Carnaross 1-11 Syddan 1-10

Carnaross marked their return to the Junior C grade with the narrowest of victories over a battling Syddan side on a fine spring evening in Moynalty.

Interestingly The Ross's last outing at this grade was played in Drumbaragh in 2002 and featured John "Bonecrusher" O'Reilly in goals wearing steel toe boots. Jack Yore had big shoes to fill but performed with distinction between the posts today. Carnaross started the strongest and built up a 0-3 to 0-1 lead after ten minutes with Stephen Flattery (2) and Pierce Fleming on target after good build up play from Shane Casserley and Brian Comaskey. Carnaross were on top throughout the first quarter.

Carnaross opened up a 4 point lead with a free from Fleming and a fine score from Comaskey, after Peter Mullan's lightning quick hands. A scoreless ten minutes was ended with a Syddan placed ball after a harsh free was awarded against John Brogan. The Carnaross full back line are all somehow related and were otherwise very solid, although Alan O'Reilly was lucky to avoid a black card later in the game. Dillon Fox caught the next kick out and the ball was worked up field through Fleming with Flattery on hand to restore a 4 point advantage.

Syddan were guilty of missing a couple of chances in this period although credit must go to the Carnaross rear guard who kept pressure on the kickers. From one of these Syddan wides, a short kick out from Jack Yore to Alan O'Reilly was well worked up the field through Stephen Dawson, Fox, Fleming and Patrick "The Stalk" Smith before Flattery applied the finishing touch to leave the half time score 0-7 to 0-2 in favour of the Ross.

Syddan started the second half brightly with two quick-fire points reducing the deficit to three. Carnaross responded well when a point attempt dropped into Jack Yore's hands and a thumping clearance found Brian Comaskey. Comaskey played a one-two with Flattery before laying off to Casserley who gave the keeper no chance to leave Carnaross 1-7 to 0-4 in front after 35 minutes.

With Fleming suffering cramp the next 5 minutes belonged to Syddan who rattled off 4 successive points and reduce the difference to 2. Peter Mullan suffered his long-awaited first ever black card in this period and was replaced by Ollie Murphy. Murph was lacking match sharpness and gave some questionable passes before eventually finding Stephen Flattery who hit his fifth point from play to leave a goal between the sides 1-8 to 0-8 after 47 mins. Despite Carnaross leading for the entire game, the game was in the melting pot and Syddan hit 1-2 to take a 2 point lead with 5 minutes remaining. Ollie Murphy then telegraphed a pass in to Colin Yore who could have hit the net but was closed off with the ball breaking to Flattery who reduced the deficit to the minimum. With 3 minutes remaining Shane Casserley got the ball in space and was tearing through the middle in search of an equaliser only for an unmerciful clothes line to haul him down. Carnaross were awarded the free which Murphy converted and the Syddan man was shown the red card.

The game became a 13 v14 affair from the resulting kick out when both Dillon Fox and his man were shown red cards following an off-the-ball incident. With the game in injury time and the score a draw at 1-10 apiece it took guile and experience to settle the tie. Stephen Dawson got on the ball sixty yards from goal. He soloed, he hopped, he soloed with the left, he looked around, the crowd was roaring, his teammates were roaring, but Dawson wasn't listening he was curling it with the left over the black spot. Syddan were given every chance to equalise with two scorable frees dubiously awarded deep into injury time with the second effort hitting the post, but Carnaross held on for a battling victory and a good start to the Junior C campaign. Final scoreline 1-11 to 1-10.

Carnaross: Jack Yore, Alan O'Reilly, John Brogan, Matthew O'Reilly, Cian Yore, Eamonn Comaskey, Stephen Dawson (0-1), Pierce Fleming (0-2), Dillon Fox, Patrick Smith, Brian Comaskey, (0-1), Stephen Flattery (0-6), Peter Mullan, Shane Casserley (1-0), Colin Yore. Subs: Ollie Murphy (0-1) for Peter Mullan (black card).

Syddan Report

CARNAROSS 1-11 SYDDAN 1-10

THE width of a post denied Syddan a share of the spoils in this competitive opening round Junior C match at Moynalty.

There was drama aplenty in this game especially in the closing stages as Syddan were reduced to 13 while Carnaross also had a player red carded.

Syddan led for the only time when Darren Smith netted after connecting with a Michael Smith centre to leave his side leading 1-10 to 1-8 on 53 minutes. However last year's Junior D winners hit back with three unanswered points, with the winner arriving two minutes into added time.

Syddan had a chance of an equaliser from a close range free in the last action of the game but Darren Smith's effort rebounded off the woodwork.

Carnaross dominated for most of the opening half and Syddan were fortunate to be only 0-3 to 0-7 in arrears at half-time. Peter Sheehy's eighth minute point had the sides level before Carnaross eventually opened up a 0-7 to 0-2 lead, Ben Blakemore registering the Syddan point from a free. Michael Smith accounted for their other point of the half on the stroke of half-time.

Despite the concession of a 34th minute goal Syddan hit back strongly in the third quarter with points from Paddy Farrelly, Darren Smith (two), Michael Smith and Blakemore.

Boosted by further points from Farrelly and Smith's goal Syddan eventually went ahead but were unable to hold on in a hectic finish.

SYDDAN - Paddy Meade; Paddy Rafferty, Ben Bashford, Richie Connell: Stephen Tallon, Thomas Meade, Michael Clare; Robbie Farrelly, Peter Sheehy 0-1; Paddy Farrelly 0-3, Michael Smith 0-2, Gary McManus; Ben Blakemore 0-2, Darren Smith 1-2, Kevin Carry. Subs - Michael Sweeney for Carry, Eamon Maguire for Rafferty, Eoin Lynch Duff for R Farrelly, Cormac Rafferty for Blakemore.

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