Mayobridge come good in SFC final replay
Mayobridge come good in SFC final replay
14 October 2007
Mayobridge senior footballers continued
their dominance of Down senior football
when they won their fourth senior
football championship final in a row
when they proved too strong for a
gallant Longstone side in what was
a very exciting and fiercely contested
final replay at Pairc Esler, Newry
on Sunday, 14th of October on a scoreline
of 1-8 to 0-9.
This game lived up
to all its pre-match hype as both
teams produced a great final replay
before a big attendance with the outcome
in doubt right to the final whistle.
The champions started
the game in impressive fashion and
dominated play in the opening ten
minutes. However, some great defensive
play by the Longstone defence and
sone poor shooting by the Mayobridge
attack saw the sides on level terms
0-1 apiece. In the 11th minute against
the run of play Longstone were ahead
when Barry Doran pointed, and from
there to the 20th minute they came
more into the game. Indeed, during
this period they missed two goal chances,
and also had a goal disallowed when
Ambrose Rodgers hand-passed to the
Mayobridge net.
Mayobridge continued
to work hard, but they were missing
the influence of the injured Benny
Coulter in attack. They equalised
in the 20th minute from Michael Walsh,
but almost immediately Barry Doran
from a free and Ryan Kelly had further
points for the challengers to put
them ahead by two points. In the closing
minutes of the half, Mayobridge regrouped
well and late points from John Quinn
(free) and Adrian Barry in added time
saw the sides go in at the break on
level terms 0-4 apiece.
The third quarter
of the game saw the sides cancel each
other out, and with the game entering
its final quarter they were locked
in stalemate at 0-7 apiece.
Now the game was
entering its final quarter and it
was very much in the balance. It was
then ’super sub’ Benny
Coulter made his mark. A long ball
into the Longstone defence was superbly
fielded by Coulter who shot to the
net. The momentum was now with the
champions and they added a point from
Brendan Rooney - and at this stage
they seemed to be in command.
However, this Longstone
side has great character and back
they came with points from Barry Doran
to leave two between the sides and
time running out. They ’threw
caution to the wind’ in the
last few minutes of the game, but
Mayobridge were not to be denied on
this occasion and some admirable last-ditch
defending saw them hold out for a
narrow two points win in the end -
1-8 to 0-9.
This was a thrilling
game of football played at a very
fast pace between two sides who really
gave value for money to the large
attendance present. In the end, a
piece of individual magic from county
star, Benny Coulter with his goal
proved the difference. Mayobridge
by their battling performance showed
why they are the dominant side in
Down senior football in recent years.
They know how to win close game, and
even when matches seem to be going
away from them they never lose their
cool.
Longstone have now
put down a marker in this season’s
championship that they are a team
for the future. They showed in these
two finals that they have the talent,
ability and character to match the
best around. The experience gained
in these two games with Mayobridge
will stand them in good stead, and
if they keep their feet on the ground
they are a side capable of making
a senior championship breakthrough,
sooner rather than later!
Mayobridge - L. Coulter;
G. Barry, B. Grant capt., M. Lively;
S. Grant, S. O’Hare, K. O’Hare;
E. Woods, J. Caldwell 0-1; A. Barry
0-1, Michael Walsh 0-4, Ronan Sexton;
N. Sexton, C. Magee, J. Quinn 0-1.
Subs - Benny Coulter 1-1 for J. Quinn;
B. Rooney 0-1 for K. O’Hare;
Robbie Coulter for C. Magee.
Longstone - A. Poland;
M. Higgins, E. Quinn. C. Poland; M.
Doran, B. Kelly, C. Smyth; J. Magee,
P. Trainor; E. Trimble, Barry Doran
0-5, A. Rodgers 0-1; R. Kelly 0-1,
M. Poland 0-1, S. Doran 0-1.
Sub - N. McCombe for B. Kelly.
Referee - C. Brannigan
from Clonduff.
