JFC D final: Ollie points the way for Carnaross
October 16, 2017
Ollie Murphy clips over a point for Carnaross as Longwood's Kenneth Cleary closes in during the Meath JFC D Final at Pairc Tailteann.
JFC D final: Ollie points the way for Carnaross
The legendary Ollie Murphy capped his 42nd birthday with four points to inspire Carnaross to a JFC D final win over Longwood at Pairc Tailteann on Sunday.
Carnaross .......... 0-13
Longwood ........... 0-6
The two-time All-Ireland SFC winner and two-time All Star posted three of his points in the opening half as Carnaross laid the foundations for this success in very difficult conditions.
John L Gee's men built on their slender interval advantage and weren't reeled in after the change of ends.
Ollie's second pointed free got Carnaross' second-half going in the 33rd minute. It was quickly followed by a point from team captain Ollie Farrelly. When Brian Comaskey chipped in it was 0-8 to 0-3 with 35 minutes gone.
Longwood - who beat Carnaross in an earlier game in the championship - had the better of the second quarter. When Enda Dixon pointed the south county side were just three points off the pace, 0-6 to 0-9, after 44 minutes.
Carnaross closed in on possession of the Liam Creavin Cup with four unanswered points as conditions improved slightly.
Patrick Smith's second score got the sequence going. Then Ollie Murphy turned provider for Dean Connell to bring Carnaross' tally to double figures.
Within moments of his introduction, Paul Donoghue got off the mark for Carnaross with the game's penultimate score. Ciaran Yore went close to turning the ball in for a goal in the 58th minute.
Ollie Murphy limped off to a hero's applause at this stage while Dylan Fox closed the scoring for men in maroon and gold.
Playing towards the town end, Longwood were first to show with David Flynn's opener in the third minute. Carnaross quickly responded through Dean Connell. Then the Cavan-border side kicked on with a trio of points.
They hit the front through Patrick Smith in the 13th minute. Seconds later Ollie Murphy set up Pierce Fleming to score. Just into the second quarter Ollie Murphy made it 0-4 to 0-1 as conditions deteriorated.
Just after Longwood lost Ian Keenan to a black card, David Flynn posted his second point for the south county side. It was countered by Pierce Fleming's second point. Soon after his introduction for the black-carded Ian Keenan, Gary Heneghan closed the first-half scoring.
Carnaross led by 0-5 to 0-3 at the break as conditions became gloomier. By the end eight different players were on the scoresheet for the winners including sub Paul Donoghue who registered within minutes of his introduction.
Carnaross - Jack Yore; John Plunkett, Matthew O'Reilly, Jack Roche; Stephen Dawson, Eamonn Comaskey, Cian Yore; Pierce Fleming (0-2), Dylan Fox (0-1); Dean Connell (0-1), Brian Comaskey (0-1), Patrick Smith (0-2); Ollie Murphy (0-4, 2fs), Benny Murphy, Ollie Farrelly (C) (0-1). Subs - Peter Mullan for Farrelly (49), Paul Donoghue (0-1) for B Murphy (bc 52), Colm Carpenter for O Murphy (58), Alan O'Reilly for Fleming (64) Conor Woods for Comaskey (64).
Longwood - Jarlath Cully; Michael McGuigan (C), Kenneth Cleary, Darragh Maguire; Owen Weir, Enda Dixon (0-1), James Mahon; Michael Weir, Alan Holton; John Paul Mullen, David Flynn (0-3), Michael Ennis; Gerard Ennis, Martin Bermingham, Ian Keenan. Subs - Gary Heneghan (0-1) for Keenan (bc 29), Padraig Barron (0-1) for Holton (36), Jim Dorran for M Healy (38), Dermot Kiernan for G Ennis (44), Brendan Hanna for Maguire (54), Shane Ryan for Bermingham (60),
Referee - Ciaran Flynn (Seneschalstown)
