AFCL
1: PARR PUTS REDS ON COURSE - Rostrevor
1-15 Bryansford 1-6
By Colm Fitzpatrick
A scintillating performance from wing
back Shaun Parr set Rostrevor on course
for this impressive win at Pettit Park
on Monday evening. The County Under 21
defender was in magical form for his
club, surging forward to score four
great points from play over the hour,
and being centrally involved in at least
as many more.
SUPERIOR REDS
Rostrevor, indeed, won this match as
easily as the scoreline suggests. Only
over-elaboration by the home team, and a
stormer by goalkeeper Peter Travers kept
Ford in the running as long as they
managed. Travers’ heroics included a
point blank stop from Eddie Magee and a
penalty save from Joe Fegan. In
addition, he had the fortune of the
brave on his side when an early shot
from Aidan Cole screamed past him but
crashed off the crossbar early in the
game. Thanks to all that, and some
effective direct football themselves,
Bryansford actually looked like going in
1-4 to 0-6 up at the end of a first half
in which they had often been thoroughly
outplayed. Theur effectiveness was
largely due to the dominance which Conor
Gribben was enjoying on the edge of the
square. Gribben scored two of Fords
three first half points as well as
flicking on a Luke Howard free for
ciaran Brannigan to scramble the ball to
the Rostrevor net in the 18th
minute. So, despite a purple patch in
which Reds played some delightful
football to surge 0-5 to 0-1 by the 14th
minute (Shaun Parr [2], Conor Daly [2]
and Lloyd Parr the scorers0 the home
team found themselves struggling on the
scoreboard for the rest of the half. The
thirty minutes had actually elapsed when
Joe fegan set up Lloyd parr for the
equalising point, and in the very next
attack, Fegan knifed his way along the
bye-line before delivering a fisted
cross which Lloyd parr knocked to the
net.
MORE LIKE IT
The 1-7 to 1-4 halftime score-line was
much more like it. By the end of the
third quarter, Rostrevor had improved
their position to a secure 1-12 to 1-5.
Again the marauding Parr had picked up
two more sweet points. Aidan Cole and
Fintan McBreen also pointed to cap
rippling length-of-the-field moves, and
pick of the lot was the one squeezed
over by Joe Fegan from right on the left
hand end-line.
Bryansford slipped inexorably
under.Ciaran Brannigan reminded the
gloomy visiting supporters of what he
could do when goven service as he
screwed over a fine point, but by now
Fords best player Conor gribben was
having to drop so deep for possession
that the elusive little corner forward
was a lonely figure. The last three
points fell to Rostrevor; to Aidan Cole,
Eddie Magee and Conor mackin, and the
big crowd went home happy.
GOOD TO WATCH
And why would they not have been? Not
only did Reds win well, they played some
absolutely delightful football in the
process, with most of their scores
actually capping end-to-end moves
carried out with pace and flair. All but
a point of their total came from play,
and they might well have had two or
three more goals on top of the one they
did manage. Again the half back line was
the one which made them tick. Sean
Farrell and Eddie Magee were very good.
Shaun Parr was impeccable. Conor Daly
and Fintan McBreen edged midfield
despite the gallant efforts of Adrian
Carville, and Joe Fegan and Lloyd Parr
were always causing problems with their
pace and cheek in the corners.
Bryansford’sproblem was that they came
second best out of so many individual
duels throughout the field. Exceptions
to this rule were Conor gribben, Ciaran
Brannigan, Adrian Carville and Aidan
Shields. And, of course, Peter Travers
did more than his share to keep the
match a contest for so long. But
Bryansford did not look as if they have
a happy season ahead of them. In
Rostrevor, on the other hand, they are
feeling fine.
Rostrevor scorers; Lloyd Parr [1-2];
Shaun Parr [0-4]; Conor Daly [0-2];
Aidan Cole [0-2] 1 free; Dermot Mackin
[0-1]; Fintan McBreen [0-1]; Joe Fegan
[0-1]; Eddie Magee [0-1]; Conor Mackin
[0-1]
Bryyansford scorers; Ciaran Brannigan
[1-2] 1 free; Conor Gribben [0-2]; Chris
Brannigan [0-2] 2 frees.
Rostrevor team; Christopher McCartan;
Kevin McGrath, Gary Magee, Jarlath
Farrell; Shaun Parr, Sean Farrell, Eddie
Magee; Fintan McBreen, Conor Daly; Paul
Magee, Eamon McConville, Dermot Mackin;
Joe Fegan, Aidan Cole, Lloyd Parr.
Subs used; Turlough Murphy for Gary
Magee; Colm Murney for Sean Farrell;
Conor Mackin for Joe Fegan; Brian Cole
for Fintan McBreen.
Bryansford scorers; Peter Travers;
Ciaran Fitzpatrick, Jonny Cunningham,
dara Neeson; Luke Howard, Aidan Shields,
Mickey valentine; Adrian carville,
Kieran McLoughlin; Gerard McCrickard,
Chris Brannigan, Timmy Hanna; Ciaran
Brannigan, Conor Gribben, Matthew Toner.
Subs used; Stephen McKibben for Matthew
Toner
Man of the Match: Shaun Parr [Rostrevor]
