Yorkshire prove too slick for Herts

June 16, 2009
All Britain Junior Football Championship. Hertfordshire 1.03 Yorkshire 0.13 At sun-drenched Páirc na hÉireann on Sunday hopes of Herts doing well this year in the All Britain Championship took a might punch when Yorkshire proved the better team. The old adage that you get out what you put in is indeed a very wise proverb. No fault of Bainisteóir, Gerry Naughton, who for some years now has battled tirelessly to get the teams prepared for this championship, that Herts didn't run Yorkshire closer. This is a winnable competition for any of the contestants who put in the necessary work, most pundits would agree. Desirable too, with opposition against junior provincial champions from Ireland as reward. If this scribbler might digress for a moment, four counties were in action on the two pitches. All of then had some 25 players there in their panels, showing players do value the opportunity to play for their counties. For Herts, the quest must be for the County Executive to garner that enthusiasm and turn it into a collective dynamism that will make Herts major challengers each year for this important title. Yorkshire took the lead from a free but Vincents' John Boyle equalised in the 3rd minute. The winners edged ahead again and Luke Maloney pulled it back to level terms. That was as good as it caught as Yorkshire's half forward Joe MacCarroll threatened to score every time he won possession. Still, it was close at half time as the winners led 5 points to two. Herts never did settle down in the opening half and good free taking opportunities were sent wide or into the hands of James Mellor on the Yorks' goal line. At the other end, Liam Berry was solid in goal, whilst others in the rearguard to impress were Kevin Killeen and Kevin Cauldfield. The midfield pair of Mark Keys and Brian Keegan battled well, with Keegan particularly doing a lot of valuable work. But Yorkshire had added another four points before Herts managed their first 2nd half score in the eighteenth minute. The goal came when the Luton trio of Ó Connor, Maloney and Boyle combined before the latter hit low to the net. The score gave encouragement to Herts for awhile. Maloney pointed a free after good work by Ó Connor. However, more scores failed to materialise and Yorkshire reasserted themselves to add four more points and run out deserving winners. Best for Herts were Berry, Keegan, Ó Connor and Greg Treanor when he came on in defence. Herts are a much better side than the performance showed. On the day, very few of the side matched the skills of McCarroll, Joe MacPartland, Paddy Fahey and others for Yorkshire. Key now is improved performances from each and every player for the visit by London to St Albans this Sunday.

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