McGuigan Builders Intermediate Football Championship First Round
Rockcorry 3-7 Corduff 0-15 7/7/12
The age-old ‘goals win games’ saying proved true in this exciting IFC game at Drumhowan on Saturday, where Rockcorry rattled the net three times to edge out Corduff. Rock have been one of the form teams in the Intermediate Football League recently and this win keeps their run going, as well as overturning last year’s championship semi-final replay loss to Corduff. Despite being outscored by 15 scores to ten, three-pointers by Mark McGuirk, Noel Carroll and Johnny Reilly proved crucial for Rock, whose entire tally came from open play. Noel Carroll, Keith Daly, Fergal McGeough, Johnny Reilly and Damien Matthews played key roles for Rock, while the Corduff challenge was led by Shane McNally Jnr., Declan Larkin (particularly after his move to midfield), Pádraic Keenan, Ciarán Brennan and Brendan McNally.
Corduff took an early lead courtesy of Brendan McNally, who was also involved, along with Aidan Marron, in creating his team’s second point, scored by Martin Mills. Rockcorry hit back when Noel Carroll blazed a goal chance over the bar after he had been well-placed by Fergal McGeough, who added a point of his own after a strong run by Johnny Reilly. Stephen Lynch got on the end of a Keelan Clerkin pass to edge Rock ahead and although Shane McNally Jnr. equalised, a short free by Stephen McGuirk set up Clerkin to provide a quick response.
A quickly-taken free by Pádraic Keenan released Shane McNally Jnr. to once again level it up, but county minor McGeough linked up with Mark Daly to kick a good point for Rock. McNally sent over a well-taken effort for his third of the match and Marron then sent Corduff one up, but Rock struck for their first goal on 27 minutes when a shot from Lorcan Smyth dropped short, allowing Mark McGuirk to nip in and punch the ball to the net. Keenan combined with Keith McEnaney to kick a fine score and finish an entertaining half, but Rockcorry still led by 1-5 to 0-7 at the interval.
Rock made a bright start to the second half, with Mark Daly racing through straight from the throw-in to kick a great point and five minutes later, a quick attack up the left wing involving Mark McGuirk and Colin Quinn ended with Noel Carroll toe-poking the ball past Corduff keeper Jason Hand to open up a five-point gap. Brendan McNally got a point back for Corduff after good approach play by Declan Larkin and Shane McNally Jnr., before Raymond Byrne brought their deficit back to a goal. Noel Carroll replied for Rock when he took a pass from Mark Daly and set off on a surging run before fisting over, but it took a brave block from Keith Daly to deny Pádraic Keenan a possible goal at the end of a Corduff move that involved Shane McNally Jnr., Larkin and Mills.
A brace of close-range frees by Byrne, after fouls on Keith McEnaney and Larkin, brought Corduff to within two, only for Johnny Reilly to crash home Rockcorry’s third goal, following a pass from Fergal McGeough. Corduff refused to give up, as Brendan McNally converted a 30-metre free for a foul on Keith McEnaney, before Keenan and Larkin combined to tee up Shane McNally Jnr., whose deflected shot was acrobatically turned around the post by Rock keeper Jamie Smith.
Smith’s opposite number Jason Hand pointed the resulting ’45 and Brendan McNally landed a 25-metre free after a foul on Christopher McEnaney to give Corduff hope and when Shane Malone sent one over with his first touch, following good work by Keenan and Larkin, their deficit was down to the minimum. They were unable to find an equaliser, however, and they had Shane McNally Snr. sent off for a second yellow card deep into injury-time.
Rockcorry: J Smith; K Daly (Capt.), D Matthews, C Quinn; C McGeough, S Lynch (0-1), J Reilly (1-0); M Daly (0-1), M Carroll; K Clerkin (0-1), F McGeough (0-2), N Carroll (1-2); S McGuirk, L Smyth, M McGuirk (1-0).
Subs: N McKeown for Quinn (44 mins), D Rooney for F McGeough (62).
Corduff: J Hand (0-1, ’45); B Woods, C Brennan (Capt.), C Cooney; P Keenan (0-1), D Larkin, S McNally Jnr. (0-3); C Connolly, S McNally Snr.; R Byrne (0-3, 2f), M Mills (0-1), J McEnaney; K McEnaney, B McNally (0-4, 2f), Aidan Marron (0-1).
Subs: Christopher McEnaney for J McEnaney (H-T), N Reilly for Marron (inj., 33), S Malone (0-1) for Reilly (60).
Referee: B Walshe (Ballybay).
By michael Sat 7th Jul
