ARAGLEN 1-11
BELGOOLY 0-12
JJ HURLEY REPORTS
BELGOOLY’S failure to convert goal opportunities proved decisive against Araglen in the semi-final of the county junior B football championship at Carraig na bhFear.
Belgooly footballers and their supporters were left scratching their heads as they struck the woodwork twice.
The ball had hardly been thrown-in when Ronan Power was up-ended in the small square to earn his side a penalty. Up stepped Ryan Long, only to see his shot crash off the post.
Having cleared their lines, the Avondhu men motored up the field, and Aaron Hegarty fired to the Belgooly net.
Long opened his side’s account on five minutes as he drove over a point that was cancelled out by Hegarty.
Long and Power then combined well on eight minutes as Power hit a furious drive only to see the keeper tip it over the bar.
As the Avondhu side began to dominate proceedings, two quick scores had them leading by 1-3 to 0-2, before Power had Belgooly’s third point of the night on 14 minutes.
Belgooly outscored their opponents coming to the break, as the impressive Conor O’Donovan had two points to the single opportunity for Araglen, 1-4 to 0-5 at half-time.
The opening minutes had Belgooly failing to take two glorious goal opportunities as Lucas Dalton just couldn’t squeeze the ball home.
As the sides traded points, including another point from Long which could’ve been a goal, Belgooly took a firm grip on the contest as Liam Og O’Riordan featured heavily.
Two O’Donovan points had the sides level on 40 minutes, but the Avondhu side went back in front by two.
O’Donovan and Long had it all square, 1-7 to 0-10 on 46 minutes.
Araglen claimed two scores, including an all-important two-pointer but to their credit Belgooly fought back as Gearoid O’Riordan sent over a two-pointer.
With a point separating the sides, Belgooly chased the elusive equaliser but it was Araglen who landed the final score.
Scorers
Araglen: A Hegarty 1-4 (3f); B Carey 0-4 (1tp); C Twomey 0-3.
Belgooly: C O’Donovan 0-5 (3f); R Long 0-3 (1f); R Power, G O’Riordan (tp) 0-2 each.
Araglen: S Og O’Doherty; E Finn, F Hickey, S Keane; O Hogan, J Kearney, S Motherway; B Carey, P Hynes; C Watts, E Leddy, P Finn; C Twomey, K O’Gorman, A Hegarty.
Sub: J Hynes for E Finn (32).
Belgooly: C Crowley; F Walsh, D Walsh, S Kiely; D O’Callaghan, Neil O’Sullivan, DJ Collins; L Og O’Riordan, R Reynolds; G O’Riordan, R Long, C O’Sullivan; J O’Sullivan, R Power, C O’Donovan.
Subs: L Dalton for S Kiely (10, inj); A Daly for L Dalton (55).
Referee: A O’Regan (Youghal).
