Owenmore Gaels 4-12 Cloonacool 1-10
The senior men made it 3 wins in a row in division 3 with an impressive 11 point win over Cloonacool at an immacculately presented Connolly Park on Saturday evening.
We roared out of the blocks in the early summer sunshine, and got the first 4 scores of the game including two majors. Corner back Garrett Lavin got the scoreboard moving with a fine point, followed up by a Colin Smith free after Roland Anderson marked a kick-out.
Ryan Philips then hit the first of two goals in 3 minutes, the first a fine finish following a good pass inside from Conor Davey, the second a punch to the net after a fantastic flowing move up the pitch started from a brilliant Lavin turnover on our own 21 and involving Peter Wynne and a clever one-two with Smith.
To Cloonacool’s credit they responded brilliantly to reel of the next 4 scores, the first a 45′ after a superb Jason Farrell save. They followed with a goal after a defensive mix up and tagged on two points.
Philips got us a score after a super mark from centre-forward Gary Anderson. Smith tagged on a free after Wynne was fouled and Philips raised another white flag after great work from Gary Anderson to asertain our authority on the contest. Midfielder James Duffy then finished a lovely team move instigated again by Lavin and Gary Anderson. The sides exchanged points, ours from Philips again, before the best moment of the half just before the short whistle. A flowing move invoving numerous players, most prominently Dessie Flynn and Smith, ended with Davey cuting at pace through the Cloonacool cover to finish emphatically to the corner of the net. Half time score Owenmore Gaels 3-7 Cloonacool 1-5
The expected Cloonacool reaction came on the resumption. They hit three points in a row before Smith got us off the mark with a free, won by himself. We freshened thing up with the introduction of Gerard Doyle and Aaron Nicholson for Peter Wynne and Stanley Harte respectively. Smith punched over a point, set-up by Gary Anderson. Cloonacool, never throwing in the towel, hit the next two points but we were defending resolutely and in numbers when required. Tommy Trill came in for the injured Pa Murphy, before Smith hit a free and Davey fired over.
Adrian Egan and Simon Cashman came in for Smith and Davey respectively as we looked to close the game out. A nice break, orchastrated once again by Lavin, led to Nicholson rounding his man and despatching a rocket, left-footed, to the back of the net to put the result beyond doubt. Nicholson tagged on a point following good work from Gary Anderson and Duffy, leaving a final winning margin of 11 points.
This was an impressive performance from the team from front to back. The back four were once again excellent, tigerish in the tackle with Kyle Taheny and Lavin supporting the play with purpose. The half back and half forward line worked tirelessly, with Duffy and Flynn dominant in the middle. Up front we took some nice scores with the four goals particularily impressive. The substitutes that came on really added to the win and drove the result home. Philips was the pick of the forwards, devestating in the first half in particular, but the player of the match was Garrett Lavin, who’s early score set the tone for an outstanding individual display from corner-back.
There is now a break in the league until 10th June when we take on St. Marys in Kent Park.
Team: Jason Farrell, Gareth Lavin (0-1), Pa Murphy (Tommy Trill), Kyle Taheny, Peter Wynne (Gerard Doyle), Cian Whiteside, Roly Anderson, James Duffy (0-1), Dessie Flynn, Conor Davey (1-1) (Simon Cashman), Gary Anderson, Jack Foley, Ryan Philips (2-3), Colin Smith (0-5, 4F) (Adrian Egan), Stanley Harte (Aaron Nicholson (1-1)) Subs: Alan Flynn, Ethan McLoughlin, Kealan Bolton