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St John's and Darragh
Cross share the plaudits
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Darragh Cross 2-10 v 2-10
St John’s
Thu 12th May
The boys of Darragh Cross and
St John’s came away with a point apiece
after this clash, but more importantly
they emerged with a lot of credit for
their skill and ability combined with
industry and determination to give as
good an advertisement for our game as
you’re likely to see anywhere.
After initial probing from both sides
the home side settled better and
dominated the first quarter. They were
first on the scoreboard and, but for
Chris Feenan, could have added a couple
of goals to that point. Between those
chances Conor Morgan registered the
first point for the visitors. Darragh
Cross continued to press and had racked
up 1-3 before
St John’s rallied. Harry McMullan hit
the goal post and in the follow-up
Martin Keenan was toppled in front of
the posts. The referee had no hesitation
in awarding a penalty. Shane Rice
stepped up and gave the keeper no chance
with an accurate shot just inside the
left hand post.
It was the home keeper’s turn to be
called into action after that and he
proved himself up to the task. Indeed
the next scores went to the home side, a
goal and a point to give then a 2-04 to
1-01 lead after twenty minutes.
Conor McQuoid switched with Darren
Savage and this altered the shape of the
game as the visitors upped their game
for the last ten minutes. Conor
McQuoid’s height and strength helped to
break up Darragh Cross attacks while
Darren Savage’s mobility and guile added
to the
St John’s attack. The St John’s
attackers rattled off four unanswered
points to reduce the margin to two and
the home keeper was again called into
action. However, it was the home side
that had the last point of the period to
leave the margin at the break standing
at 2-05 to 1-05.
St John’s carried on where they had left
off at the break and Conor Morgan added
two points to reduce the arrears to one.
The first came at the end of a good
passing movement and the second was the
conversion of a free won by the
ever-busy Darren Savage. The next three
points went to Darragh Cross to see then
our ahead halfway through the second
half.
St John’s strived to reduce the margin
but the home defence held firm and a
shot from Chris McKay came back of the
goalpost, after good work by Joe Lennon.
Then, with ten minutes remaining Ryan
O’Reilly and Declan Gilmore won
possession at the back and moved the
ball quickly forward. A few passes later
it arrived in the hands of David Milling
who bust through to rifle a shot to the
back of the net.
Suddenly it was a one-point game again
and, full credit to both sides, they
both went for more scores, and played
great football along the way. Daniel
McKay was immense in the
St John’s backline, ably assisted by
Ruairi McGlynn who made many telling
interceptions.
The next point was the equaliser for
St John’s, the fist time the sides were
level since the fifth minute and was a
gem of good team work. Again the ball
was won at the back and worked forward
through the hands of Hugh Flanagan and
Martin Keenan to David Milling who
finished with a great point.
Substitute Kevin Keenan added the next
point to nose the visitors ahead for the
first time in the contest, and when
Harry McMullan added another as the half
hour drew to a close it had the feel of
an insurance point. But Darragh Cross
had invested too much in this game and
pushed forward again in the closing
stages to pull back first one point and
then a second, to secure a draw in a
game where they had been ahead for most
of the game.
A neutral observer, if there had been
one, might have said that a point each
was a fair result. The rest of the
observers can thank the 35 players for
an hour of wonderful entertainment and
seen gaelic football at its best. On
reflection, I think that the neutral
observer would have given both team two
points!
St Johns: Chris Feenan; Ryan O’Reilly,
Daniel McKay, Ruairi McGlynn; Declan
Gilmore, Darren Savage, Chris McKay;
David Milling (1-2), Shane Rice (1-0,
1f); Conor Morgan (0-5, 2f), Conor
McQuoid, Hugh Flanagan; Martin Keenan
(0-1), Joe Lennon, Harry McMullan (0-1).
Sub Kevin Keenan (0-1) for Joe Lennon.
