McGuigan Builders Intermediate Football Championship Semi-Final
Doohamlet 1-10 Cremartin 1-7 8/9/12
A late goal by substitute Glen Comiskey goal helped Doohamlet to see off a strong challenge from Cremartin in the first IFC semi-final at Oram on Saturday. This local derby was closely-contested throughout and although Doohamlet were always on top in the first half, a Shaun Buckley goal kept Cremartin in touch and they led at one stage midway through the second half, only to be outscored by 1-2 to 0-1 in the last ten minutes. Doohamlet now have four championship wins this year and have lost just twice in 19 games in total this year, further strengthening their status as favourites.
Doohamlet were without injured defenders Shane and Darren Connolly and full-forwards Ollie Hughes and Shane McManus both limped off, but the likes of Colin Walshe, Ciarán McManus, Gabie Casey, Kevin McArdle and Mark Murphy led them through. County minors Buckley and Mark Magee were to the fore for Cremartin, along with Johnny and Paddy McGuigan.
Darren Bishop gave Cremartin an early lead from a 30-metre free after a foul on Gary Boyd, but Paul McArdle replied for Doohamlet with a similar effort after he had been fouled. Shane McManus put Doohamlet in front with a good point from play and Kevin McArdle linked up with Ollie Hughes to fist over and double their lead, although Doohamlet did survive a scare when a Kevin Brennan pass for Barry Carragher was intercepted before the Cremartin man could get his fist to it on the edge of the square.
Paul McArdle converted a 30-metre free for a foul on Jason McElroy and Shane McManus linked up with Ollie Hughes to continue Doohamlet’s dominance on the scoreboard and although Bishop replied from a 20-metre free, following a foul on Carragher, Mark Murphy landed a fine point to keep Doohamlet four clear. Mark Magee kicked Cremartin’s first score from play after good work by Fergal Mulligan, but Ted Duffy replied from a 40-metre free after a foul on McElroy.
Cremartin got a lifeline on 20 minutes when Buckley released Brennan and even though James Casey saved the corner-forward’s shot, the rebound fell for Brennan to set up Buckley to crash to the net. Paul McArdle restored Doohamlet’s two-point lead from a 20-metre free after a foul on Colin Walshe, but the league leaders had a nervy moment when a point-attempt from Bishop dipped over James Casey’s head and rattled the post. Doohamlet led by 0-8 to 1-3 at half-time, but Cremartin were well-placed with the wind at their backs for the second half.
Buckley got on the end of a move involving Bishop and Carragher to kick the first point of the second half and Carragher then equalised from a 35-metre free after Kevin McArdle had been penalised for over-carrying. Doohamlet missed a couple of chances at the other end, as Murphy crashed a shot off the post at the end of a length-of-the-field counter-attack involving Kevin McArdle and Shane McManus and Paul McArdle dropped a scoreable free into the hands of Cremartin keeper Damien Lavelle. Carragher thumped a 50-metre free over the bar, after a foul on Magee, to guide Cremartin into the lead on 42 minutes, but Doohamlet belatedly opened their second-half account in the 22nd minute through Ciarán McManus.
Walshe regained the lead for Doohamlet after good approach play by Gabie Casey and sub Stephen Gilsenan and they all but killed the game off with two minutes left when McElroy and sub Johnny Duffy combined to release Glen Comiskey, who blasted to the net from close range. Cremartin threw everything at Doohamlet in the three added minutes, but the closest they got to the goal they needed was when Bishop took a pass from Buckley and rifled a shot over the bar. Doohamlet are now through to the final for the second time in three years and they will know their opponents tomorrow evening (Sunday) when Tyholland and Donaghmoyne contest the second semi-final.
Doohamlet: J Casey; E McManus, G Casey, M Hughes; K McArdle (0-1), C Walshe (0-1), J McElroy; C McManus (0-1), G Duffy; M Murphy (0-1), P McArdle (0-3f), T Duffy (Capt., 0-1f); O Hughes, S McManus (0-2), N Connolly.
Subs: G Comiskey (1-0) for O Hughes (inj., 24 mins), J Duffy for Connolly (41), S Gilsenan for S McManus (52).
Cremartin: D Lavelle; P McGuigan, N Flanagan, C Mulligan; F Mulligan, J McGuigan, S Buckley (1-1); D Farrell, G Boyd (Capt.); K Atkinson, D Bishop (0-3, 2f), M Magee (0-1); K Brennan, B Carragher (0-2f), L McVicar.
Sub: L Atkinson for McVicar (47).
Referee: G Treanor (Truagh).
By michael Sat 8th Sep
