MFC final: Geradlines hit the spot
September 30, 2013St Marys 1-9
Two goal hero Josh Arrowsmith put on a real captain's performance as the Geraldines overcame a seven point half-time deficit to claim the Fr Larry Murray Cup for the fourth time.
The Ardee side looked to be on course for victory when they went in at the break with a healthy advantage, but it was the Gers who made the most of the wind advantage to claim another memorable Minor win.
It was the Mary's who opened up the scoring in the fifth minute when Martin Duffy stroked over a free after Peter Clarke was hauled to the ground. They soon grabbed a second when Ryan Rooney put the ball over the black spot after good work from Duffy.
Josh Arrowsmith was proving a handful for the Mary's defence and he almost grabbed the Gers first score when he set off on a blistering run towards the Marys goal but his shot was well saved by Mary's keeper Pearse Callan.
The Gers first score eventually came in the 14th minute and it came in bizarre circumstances as Dara Hamill's long range free evaded everybody before bouncing high into the roof of the net much to the delight of the Haggardstown faithful.
The Mary's playing with the aid of a slight breeze responded in style however when Kian Moran received a perfect pass from Ryan Rooney before slipping the ball past Gers' Dean Smith for Mary's opening goal.
That goal seemed to lift the Mary's as they took control of the game for the final ten minutes of the opening half. Points in quick succession from Martin Duffy, Kian Duffy, Karl Faulkner and Daire McConnon suddenly saw the Mary's go five points before Dara Hamill responded with a point for the Gers.
The Mary's had another surge as half-time approached and they went in at the break seven points clear thanks to late points from Ryan Rooney, Martin Duffy and Kian Moran. That left the Gers facing an uphill battle with the scoreboard reading 1-8 to 1-1 in the Ardee side's favour.
The Gers started the second half looking much brighter as they began to take control of midfield. Dara Hamill and Conor McDonald reduced the deficit with two well taken frees before Josh Arrowsmith reduced the gap to just a single point with a beautifully taken goal after a wonderful solo run.
The Gers took the lead for the first time in the match in the 41st minute when that man Arrowsmith hit a great ball into corner forward Paddy Gagon who finished with aplomb for Gers third goal of the game.
The Mary's tried to attack the Gers defence but time and time again they were stopped in their tracks by excellent Dillon Kresa. The half back seemed to be all over the pitch as he continually broke up Mary's attacks. Two more points from Dara Hamill left the Gers four points clear with the Mary's still looking for their first score of the second half.
Any chance of the Ardee side getting back into the game were extinguished in the 51st minute when the ever dangerous Josh Arrowsmith caught Pearse Callan's kick out and surged past the Mary's defence to blast the ball home for a killer fourth goal for the Haggardstown side.
Kian Moran eventually scored St Mary's first point of the second half but it was far too late and late points from Conor McDonald and the impressive Dara Hamill ensured that the Haggardstown side would be lifting the Fr Larry Murray Cup in 2013.
GERALDINES: Dean Smith; Tim McGuinness, Ryan Trainor, Shane Murphy; Robbie Lynch, Jack Traynor, Dillon Kresa; Dan McSherry, Mathew Corcoran; Niall Craven, Dara Hamill (1-6), Conor McDonald (0-2); Vincent McKee, Josh Arrowsmith (2-0), Paddy Gagon (1-1). Subs: James Corrigan for Vincent McKee, No 27 for Shane Murphy, Niall Joans for Conor McDonald.
ST MARYS: Pearse Callan; Paddy Conlon, Conor Keenan, Rory Cousins; David Carroll, Evan Keenan, Peter Clarke; Gavin Douglas, Karl Faulkner (0-1); Kian Moran (1-3), Martin Duffy (0-2), Daire McConnon (0-1); Andrew Leavy, Ryan Rooney (0-2), Aaron Kerley. Subs: James Conlon for Aaron Kerley, Brendan Matthews for Rory Cousins, BJ Matthews for David Carroll, Lorcan Malone for Andrew Leavy, Andrew Mooney for Peter Clarke. Tweet
