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Legend Shovlin steadies ship
01.07.09
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Naomh Pádraig...2-12 A. Lynch 0-5 (1 free, 1 45); D. McLaughlin 0-4; M. Duffy 1-1; R. McLaughlin 1-0; Colm McColgan 0-1; E. Keaveney 0-1 Naomh Ultan...1-6 C. Ward 0-3 (2 frees); S. McWhinney 1-0; P. Byrne 0-2; S. Blain 0-1 Report: Inishowen Independent IT'S NOT every day that one gets to see an All-Ireland medallist playing in Muff. And as the storied year of 92 recedes further into the mists of time, the chances diminish with each passing season. Naomh Pádraig won this game at a canter, but Saturday evening’s game was notable for the appearance of the legendary Martin Shovlin. Shovlin still has that same lean gait that he had when he wore the Donegal number seven shirt with distinction. His footballing instincts are still good, his hands still quick, his tackling still true, his run familiar. Sporting a faded Ulster tracksuit top (in addition to an All-Ireland, two senior Ulster titles, one All-Ireland U21 and one Ulster U21 title, Shovlin won a Railway Cup with Ulster in 1991), Shovlin took his place on Naomh Ultan bench. |
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The game was relatively
even until Naomh Pádraig struck for two goals in the
23rd minute. “We need you Martin,” the Naomh Ultan manager said and Shov answered the call, filling in at midfield and steadying the Dunkineely ship that was in danger of sinking without trace. But the game was already beyond Naomh Ultan, and Shovlin and his team could do little more than limit the damage. Despite taking a fifth minute lead with a point from Paul Byrne, Naomh Ultan were on the back foot in the opening quarter as Naomh Pádraig’s slick passing and direct running took its toll. Colm McColgan got their first point after six minutes and their next score captured much of what was good about the Iskaheen side. A sweeping move, instigated by full back Enda McColgan, saw the ball pass through half a dozen pairs of hands before Eunan Keaveney split the posts to give his side a lead they would never relinquish. Corner forward Declan McLaughlin, who was a thorn in Naomh Ultan’s side all evening, pointed in the tenth minute and with a smart handpass set up Mark Duffy for Naomh Pádraig’s fourth point. |
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Conor Ward was strong on
the ball, holding off Enda McColgan to point in the 17th
minute to make it 0-4 to 0-2, but two further points –
from Declan McLaughlin (who might have had a goal) and
Aidan Lynch – had Muff in charge. Paul Byrne got his second point of the night in the 20th minute to reduce the deficit to three points, but that was as good as it got for the Naomh Ultan men. A shot from the right from Martin Duffy looked like it was dropping over the bar, but Dunkineely keeper Peter Duddy got his hands to it. Unfortunately for him, he couldn’t hold it and it fell into the path of the in rushing Raymie McLaughlin who volleyed to the bottom right corner to the net. Muff doubled their goal tally 30 seconds later. Having won the kickout, Mark Duffy soloed in from the left wing and crashed a shot past Duddy and into the net. Naomh Ultan were shell-shocked, and Aidan Lynch made it 2-1 in 60 seconds when he punched a point from the left put his side 2-7 to 0-3 in front. Sean Blair managed to pull a point back for the visitors a minute before the break but it barely knocked the home team out of their stride. They added two further points through Declan McLaughlin and full forward Aidan Lynch within five minutes of the restart while despite the best efforts of Pauric Fisher and Paul Byrne, Naomh Ultan couldn’t haul themselves back into the game. Their full forward Conor Ward looked dangerous, but he was starved of supply and on the few occasions in which it did come his way he had his hands full with Enda McColgan at full back. Another sweeping Muff move culminated in an Aidan Lynch point in the 41st minute, and keeper Peter Duddy pulled off a point blank save from the foot of Mark Duffy two minutes later, but the Naomh Ultan men were unable to get on the scoreboard until Conor Ward’s 48th minute free. Duffy and Lynch responded for the Muff men, while Ward added another free and Sean McWhinney palmed the ball to the net late on after Declan Murrin had crossed into the square. The win moved Naomh Pádraig to joint top of the table, while Naomh Ultan remain in the bottom three. Naomh Pádraig have now completed half of their league programme and have shown more consistency than in recent years. Bigger challenges lie ahead, but they are much improved on 2008 and will almost certainly be in the promotion shake up come the end of the season. (Inishowen Independent) Naomh Pádraig: Gerry Harkin; Gerard McKinney, Enda McColgan, Laurence Lynch; John McLaughlin, Ray McLaughlin, Ryan McColgan; Martin Duffy, Colm McColgan; Barry Hegarty, Eunan Keaveney, Anthony McColgan; Declan McLaughlin, Aidan Lynch, Mark Duffy. Sub: Cathal McColgan. Naomh Ultan: Peter Duddy; Conor Shovlin, Brendan Kenney, Stephen Cassidy; John McMullan, Pauric Fisher, Danny Shovlin; Declan Murrin, Shane McWhinney; Alistair Rodgers, Paul Byrne, Sean Blain; Emmet Kennedy, Conor Ward, Damian Quigley. Subs: Martin Shovlin for McWhinney (24 mins); McWhinney for Rodgers (38 mins); Declan McGettigan for C. Shovlin (48 mins). For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent. |
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