JFC C: Syddan into semi-finals
July 18, 2014
Syddan's Gary Farrelly
ST MICHAEL'S 0-12
TWO goals in as many minutes immediately after half-time set Syddan on their way to the last four of the JF C at Meath Hill on Thursday evening.
The double salvo helped turn the game in Syddan's favour after they had trailed by six points at one stage in the first half.
While Syddan missed several scoring opportunities throughout the opening period, the Carlanstown men made the most of what came their way to build up a 0-7 to 0-1 lead by the 22nd minute.
A Gary Farrelly pointed free was all Syddan had to show for their efforts until they were thrown a lifeline when Philip White cut in along the end line before finding the net from an acute angle.
Sean Clare added a point on the approach to half-time to leave it 0-7 to 1-2 and make the task a little more manageable in the second half.
Within 30 seconds of the restart Darren Smith took advantage of a slip in the St Michael's rearguard to poke the ball to the net. Gary Farrelly soon added to that with a fortuitous goal after his 40-metre free went all the way to the net.
St Michael's spurned a great goal opportunity when blasting a penalty over the bar on 37 minutes.
By the end of the third quarter the lead had stretched 3-6 to 0-9 following Conor Dillon's second point of the half.
Gary Farrelly increased the lead further and while St Michael's hit back with a number of points they were unable to to break down a resolute defence for the goal needed to get them back into it.
SCORERS - Gary Farrelly 1-2, Philip White 1-1, Conor Dillon 0-3, Darren Smith 1-0, Sean Clare, Peter Sheehy 0-1 each.
SYDDAN - B Corcoran; A Smith, M Cassidy, S Finnegan; P Smith, M Sweeney, P Sheehy; S Clare, G McManus; S Malone, G Farrelly, K Carry; P White, C Dillon, D Smith. Sub - S Halpenny for Carry.
ST M
Half time: St. Michaels 0-7, Syddan 1-2.
Three goals, one 5 minutes before the interval and two in the opening minute of the second half put an end to St. Michaels participation in this years Junior C competition in Meath Hill on Thursday evening.
St. Michaels enjoyed the better of the exchanges in the opening half as they were more economical in front of the posts, Lee Morris sent over their opening point from a dead ball, Johnny Reilly added a further point on 6 minutes but a clash of players on 5 minutes meant St. Michaels lost influential wing half back Anthony Briody through injury. Syddan opened their scoring on 9 minutes with a pointed free, further points from Ben Tobin, Thomas O'Brien, Darren O'Connell, Oran Meehan and Johnny Reilly put St. Michaels 0-7 to 0-1 ahead on 21 minutes, the latter's point came about after he latched onto the rebound of Ben Tobin's shot on goal after it was well saved by the Syddan keeper. Syddan by this stage had enjoyed their fair share of possession but they could not make it count on the scoreboard as they shot wide after wide but their persistence paid off on 25 minutes when a fierce shot on goal from along the end-line was deflected into his own net by the unlucky Paddy Flood in the St. Michaels goals, St. Michaels failed to score again for the remaining 10 minutes of the first half and having now found the target Syddan added a further point on 30 minutes to leave just two points between the sides at the break, 0-7 to 1-2.
By the end of the first minute of the second half St. Michaels didn't know what had hit them, Syddan sent in a ball direct from the throw-in and as confusion reigned in the St. Michaels defence they failed to clear, Syddan collected the ball and fired it to the back of the net on 30 seconds for goal number 2, 30 seconds later a free sent in long and high towards the St. Michaels goals went untouched and hopped in the square and into the roof of the net for goal number 3 and from being 2 points up St. Michaels now found themselves 4 points down. On 37 minutes Johnny Reilly was dragged down and he sent the resultant penalty over the crossbar to reduce the deficit by one, St. Michaels continued to push forward but the breaks weren't coming their way and Syddan could now do no wrong in front of the posts and in a 6 minute spell they added 4 unanswered points to stretch the lead to 7 points. A great individual effort from Matthew Halpin on the three quarter mark was cancelled out a minute later by Syddan. St. Michaels piled on the pressure in the final quarter but could only manage three further points from Darren O'Connell 0-2 and Dáithí Reilly 0-1 as Syddan added a further point in the dying minutes to book their place in the semi-final.
St. Michaels team and scorers:
Paddy Flood, Adam O'Brien, Dáithí Reilly 0-1, Ollie Reilly, Anthony Briody, Tommy Moriarty, Matthew Halpin 0-1, Brendan Ryan, Darren O'Connell 0-3, Christopher Drew, Oran Meehan 0-1, Lee Morris 0-1, Ben Tobin 0-1, Johnny Reilly 0-3, Thomas O'Brien 0-1.
Subs: Mickey Dunne for Anthony Briody 5 minutes injured, Eddie Carolan for Lee Morris 38 minutes, Ray Reilly for Ben Tobin 47 minutes, Ben Farrell for Thomas O'Brien 47 minutes, Michael Murphy for Darren O'Connell 48 minutes, Michael Rogers for Ollie Reilly 48 minutes.
Referee: Sean Kerley.
Report: Pascal Reilly. Tweet
