June 10th Mayo Senior League Division 4
Ballintubber 5-15 Crossmoliona 3-7
(Report by OisIn McGovern)
A clinical and full-blooded effort from our junior team saw us claim a comprehensive home victory over Crossmoliona today. Despite the early 11 o’clock throw-in, the small crowd gathered in Clogher were treated to an eight-goal thriller which is sure to whet the appetite for when these two sides lock horns again in the Mayo Junior Championship in a few weeks’ time.
From the throw-in our lads were well on top with Paddy Burke grabbing our first goal after being set up by James McGing after a fine team move. Points from Ray Geraghty and Johnny Duffy were enough to give us a six point-lead within the first ten minutes. However, the visitors brought it back to within a point when midfielder Mike Gallagher let go a bullet of a shot from distance which Tom McGing was unable to keep out. Undeterred, we responded with a Stephen Broderick point before Johnny Duffy displayed outrageous skill when he flicked the ball over the Crossmoliona goalie before firing home a volley for the final score of the half.
Our lads continued to dominate in the second half, displaying a superior level of fitness and attacking support play to the opposition. When we appeared to be running away with it, corner-forward Gerard Holian converted a penalty to bring the deficit back to four. Any hopes the visitors may have had of getting back within touching distance of us were crushed when ‘Tubber’s Dave Clarke drove forward from wing-back to drive a left-footed effort into the back of the net.
It was at this midway point when the Red and White really turned on the style. Ray Geraghty and Ciarán Gavin raised a white flag each before the irrepressible Liam Feeney drove forward from his berth at corner-back to grab a goal for the ages when he fisted home Diego Maradona-style into the top corner after an inch-perfect fist pass from Johnny Duffy.
Another point from the impressive Ray Geraghty which went in off the post followed by a superbly taken penalty conversion by Ciarán Gavin left the North Mayo men dead and buried, with a soccer-style goal from Crossmoliona substitute Shane McKinley proving only tokenistic.
Man-for-man, it was as good of an attacking display as these lads have given all-year. Junior debuts were also given to substitutes Matthew Fox and Luke Murphy, the latter of who saw his afternoon end in a less than ideal manner when he was unfortunately black-carded. Being able to call upon the experience of the likes of Alan Larkin and Ger Brady stood to us in the closing stages, with both showing well during their brief cameos.
Ballintubber team that lined out:
(1)Tom McGing (2)Oran Scully (3)Kevin Shannon (4)Liam Feeney (1-0) (5)Jarlath Staunton (6)John Kerrigan (7)Dave Clarke (1-0) (8)David McHale (0-1) (9)Stephen Broderick (0-2) (10)Seanie Larkin (11)Ciarán Gavin (1-2, 1p, 1f) (12)Johnny Duffy (1-2) (13)James McGing (14)Ray Geraghty (0-8, 4f) (15)Paddy Burke (1-0)
Substitutions used: Aaron Lally for Seanie Larkin, Matthew Fox for Paddy Burke, Luke Murphy for Liam Feeney, Ger Brady for Johnny Duffy, Alan Larkin for Luke Murphy (Black Card)