The County Champions St Marys won the All County League Division 1 final in fine style as they racked up an impressive 3-13 to Melvin Gaels 2-09 to make take the double title for 2007. The game was played in near perfect conditions in Páirc Sean with only a slight cross field breeze to contend with.
Melvin Gaels, playing towards the N4 end, opened the Scóring within the 1st minute with an Emelyn Mulligan free within the 1st minute. Ray Mulvey opened St. Marys account 90 seconds later with a shot from play. He followed this up with another point from play and this was quickly followed by a Clement Cuniffe shot onÓgoal which was saved by Liam Gilmartin. Paul McGauran left the scores 0-2 each after 5 minutes. Emelyn Mulligan dropped a shot short into James McGowan but with his next play he registered a point from a free from 32m out. Gene Bohan brought the sides level again with a point from a free. Brian ODonnell followed up immediately with a point from play off the kickout and Liam McTiernan continued the Scóring for St. Marys and registered his first point of the half. Mulligan was called on again to bring the score difference to 1 point as he slotted over from another free.
In the 18th minute Brian ODonnell scored a point from play and 1 minute later Ian McGreevey scored a rasper of a goal after a defensive overlap on the Gaels to leave the score 1-06 to 0-4. St. Marys were dominating in many areas including the crucial midfield sector but 2 subsequent drives ended in wides over the next 3 minutes. This was St. Marys last score of the half but the Gaels werent finished. In the 24th and 30th minutes Emelyn Mulligan was called on again to register 2 points from frees and this left the teams with 1 goal separating them at the interval. Half time score St Marys 1-06 Melvin Gaels 0-06
Melvin Gaels started the second half as they did the first with Emelyn Mulligan pointing another free. In the 3rd minute directly in front of the goals Mulligan, from a free, had a gilt edged chance to bring the sides to within 1 point but he miss kicked and dropped the shot which was cleared by the St. Marys defense. This woke St. Marys up and they played open football which lead to their second goal in the 7th minute and a second for Ian McGreevey. This goal came from a series of hand passes from the 45 in towards the N4 goals with the final pass from Jimmy Guckian to McGreevey just outside the box who had no difficulty with a low cross shot into the back of the net.
St. Marys never looked back after this as the clocked up another 4 unanswered points from Michael Greene, 2 from Ray Mulvey and the 4th from Jimmy Guckian. Conor SheridanÓgot 1 point back in the 17th minute for the Gaels and some minutes later Stephen McGauran found the net after a series of passes from Gearoid Foley and Emelyn Mulligan.
Clement Cuniffe pointed from play for St. Marys and following the next kickout he had a point blank shot saved by Liam Ferguson. With the scores at 2-11 to 1-08 the next move from Ray Mulvey put the game out of reach for Melvin Gaels as Mulvey side stepped a defender to face the keeper one to one and he lobbed the ball into the back of the net. Gene Bohan added a point from a free and Stephen McGauran added one for the Gaels. Gene Bohan brought St. Marys tally to 3-13 with another point from play. With 3 minutes of injury time played Melvin Gaels reduced the final score difference with a fine goal from Stephen McGauran.
Full time: St Marys 3-13 Melvin Gaels 2-09
St. Marys:
A Conway, C Guckian, J McGowan, V McDermot, J Glancy, M Greene, D Reynolds, J Guckian, C McWeeney, I McGreevey, C Cuniffe, R Mulvey, L McTiernan, G Bohan, B ODonnell.
Melvin Gaels:
L Gilmartin, S Glancy, F McMorrow, B Mulligan, A Tiffoney, B Brennan, P McGauran, M McCarron, J Phelan, D McSharry, C Sheridan, P Og Ferguson, D Bradly, E Mulligan, G Foley.
Referee: R McBrien
04-Nov-07 by Brendan Doyle – PRO
