ACFL 1: BALANCED BURREN WHET PROSPECTS - Rostrevor 3-9 Burren 1-16
With these two teams due to meet again
in the championship in a fortnights time
there was more at stake than just the
league points when they faced each other
in front of a festival-sized crowd at
Pettit Park on Friday last. And if there
was, it was Burren who left the ground
marginally more satisfied after pipping
the home side in a match of great
entertainment value.
PRICE
Why just “marginal”? That is because of
the price the Burren men may have paid
for this impressive win, for the sight
of the ambulance waiting to take Eoin
Mccartan to hospital will have reminded
Burren fans on their way out that their
star forward may not see action again
this season if the player is as badly
injured as many feared after appearing
to go over on his ankle in the 49th
minute. And “star player” is an accolade
thoroughly merited on the evidence of
this occasion. Young Mccartan was in
superb form, leading a Burren full
forward line which accounted for 1-15 of
the teams total, even in the absence of
the still-recuperating James McGovern!
JEWELS
Eoin had hit five of these points
himself, several of them jewels, and was
the best footballer on the field on an
evening where there were a number of
outstanding performances on both sides.
He would undoubtedly be sorely missed if
not available for the championship in
two weeks time, though Burren folk will
have been re-assured by the impact that
Sean Ward made when coming in to the
fray for the last quarter, for burren
were still 1-12 to 3-7 in arrears when
their full forward departed the action,
and wards leadership was a significant
factor in their determined finish which
saw them outscore the home team by 0-4
to 0-2 in the minutes remaining.
THRILLS
The match finished in a welter of
excitement, w9th a 62nd
minute point by Kevin McGivern proving
decisive as Reds squandered three
inviting chances of an equaliser in
added time. But the excitement had never
really flagged.Reds fans had had more of
the cheering in the opening quarter. In
particular they rejoiced to see that
Adrian Mackins confidence had come
flooding back after having appeared to
abandon the talented corner forward
completely so far this season. Adrian
had hit two sweet points himself, and
set up another for Conor Daly, as well
as shooting crisply to the net to cap a
Lloyd pParr breakthrough in the 12th
minute. Rostrevor led 1-4 to 0-3 going
in to the second quarter, but already it
was clear that they were finding it very
difficult to cope with Burrens buzzing
full forward line of Kevin McGivern,
Eoin Mccartan and Gavin Murdock.Points
by Gavin Murdock, Kevin McGivern and
Eunan McGovern had whittled the
Rostrevor lead back to 0-6 to 1-4, but
then Reds struck again. Gary Magee’s
intelligent crossfield pass gave Martin
Doran the space in which to turn his
marker on the 45, and the pacey
rostrevor half forward took full
advantage as the space opened up in
front of him, speeding through it to
crash home a splendid goal.
McCartan ON SONG
It was Eoin McCartan who was chiefly
responsible for restoring Burrens
fortunes.he hit a fine point in the 22nd
minute, and provided a glorious pass to
send Kevin McGivern in for the
equalising goal two minutes later. Nor
was he finished. He equalised again
after Lloyd pParr had restored
Rostrevors lead, and then put his team
in front for the first time with a
magnificent point with what turned out
to be the final kick of an absorbing
first half.
LIFE
There was still plenty of life in this
game, however. Adrian mackin broke clear
in the very first attack of the second
half, and found the net with the most
exquisite chip shot on the run to put
reds back in front. And in the second
minute, Adrian drifted over to the left
wing to swing over a peach of a point
which gave the home team a three point
advantage. Burren battled back. Points
from Gavin Murdock and Kevin Mcgivern
were followed by another majestic point
by Eoin Mccartan to leave Burren just
1-12 to 3-7 in arrears after 412
minutes. Then the injury to McCartan
cast a severe cloud over the visitors
prospects. But they made speedy repairs.
The introduction of Sean Ward
revitalised their fortunes around the
middle of the field, and the move of
Ciaran Byrne to full-forward gave the on
form Kevin McGivern the foil they
needed. Murdock levelled the scores in
the 52nd minute from a free
and then put his side in front in the 54th.
Back came reds to equalise with a great
point from Conor Daly in the 56th,
only for Kevin Mcgivern to squeeze over
the lead point for Burren a minute from
the scheduled end. McGivern added
another two minutes into added time, and
though there was still time for Conor
Daly to create three more scoring
chances and Martin Cole one, only one of
these was converted and Burren ended up
still a point to the good at the final
whistle.
DESERVED
They just about deserved to be where
they found themselves.. They looked the
better balanced, better organised team
throughout. Daniel McCartan, Garnet
McFerran and Ronan McGovern defended
well, Sean ward made a big impression at
midfield in the final quarter and Declan
Rooney did some great work in the middle
third, as did Kevin Mckernan who
switched most effectively to the half
back line when Burren reshuffled their
pack in the second half. The exploits of
their full forward line have already
been detailed, and they can still look
forward to the return of James Mcgovern
in this sector.
Rostrevor had their moments,
particularly in the form of Adrian
Mackins renewed confidence up front. But
with Joe Fegan hobbling off in the
opening quarter, and Conor Daly not
getting to the pace of the game until
the final minutes, their threat was not
spread as widely as that of Burren.
Jarlath Austindid well until the arrival
of Sean ward in opposition, but Gary
Magee was the only defender to play to
form while the full back line took a
right roasting from the visiting full
forwards
Rostrevor scorers; Adrian Mackin [2-3];
Lloyd Parr [0-3]; Conor Daly [0-3];
Martin Doran [1-0].
Burren scorers; Kevin McGivern [1-4];
Gavin Murdock [0-6]; Eoin Mccartan
[0-5]; Eunan McGovern [0-1]
Rostrevor team; Padraig Mulholland;
Kevin McGrath, Paul Magee, jarlath
Farrell; Eddie mMagee, Martin Cole, Gary
Magee; Fintan McBreen, jarlath Austin;
Niall Farrell, Conor Daly, Martin Doran;
Lloyd parr, Joe Fegan, Adrian mackin.
Burren scorers; cathal Murdock; Brian
Murphy, Daniel McCartan, garnet McFerran;
Ciaran Byrne, Chris McGovern, Ronan
McGovern; Conor McCann, Eunan McGovern;
Kevin Mckernan, Declan Rooney, Eamonn
McGovern, ; Kevin McGivern, Eoin
McCartan, Gavin Murdock
