Corn na Boinne: St. Ultans outpoint Oldcastle
February 23, 2015
Oldcastle's Stephen Tierney
Naomh Ultain 0-11
Seanchaisleáin 0-08
St. Ultan's got the upper hand against Oldcastle in the first round of the Corn na Bóinne, played in windy and rainy conditions in Seán Newman Páirc in Bohermeen.
The home side made six personnel changes and a number of positional switches from their previous A-League fixture against Moynalvey. Oldcastle started brightly, getting the opening point before Gearoid Rennicks equalised for the home team after five minutes. The opening half was characterised by dominant displays from both defences, aided in part by the wet conditions. Scores were hard to come by, and the teams traded free kicks for twenty minutes before St. Ultan's enjoyed a period of control. Mark Allen, Eugene Brady and Paul Murray all kicked scores from play in the ten minutes before half time though many chances went a-begging through poor decision making. The home team led at half time, 0-05 to 0-03.
The second half was not long underway when an unexpectedly high bounce deceived the St. Ultan's defence, who scrambled to get the ball clear. In the pinball that followed the ball was deflected over the bar, but not before goalkeeper Robert Daly made an excellent reaction save from very close range. Possession was a hotly contested matter around the middle of the field, but St. Ultan's won more than an even share with midfielder Paul Murray breaking plenty of ball to supporting players. Oldcastle were unlucky to have a man sent off midway through the second half when their full back was given a yellow card for an off-the-ball incident, which the referee followed up with a second yellow card a moment later. Oldcastle found it difficult to relieve pressure on their own defence after this with St. Ultan's forwards Garry Gorman and Mark Allen working particularly hard to make life difficult for the visitors. In defence Declan Galligan and Jason Bennett were especially effective at cutting out Oldcastle attacks. Cian Rennicks kept the home team on top with regular points from play, and substitute Stephen Quirke finished off a fine move with a point from very close range. Oldcastle scored three frees at different times during the half but were held to just the single point from play, which as mentioned came at the start of the half. The full time score was St. Ultan's 0-11 - 0-07 Oldcastle.
Best for St. Ultan's were Jason Bennett, Declan Galligan, Paul Murray, Garry Gorman and Cian Rennicks.
Robert Daly, Ronan Galligan, Darren Mallon, Jason Bennett, Ronan Breslin, Declan Galligan, Gearoid Rennicks (0-1), Paul Murray (0-1), Sean Power, Emmet Costello, Gary Gorman, Mark Allen (0-1), Eugene Brady (0-1), Cian Rennicks (0-5 0-1f), Ciarán Rogers.
Subs used: Conor Smyth (0-1) for Ciarán Rogers (HT), Martin Dolan for Emmet Costello (35 mins), Stephen Quirke (0-1) for Eugene Brady (36 mins), Robert Duffy for Ronan Galligan (57 mins).
St.Ultans 0-11
Oldcastle 0-7
Oldcastle failed to see off St. Ultans in the Corn Na Boinne on Sunday afternoon.
The game started intense with both defences being under pressure and doing well to not concede. The first score of the game came from Oldcastle after five minutes when Paddy Rahill won the ball in midfield and worked well with Paddy Gilsenan to move the ball up the field leaving Stephen Tierney to convert. After ten minutes it was two points apiece following a score from play from St. Ultans and a free each with Gilsenan scoring for Oldcastle. Another converted free from Gilsenan after twenty minutes was their last score of the half and left them 2 points down at half time following three points from St. Ultans before the break.
Both sides added another point to the scoreboard in the opening minutes of the second half. Oldcastle were faced to finish the game with fourteen men, following their player receiving two yellows ten minutes into the second half. Oldcastle kept their focus but were unable to reduce the difference as they dealt with the overlap. Oldcastle added three points to their tally in the last quarter with a free from Gilsenan and two from Rahill but St. Ultans also added four to keep the lead.
Oldcastle: S.Rahill, J.Smith, C.McPartland, M.Cadden, E.Feeney, E.Gilsenan, S.Maxwell, R.McHugh, P.Rahill(0,2), P.Monaghan, S.Tierney (0,1), R.Maguire, J.Shortt, R.Cadden, P.Gilsenan (0,3). Subs: C.Curran for R.Maguire (30Minutes) J.Maxwell for S.Maxwell (40Minutes) C.Delaney for J.Shortt (40Minutes) B.Griffin for R.Cadden (40Minutes)
