for Eire Og's opening point in the 25th minute. Donal Tierney got the first of his three points from a free three minutes later following a foul on Paddy Croarkin but Doohamlet had the last say of a very mundane first half when Glen Cumiskey pointed, Ted Duffy the provider, to leave the half-time score Doohamlet 0-4, Eire Og 0-2.
Doohamlet were on the offensive immediately on the restart and Eire Og keeper Paul Hand had to come to his side's rescue to deny Shane McManus in the opening minute. Four minutes after the resumption Donal Tierney converted a free for a foul on Johnny McMahon to reduce the deficit to the minimum and that is how things remained for the remainder of the third quarter. The opening minute of the final quarter saw Doohamlet take a distinct advantage when Ciaran McManus slotted home a penalty after Niall Jim Connolly had been brought down when he was making his way goalwards after Eire Og had lost possession from a free out. Glen Cumiskey added a point in the 19th minute to open a five points lead with both sides then guilty of more poor finishing before Eire Og got their only score of the second-half when Donal Tierney converted a free for a foul on Mark McCaffrey who at this stage was operating in midfield. In the final minutes of normal time Ted Duffy sent over a good point from out on the right wing and Shane McManus added another to open a six points gap. Mark Murphy then completely wrapped it up for the O'Neills with a point in the first minute of stoppage time to leave seven between the sides at the end of an eminently forgettable contest.
Teams and Scorers: Doohamlet: James Casey, Gabie Casey, Martin Hughes, Shane J Connolly, Kevin McArdle, Colin Walshe, Darren Connolly, Glen Cumiskey 0-2, Ciaran McManus 1-0, Niall Jim Connolly, Shane McManus 0-2, Niall J Connolly, Ollie Hughes, Mark Murphy 0-2, Ted Duffy 0-2. Subs: Pauric Marray for Niall J Connolly, Johnny Duffy for O Hughes.
Eire Og: Paul Hand, Mark McBride, Mark McCaffrey, Colin Casey, Conor Toal, Johnny McMahon 0-1, Dara McCluskey, Matthew McQuaid, Gary McDonald, Enda Doran, Paddy Croarkin, Sean Flynn, Kevin Skeath, Christopher McGorman, Donal Tierney 0-3 (2f). Subs: Paddy Sweeney for G McDonald, Paddy Skeath for P Croarkin, Michael McPhillips for J McMahon, Conor Ward for C Toal, Alan McGorman for M McQuaid. Referee: Martin McNally (Corduff). Tweet

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