ST MARY’S 0-10

DIARMUID Ó MATHÚNA 0-9

TOM LYONS REPORTS

LAST year’s beaten finalists, Diarmuid Ó Mathúna, are out of this season’s hunt for the Mick McCarthy Cup following this quarter-final defeat by St Mary’s in Dunmanway on Friday night last under lights.

This Clona Milk Junior A Football Championship local derby clash was the first time this season we could really use the old cliché 'a game of two halves'. Mathúna’s were the masters for most of the first half – hungrier, more committed and more eager, and doing most of the attacking. Despite a lull in scoring in the second quarter, they were full value for the five-point lead approaching half-time.

In injury time in the first half, we began to see the real St Mary’s as they kicked two vital points to close the gap at the break to three.

The second half saw a complete turnabout in fortunes as the Saints took control. The game was still up for grabs in the last quarter as Mathúna’s got a second wind, but it was the Saints who grabbed the vital scores to emerge winners.

'We would be disappointed that we were so slow to get going in the first half. We weren’t playing to our ability, stuck to the ground, playing well within ourselves,' said St Mary's manager Daniel Cronin. 'Once we found our feet, the last few minutes of the first half were vital. We got two points that brought us back into the game by half-time. In the second half we played with more intent.'

Although Brian McCarthy kicked the opening point from a free for St Mary’s, it was Mathúna’s who asserted control, with Eoin Mangan, Conor O’Sullivan and Aaron Draper driving forward from defence and Ted Lordan and Gearóid O’Donovan lording midfield.

Scores from Stephen Moore, Robbie Lucey, James Fleming and Jamie Lucey had them ahead, and after Niall Kelleher and Moore swapped points, Mathúna’s were 0-5 to 0-2 in front at the end of the first quarter.

When Mathúna’s began the second quarter by increasing their lead to five points with scores from Moore and Gearóid O’Donovan, it seemed the Ballineeen/Enniskeane men were in for a real drubbing.

Then came a shift in momentum as Mary’s finally began to show urgency. In injury time, Darren O’Donovan kicked two vital points to put his side right back in contention.

St Mary’s manager Daniel Cronin.

St. Mary’s retired to the dressing room at half-time while Mathúna’s remained in their dugout, and were left waiting on the pitch some minutes for the opposition to re-appear. But that delay couldn’t explain the complete change in the game subsequently as Mary’s upped their play and Mathúna’s looked like a team stuck in second gear.

William Hennigan, David Curtin and, especially, Dylan Scannell drove St Mary's on from defence, while Eoin Cullinane and Cillian McGillicuddy gained control of the middle third and Jack Hurley, Niall Kelleher, Darren O’Donovan and sub Jack Eady opened up in attack.

Putting fierce pressure on the Mathúna kick-outs, Mary’s reeled their opponents in with points from Kelleher (two, one free) and O’Donovan to level matters after 40 minutes, and then O’Donovan put them in front for the first time since the very first minute.

Mathúna’s responded with a pointed free from Jack O’Callaghan, leaving it 0-8 each, and the same player repeated the feat five minutes later to put his side back in front. Mathúna’s defended well in the closing stages but too many turnovers proved costly as Brian McCarthy pointed a free in the 57th minute to level the game. Extra time looked likely as the game drew to a close but Niall Kelleher was to emerge the hero for St Mary’s when he pointed the winning free in the 59th minute. Mathúna’s may have had a grievance at the lack of injury time played but they never really looked like saving the game at that stage.

Our Star: The work rate, focus and leadership of St Mary’s captain Dylan Scannell helped to switch the momentum in this encounter.

Scorers

St Mary’s: Niall Kelleher 0-4 (2f), Darren O’Donovan and Brian McCarthy (2f) 0-3 each.

Diarmuid Ó Mathúna: Stephen Moore, James Fleming and Jack O’Callaghan (2f) 0-2 each, Gearóid O’Donovan, Robbie Lucey and Jamie Lucey 0-1 each.

St Mary’s: Peter Daly; Mark O’Driscoll, Ryan Scannell, William Hennigan; Dylan Scannell, David Curtin, Rory O’Connor; Cillian McGillicuddy, Eoin Cullinane; Michael O’Driscoll, Jack Hurley, Gearóid Harrington; Niall Kelleher, Darren O’Donovan, Brian McCarthy.

Subs: Jack Eady for G. Harrington (ht), Jason Collins for C. McGillicuddy (46), Aaron O’Driscoll for M. O’Driscoll (50)

Diarmuid Ó Mathúna: Oisín O’Leary; Ronan McCarthy, Seán Crowley, Eoin Mangan; Barry Lordan, Conor O’Sullivan, Aaron Draper; Ted Lordan, Gearóid O’Donovan; Robbie Lucey, Stephen Moore, James Fleming; Jamie Lucey, Michael O’Sullivan, Jack O’Callaghan.

Subs: Kevin O’Donovan for S. Moore (40), Caolan O’Donovan for A. Draper (48), Jeremiah Hurley for G. O’Donovan (55).

Referee: Jimmy O’Sullivan.