SFC replay:
AWESOME BLUES SEND THE MESSAGE
Mayobridge 2-12 Rostrevor 0-4
By Colm Fitzpatrick
There was a rather subversive rumour
going around this county for a few days
last week to the effect that mayobridge
were no longer the force they were.
Indeed, some maintained that they were
lucky to be in the championship at all,
and that if there had been any justice
at all in football, Rostrevor would
have sent them spinning into the darkness
the previous Friday when the sides met
in the 2007 quarter final in Burren!
BUILD UP
Mayobridge had four bitter days in which
to feed their wounded pride on these
rumours. All the more so since their
late escape on the previous Friday had
forced them to face Tuesdays replay
in Burren without the services of two
of their most important players, Ronan
and Noel Sexton. The county wondered:
did Bridge really have the appetite
any more? The answer was trumpeted loud
and clear from Rainswept Burren on Tuesday.
Mayobridge are back. Indeed, they have
never really been away. But Tuesdays
crashing shift up the gears was an awesome
reminder to all and sundry that no-one
in this county is going to be able to
live with mayobridge on the glorious
top of their game.
RADDLED REDS
Certainly not Rostrevor. They had benefitted
from a whirlwind start when they shook
mayobridge out of their stride the previous
week. This time they were on the receiving
end, and they never counted afterwards.Within
ten minutes, Conor garvey, Adrian barry,
John Quinn and benny Coulter had all
knocked the ball over the Rostrevor
crossbar. Adrian Mackins opening point
for rostrevor in the 13th minute promised
much but delivered little. In fact,
it was to prove Reds only score of the
half as Mayobridge ruthlessly continued
to take them apart. It was all over
by half time. Bridge led by then 1-8
to 0-1. Their four second quarter points
had been scored by John Quinn, Adrian
Barry, Benny Coulter and Cathal Magee.
Their goal, five minutes before the
interval, was slammed home by Michael
Walsh, who had been put through by the
brilliant Coulter.
BRIEF
Briefly it seemed as though Rostrevor
might make some sort of a fight of it
in the second half. Two Conor Daly frees
and one from Aidan Cole cut it back
to 0-4 to 1-8, but before reds could
develop any sort of notion of themselves
again, Mayobridge re-erupted. Benny
Coulter laid on another goal in the
44th minute, this one finished by John
Quinn, and Benny went on himself to
hammer four more nails into Reds bleeding
egos, bringing his match total to six
points, and reducing Rostrevor to such
a pass of despair and indiscipline that
both Aidan Cole and Eamon McConville
were sent to the line before the finish.
CLEAR
The message sent out from Burren last
Tuesday was a resounding one. Mayobridge
are still the team to beat in this years
championship. This time, Benny Coulter
was at his unplayable best, but Michael
Walsh, Adrian Barry, John Quinn, Eoghan
Woods, Kieran O’Hare and Brendan
Grant all responded to the challenge.
And next time, they will have the two
Sextons back!!
Mayobridge scorers; Benny Coulter [0-6];
John Quinn [1-2]; Michael Walsh [1-0];
Adrian Barry [0-2]; Conor Garvey [0-1];
Cathal Magee [0-1]
Rostrevor scorers; Conor daly [0-2];
Aidan Cole [0-1]; Adrian Mackin [0-1]
Mayobridge team; Liam Coulter; Shane
O’Hare, Brendan Grant, Brendan
Rooney; Seamus Grant, Darragh Tighe,
Kieran O’Hare; Eoghan Woods, John
Caldwell; Adrian Barry, Michael Walsh,
Conor Garvey; John Quinn, Cathal Magee,
Benny Coulter.
Subs used; Brendan Rodgers; Robbie Coulter;
Gavin Walsh.
Rostrevor team; Ciaran Sloan; Jarlath
Farrell, Niall Farrell, Eddie Magee;
Colm Murney, Turlough Murphy, Sean Farrell;
Martin Doran, Jarlath Austin; Eamon
McConville, Conor Daly, Colm Clerkin;
Shaun Parr, Lloyd Parr, Adrian Mackin.
Subs used; Padraig Mulholland; Dermot
Mackin; Aidan Cole; Martin Cole.
Man of the Match: Benny Coulter [Mayobridge]
