St John’s and Longstone minors to do it all over again after thriller.
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Longstone 0-12 v 1-09
St John’s Sun 24th Sept
St John’s minors met Longstone in a
thrilling semi-final clash at
Glassdrummond on Sunday and served up a
treat. Both sides are to be complimented
for bringing and giving their all on
Sunday. We may have been disappointed by
last Sunday’s fare in Croke Park, but
the large crowd here went away more than
satisfied with what they had witnessed.
We saw two team give 100% commitment and
effort, end to end action, thrills and
spills, great plays and human mistakes,
it was nip and tuck throughout and an
undoubted treat for the large crowd. I’m
sure that there will be another large
turnout next weekend for the replay and
these players will deserve the full
support of their respective spectators.
Longstone were first on the scoreboard
when Conor Poland sent over a precise
shot from a sideline ball, but this was
soon equalized by a pointed free by Ryan
Gibney. This was no easy effort for
although it was little more than 20m
from the end line it was from a tight
angle wide on the right.
Those scores set the pattern for most of
the first half, of score and score
about. Conor Poland put the ‘Stone ahead
again but again the Johnnies pulled it
back when Gerard McAnulty converted a
free from close in. St John’s were in
the ascendancy for a while after that
but got no reward for their efforts at
this stage. Instead the tide turned in
Longstone’s favour and soon Conor Poland
pointed a free for his third score in a
row. Yet again the advantage was
short-lived as Conor Braniff added his
name to the scoresheet.
Malachy Trainor hit the point post
before Michael Ireland pushed Longstone
ahead again. Like Conor Poland before he
pointed from a sideline ball on the
right. A Gerard McAnulty free restored
parity. Conor Poland’s point was
followed by another by Danny Trimble to
put two points between the teams for the
first time with seven minutes remaining.
For much of that time St John’s had to
weather the storm as Longstone created a
series of chances but were denied by
good defending by the three McMullans
stationed across the backline – John,
Matthew and Cormac. But they also had to
thank the goalpost on one occasion!
But the Johnnies might have had a
three-pointer too. When Joe Savage
executed a great block in midfield the
ball was moved forward quickly to Ryan
Gibney who shot flashed across the face
of the goals as the other forwards
closed in, in vain. Ryan Gibney’s next
delivery was gratefully received by
Conor Marmion who pointed to reduce the
margin to one.
Then it was Dean Murray’s turn to shine
as Conor Poland delivered a delightful
ball into the path on the on-rushing
Ciaran Doran. He sent a powerful drive
towards the bottom right corner but the
Johnnies’ custodian was equal to it as
he stretched down and across to his
left. Longstone’s pressure almost
created another goal chance but the
defence smothered the danger. The final
score of an enthralling first half was a
fine left-footed effort from Conor
Braniff after Gerard McAnulty played the
ball forward from his own half to Ryan
Flanagan who unselfishly set up the
score to leave the sides level at 0-6
apiece after a thrilling opening half
hour.
St John’s were first on the scoreboard
in the second period from a Gerard
McAnulty free – the first time they had
their noses in front, but this didn’t
last long as midfielder Ciaran Doran
burst through the centre of the St
John’s rearguard before firing over. The
same player was also next to register
and a few minutes later Conor Poland
notched a 13m free to extend the margin.
Ciaran Doran then pointed a “45” to
stretch the margin to three and it began
to look ominous for the Johnnies with
barely ten minutes gone in the second
period. Ryan Flanagan pulled one back
and, after nearly ten minutes with no
scores, Conor Poland made the margin
three again.
But that margin was wiped out in a
moment. Ryan Gibney won possession
around the “45” and laid the ball back
to Matthew McMullan who delivered a long
ball to the edge of the square. Gerard
McAnulty was quickest to react and
fasted to move as he just managed to
stretch a fist beyond the reach of the
goalkeeper and full back to divert the
ball to the back of the net.
The crowd were in uproar and the
Longstone defence were rattled. Gerard
McAnulty very nearly added another goal
but fired wide under pressure. He then
placed a free into the danger area which
was won by Ryan Gibney to fire over from
close in. That made it a four point
turnaround in the space of a couple of
minutes and with time ticking away it
was beginning to look as if it would be
St John’s who would progress to the
final.
Longstone refused to consider that
scenario and took the game to St John’s.
When they won a sideline ball out on the
right, the large St John’s contingent in
the crowd held their breath. And then
sighed with collective relief as the
shot drifted wide. A “45” came to
nothing before Danny Trimble pointed in
the thirtieth minute to restore parity.
After an hour of thrilling football we
were no further forward. Neither side
deserved to lose after what they had
contributed to a great game of football
– it is a cliché, but football was the
winner.
Longstone: Colin Trainor; George Sloan,
Sean Trainor, Paul Trimble; Darren
Madowell, Gary Trainor, Michael Young;
Ciaran Doran (0-3, 1x45), Desmond Magee;
Danny Trimble (0-2), Conor Poland (0-6,
3f), Ciaran Fitzpatrick; Michael Ireland
(0-1), Padraig Rooney, Malachy Trainor.
St John’s: Dean Murray; John McMullan, Matthew McMullan,
Cormac McMullan; David Milling, Conor
Flanagan, Stevie Trainor; Sean O’Neill,
Joe Savage; Conor Braniff (0-3), Gerard
McAnulty (1-3, 3f), Conor Marmion; Ryan
Flanagan (0-1), Ryan Gibney (0-2, 1f),
Ciaran McCann. Subs Luke McMullan for
Ciaran McCann, Ciaran McCann for Conor
Marmion, Sammy Truesdale, Shane Rice.
