09 October 2006

 

Mayobridge’s dominance of the Down senior football championship continued at Newcastle on Sunday, 8th of October when they defeated near-neighbours Burren in the county senior decider by 1-10 to 0-4 to claim their third title in a row, and their sixth in eight years.

This was a disapppointing decider as the Burren sided provided very little resistance, failing to register a score until four minutes into the second-half, and also missing two penalties as the Mayobridge side coasted to a facile win in the end.

Mayobridge with the wind at their backs were ahead by five points after six minutes play. They continued to dominate the half and at the break they were in a commanding position leading by 1-9 to no score. The Burren side had a chance to get into the game in that opening half when in the 16th minute they were awarded a penalty, but James McGovern’s kick was well saved by the Mayobridge ’keeper Sean Featherstone.

Burren started the second-half in a determined mood and they got their first point on the board in the 34th minute from P. J. McAlinden. This was followed by three unanswered points for the Burren side, and the crowd were now hoping for a Burren comeback.
However, it was not to be as Mayobridge regained their composure and they were never in danger against an out of sorts Burren side who themselves kicked some bad wides in that second-half and also missed a second penalty.

All in all, a bad day at the office for James McCartan’s Burren side who to be truthful never really got into the game. Their task wasn’t helped by the fact that they missed two penalty kicks over the hour, plus some very bad wides especially in the second-half.

Mayobridge will be delighted to claim their third title in-a-row, but would have wished for a more competitive game ahead of their meeting with new Derry champions, Ballinderry in the first round of this season’s Ulster club championship. This is a competition that the Mayobridge side have yet to win, and all their focus in the coming weeks in trying to make that breakthrough. Whether they are good enough only time will tell. For the present they did all that was asked of them on Sunday last, but you can be sure that Ballinderry will be a much tougher proposition than an out of sorts Burren.

Mayobridge – Sean Featherstone; G. Barry, B. Grant, M. Lively; B. Rooney, K. O’Hare, N. Sexton; E. Woods, D. Rooney; R. Sexton, Benny Coulter 1-2, C. Magee 0-1; J. Quinn 0-2, one free, Michael Walsh 0-5 from frees, A. Barry.
Subs – S. Grant for B. Rooney; B. Rodgers for B. Coulter and G. Walsh for K. O’Hare.

Burren – M. Rocks; R. McGivern, D. McCartan, B. Murphy; J. McGovern, C. McGovern, R. McGovern; S. Ward, D. Rooney; C. McCann, K. McKernan 0-1 from a ’45’, E. McGovern 0-1; K. McGovern 0-1, C. Byrne, P. J. McAlinden 0-1.
Subs – A. McGivern for E. McGovern; E. McGovern for McCann; Eoin McCartan for C. McGovern; G. McMahon for K. McGivern; K. McGovern for Murphy and G. McFerran for P. J. McAlinden.
Referee – Gavin Corrigan from Castlewellan.