Universal Graphics Junior Football Championship Round 1A
Aghabog 1-13 Oram 1-7 7/6/14
An improved second-half performance helped Aghabog get their JFC campaign off to a winning start against Oram in Drumhowan on Saturday evening. Difficult conditions contributed towards a scrappy game, but Aghabog found some fluency in the final quarter, during which they scored as much as they had in the rest of the hour. Only one of Aghabog’s forwards got on the scoresheet, but their three half-backs all chipped in as they overturned last year’s defeat against Oram. Shane and Seán O’Brien, Gary McBride and Damian Smyth led the way for the winners, while Ryan McGuinness, Lorcan Keenan and Cathal Crowe were best for Oram.
It took five minutes for either side to score before Oram’s Danny Lynch blazed a goal chance over the bar. Seán Graham had another effort at goal saved by Aghabog keeper Darren Kelly, before turning provider for Leo Burke to double Oram’s lead. Aghabog eventually got off the mark in the 15th minute when Shane O’Brien converted a 20-metre free for a foul on Seán O’Brien, who quickly added a point from play before winning another couple of frees for Shane O’Brien to send over and propel his side into a two-point lead. Daniel Forde ended 17 scoreless minutes for Oram, but Patrick McCabe replied for Aghabog after good work by Shane O’Brien and Aidan Brady. A foul on Forde allowed Ryan McGuinness to tap over a 20-metre free in added time, but Aghabog still led by 0-5 to 0-4 at the interval.
The start to the second half was similarly tense and short of free-flowing play and Oram suffered a blow in the eighth minute when Deaglán Crowe was shown a second yellow card. A Ryan McGuinness point brought Oram level, but Shane O’Brien hit back with a brace; one from a free and the other a fine left-footed effort from play. Shane O’Brien won and scored a 30-metre free to leave Aghabog three ahead at the end of the third quarter and although Lorcan Keenan replied at the end of a patient Oram move, Seán O’Brien linked up well with Dermot Smyth at the other end to race through on goal and even when his shot was parried by David Sheehy, the rebound fell for Gary McBride to slide home.
Seán O’Brien quickly added a good point, before Darren Kelly kept out a fisted effort by Burke from a Ryan McGuinness cross. Oram played the last ten minutes with 13 men after Justin Mone received a straight red card for striking McCabe, but they got a boost eight minutes from time when McGuinness linked up with Forde to fire to the net. Damian Smyth fisted over to restore Aghabog’s five-point lead, however, and he then set up Seán O’Brien for two points in quick succession. Aaron Molloy sent a goal-attempt just over at the other end after taking a pass from Burke, before Damian Smyth linked up with sub Shane Dolan to give Aghabog a six-point winning margin. Aghabog will play the winners of next Saturday’s game between Blackhill and Toome in Round 2A, while Oram have been paired with Killeevan in Round 1B.
Aghabog: D Kelly; M Fox, S Greenan, S McPhillips; Damian Smyth (0-2), G McBride (Capt., 1-0), P McCabe (0-1); Shane O’Brien (0-6, 5f), A Brady; C Logue, S Brady, S McMenamin; Seán O’Brien (0-4), L Kelly, Dermot Smyth.
Subs: M Kierans for McMenamin (13 mins), S Dolan for S Brady (inj., 55), F O’Hanlon for L Kelly (60).
Oram: D Sheehy; C McGuinness, R Murphy, C Crowe; L Keenan (Capt., 0-1), S McBride, E McNally; D Crowe, J Mone; D Morris, R McGuinness (1-2, 0-1f), D Lynch (0-1); D Forde (0-1), S Graham, L Burke (0-1).
Subs: C McGeough for Morris (H-T), A Molloy (0-1) for C McGuinness (34), J McDonald for McNally (54).
Referee: S Ward (Inniskeen).
By cshalvey Mon 9th Jun
