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Longstone
and Annaclone on the way up - 26/11/02
Both Longstone and Annaclone will be playing
their football in Division One next session after both teams
won their respective games on Sunday. Longstone defeating
Newry Shamrocks by two points 11 points to Shamrocks 9,
Annaclone defeating Saval 2 - 10 to 2 - 04. Both teams will
play each other this Sunday to see who wins the Division
two title.
This game was in the balance throughout but Longstone finished
the stronger. The conditions were very poor but both teams
give their all. Shamrock opened the scoring through DJ Kane,
Longstone responded with four points two each coming from
Mark Poland and Mark Doran.
Shamrocks lifted their game and Brendan Lourghran and Karl
Murphy replied to cut the stones lead to a single point
with five minutes remaining in the half. Longstone finished
the half with three points, Conor Smith scoring from play
and Mark Poland getting two from frees to put four between
the team again.
Longstone who played with the wind in the first half had
everything thrown at them in the second half. Shamrocks
started the better gaining advantage in the middle of the
park and scored three points in the opening stages through
Karl Murphy, Noel Heaney and a free from Collie Burns to
close the gap to a point.
Longstone who had gone completely out of the game need a
score to settle them and in the 12th minute of the second
half they were handed a free which Mark Poland put over
the bar. Shamrocks responded and pulled level with two scores
coming from Collie Burns and Karl Murphy. Burns score was
a great 50 yard kick while Murphy scored a 20 minute free.
Match all level at 8 points each with only 10 minutes remaining.
Longstone's defence at this stage lifted their game and
Shamrocks fired all at them to get in front and on the 25th
minute they took the lead through a Moel Heaney point. Longstone
a minute later went down the field and Aidan Trainer hit
a great shot which was saved by Shamrocks goalkeeper. Longstone
lifted themselves and a great bit of play involving Barry
Doran, Ambrose Rodgers and Brendan Trainor resulted in the
stone getting the equalising point with only three minutes
left on the clock. Four minutes later Mark Poland scored
with Norman McComb putting over a 50 a few minutes later.
With Longstone two points in front and with time running
out the Newry City side went in search of the goal that
would win them the game. Longstone held on for the win which
would see them into the first Division for the first time
in three years.
Annaclone won their Division two clash with Saval more comprehensively
than even the scoreline would suggest. Saval opened the
scoring when Gavin Quinn put Gareth Hughes through for a
spectacular goal, but Annaclone lifted their play through
the field and were soon in the lead, a lead which they never
seemed like surrendering. Saval could do very little to
stop the exception play of John Haughey, Colm Fegan and
Dan McCusker.
As half time approached Annaclone's Sean Pyres sent a high
ball into the Annaclones forwards, Saval's Keeper Peter
Murphy got to the ball first but was unable to hold onto
it, Fegan pounced and scored an opportunist goal to leave
the scores 1 - 08 to 1 - 02 at half time. Midway through
the second half Annaclone got their second goal to put them
2 - 10 to 1 - 2 in front, with the game completely slipping
away from Saval. Saval had a mini revival late on when Paul
Greenan got a late goal but Annaclone always had something
to spare.
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