 |
||||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
 |
| Search... |
Carrowmena make history with first
trophy
20.05.09
|
||||||||
|
Carrowmena...3 (M. Henry 44, Harkin 46, Kone 64) Greencastle...2 (J. Keys 84, K. McLaughlin 87) by Simon McGeady, Inishowen Independent, at Maginn Park "IT WAS a long time coming, but we got there.” With these few words, spoken as he carried the Fr O’Gara Cup out of Maginn Park on Sunday evening, a smiling Jim Campbell summed up the pride that people from one small corner of Inishowen felt after their football team lifted the first trophy in its 15 year history. The Tremone lads have come close to lifting silverware before, notably in 2005 when they lost both the West End and Top Four cups, as well as a playoff for the First Division, but on Sunday Carrowmena’s captain James Gillen finally got to hoist a cup above his head. Some games that end 3-2 are tagged thrillers, this was not one of them. Yet after a drab first half hour during which both teams seemed to be fazed by the occasion, Carrowmena settled to their task and took a 3-0 lead before Greencastle made a last gasp grab at glory. |
|
|
The opening goal came just
before half time, created and scored by Greencastle
natives James and Matthew Henry, the former finding the
latter with a superb through ball between the
Greencastle centre halves that Matthew placed low beyond
Kevin Cavanagh. That goal was no more than the play of the Warren lads warranted since they’d bossed the first half, holding onto the ball with a belief in their own ability that Greencastle appeared to lack. The Chapel Lane side’s diffidence was hard to fathom, since they had won twice against this opposition already this season. Perhaps Paddy Keys’ men needed a goal to emerge from their shells. They might have got it on 18 minutes when, after forcing Michael Noone to tip over, Liam Kelly fired across a deep corner from the left that Sean McKinney headed on target only for Noone to save. Ten minutes later Ryan McDermott played a perfectly weighted pass beyond Carrowmena’s defence for Michael Farren. The Greencastle winger centred a low ball to Jack Keys who shot wildly wide at the near post. With Greencastle not pressuring the ball, Carrowmena |
 |
|
were able to work it along
both flanks, Ruarai Dougal saw a lot of the possession
and the impressive left back and Dermot Harkin linked
effectively to create a couple of good openings that
Kevin Cavanagh did well to snuff out. In the 37th minute Carrowmena had a stunning move involving Brian Kone, Dermot Harkin and Jonathan McLaughlin that ended with Charlie Gill scissor-kicking Matthew Henry cross against a green shirt. As the half ran on wizardry of the Henry boys and ‘Jocky’ McLaughlin stretched Greencastle to breaking point. Twice in the space of a minute John McClenaghan rescued his side with last-ditch challenges before Matthew Henry escaped to score. Greencastle threw on Sean Cavanagh at the break, but a minute after the restart their plans were in tatters as Matthew Henry nipped in and hooked the ball over is shoulder into Harkin’s path and he side-footed past Cavanagh. With Paul Duffy winning everything in midfield, a speculative Sean McKinney shot in the 60th minute was all Greencastle could offer in response and four minutes later their day went from bad to worse when an unmarked Kone headed home Harkin’s deep corner and promptly disappeared under a heap of red and blue shirted team-mates. There looked to be no way back for Greencastle now, not the way both sides were playing, but an opportunistic piece of play from Jack Keys, robbing James Gillen to poke past Noone, gave his side a lifeline in the 84th minute. Then in the 87th minute substitute Kevin McLaughlin, showing just the kind of passion and urgency his side needed, burst into the Carrowmena box on the left and laid the ball inside to Jack Keys. Keys’ blocked shot spun back to McLaughlin who forced the ball acrobatically between Noone and his near post. So comfortable for more than 80 minutes, Carrowmena’s nerves must have been jangling now. Greencastle piled forward in search of an equaliser. Deep in injury time Paddy Keys won a free on the right. Keys the elder took a long run up, struck his shot well enough, but could only watch as the ball flew past the far post taking Greencastle’s hoes with it. The final whistle blew and, boy, did Carrowmena rejoice on hearing it. Speaking shortly after his team lifted the Fr O’Gara Cup, a composed Raymond Dougal said the result was never in doubt. “I never thought that we were holding on, I thought [at 3-2] we were going to score more goals. Sure, with type of silky skills our players have, you are always likely to give away a goal, but I wasn’t nervous at the end.” said the Carrowmena manager. “This means a massive amount to Carrowmena Football Club, because we don’t have a National School and have a lot of problems gathering players from all over the parish. This is something special for the people of Carrowmena too, because they are always there supporting us, saying, when are we going to win something? This is the day that it has come.” As for Greencastle, well, next year will be the 20th anniversary of their Fr O’Gara and First Division double winning season. Their followers might just be wondering when their turn will come again. Carrowmena: Michael Noone, Andrew McLaughlin, Ruarai Dougal, James Gillen, Michael O’Doherty, Paul Duffy, James Henry, Dermot Harkin, Jonathan McLaughlin, Matthew Henry, Brian Kone. Subs: John McGeady for Kone (71), Patrick McClenaghan for Duffy (75), Sean McGranaghan for Henry (83). Greencastle: Kevin Cavanagh, Ryan McDermott, Cathal Gillespie, Christopher McLaughlin, John McClenaghan, Charlie Gill, Liam Kelly, Michael Farren, Jack Keys, Paddy Keys, Sean McKinney. Subs: Sean Cavanagh for McLaughlin (HT), Gerard Kelly for Kelly (62), Kevin McLaughlin for Farren (75). For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent. |
| Return to > Sports > News > Home |
 |