Carrickedmond gradually assert superiority over Legan
Carrickedmond will contest their second successive Intermediate Football Championship Final after they overcame the challenge of Legan Sarsfields at Pearse Park on Sunday last.
After losing last year's decider to Cashel, the aim for Eugene McCormack's side was to make another final appearance and they achieved that with some ease in the end.
Legan were expected to provide stiff opposition and many predicted a tight affair but once Carrickedmond got in their stride there was no stopping them; although sometimes they did make hard work of the task.
Legan put it up to their opponents in the first half but after the break they found scores very hard to come by and they struggled at times to get a grasp on proceedings. Carrickedmond's defence were resolute while their forwards caused Legan lots of problems.
Both sides opening scores were from frees; Mark McDonnell fired over Carrickedmond's first point in the first minute after Legan goalkeeper Patrick Carthy picked the ball up off the ground, while Conor Quaine replied for James Farrell's side eight minutes later after Michael O'Neill was fouled.
In the 12th minute Carrickedmond regained the lead when Jonathan Keegan grabbed the game's only goal; Padraig O'Shea did all the hard work, he played a low ball into Keegan and despite the attention of two Legan defenders the wing-forward finished to the net.
Padraig O'Shea followed up with a fantastic point to put his side ahead by four but instead of building on that lead they somehow allowed Legan back into the game. In a five minute spell Legan fought back to cut the deficit to just one (1-2 to 0-4) going in at the break with points from Conor Quaine (two frees) and James Nulty.
Carrickedmond started the second half well and added two more points to their tally inside the opening five minutes; Mark McDonnell fired over another free three minutes in before a lovely move between brothers John and Padraig O'Shea resulted in John firing over his side's fourth point of the game.
Jonathan Keegan nearly grabbed his second goal in the 40th minute; after receiving a pass from Michael Kelly he blasted his low drive just wide. It was all Carrickedmond at this stage of the game.
After going 17 minutes without a score Legan registered their first point of the second half in the 43rd minute when Paul Ross burst through the Carrickedmond defence to fire over a fine point.But Marty Mulvey hit over two excellent efforts to extend Carrickedmond's lead to four points.
As the clock ticked down Legan knew that a goal would bring them back into the game but Padraig McGrath came to Carrickedmond's rescue twice in the space of a few minutes when blocking down goalbound efforts.
Legan's frustrations got the better of them on a few occasions in the final seven minutes and they gave away silly frees which Carrickedmond duly punished; Padraig O'Shea fired over a free in the 53rd minute while one minute later Mark McDonnell was on target again in kicking over his third free.
With six points now between the sides and five minutes of the game remaining there was no way back for Legan. They were finding scores very hard to come by as Carrickedmond held firm. A free from Conor Quaine in the 56th minute after Shane Cox was fouled was to be the Sarsfields last score of the game.
Mark McDonnell fired over another free right before the end as Carrickedmond advanced to a meeting with Ballymore in the Intermediate Final on Sunday 12th September.
CARRICKEDMOND: Paul Maguire; Padraig McGrath, Kevin Moran, Tommy Martin; James Murray, John Gerety, Barry Stewart; John O'Shea (0-1), Michael Kelly; Jonathan Keegan (1-0), Padraig O'Shea (0-2, one free), John Lenehan; Gareth Belton, Mark McDonnell (0-4, all frees), Marty Mulvey (0-2).
Subs:- Francis Kelly for P O'Shea (56 mins); Michael Higgins for G Belton (60 mins).
LEGAN SARSFIELDS: Patrick Carthy; Kevin Quaine, Shane Cox, Noel O'Neill; John Leonard, Gerry Nugent, Barry Tierney; Niall Flood, Conor Quaine (0-4, all frees); Ian Moran, Peter Ross, Paddy O'Neill; James Nulty (0-1), Paul Ross (0-1), Michael O'Neill.
Subs:- Cormac O'Hanlon for Paul Ross (blood), Paul Ross for M O'Neill (31 mins); Declan O'Neill for K Quaine (47 mins); Conor Moran for N O'Neill (46 mins); Dessie Hourican for I Moran (55 mins); Brendan Quaine for Peter Ross (58 mins).
Referee: Eugene Murtagh (Sean Connolly's).
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Friday 10 February 2012
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