By Connie Kelly
Chilly weather made it ideal for football and hurling in Boston over the weekend where six games were decided.
The first game of the day saw Aidan McAnespies hold on to a 3-point win over St. Barnabas, New York. McAnespies got down to business right from the start with a quick point from Mickey Coll. Brian Montgomery had the sides level after 12 minutes of play, but McAnespies soon took the game over with some excellent shooting by Jim Allo, who scored 5 points in a row, Tony Rafferty pulled one back for St. Barnabas to make it 0-6 to 0-2 at the half. St. Barnabas had a much better second half outscoring McAnespies 5 to 4.
In the minor game, St. Barnabas gave an exhibition of some fine football to a young Boston team. Winning on a score of 2-13 to 0-1 just about all the forwards were impressive, with some well-taken scores.
In senior hurling, Fr. Tom Burkes and Cork had their first outing of the season and there was very little between the sides at any stage of the game.
Cork made a great come-back. Thanks to the marksmanship of Rory Dwyer who had six points all from frees. Tadgh Nagle had two while Con McDonnell and Alan McCarthy had one apiece. Keith Carr had two points for Fr. Toms and Oliver Dowling and Owen Bradley one each to leave the half-time score 0-10 to 1-4.
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Fr. Toms picked up the pace in the second half with points by Dowling (1) and Carr (2) to leave the sides level. Cork’s Brendan Harrington took a bad blow to his hand and had to leave the game 10 minutes into the half.
His departure spelled the turning point in the game as Fr. Toms kept pressing they scored their second goal of the game. Carr and Tracy got on target again. A bad clearance by Cork lost them another point. Dwyer sent over another free and Jim Howard added one from play for Cork. But there was no denying Fr. Toms as Dowling and Carr knocked over two points late in the game to secure a well deserved win for Fr. Toms, 2-10 to 0-14.
In senior football, Donegal came out on top of The Shannon Blues 1-6 to 0-4 in a very hard fought game, with the first score of the game being an own goal for Donegal.
They quickly added two more points by Mickey Ward, and Darren Rocks, to make it 1-2 to no score.
Cathal Golden got the Blues on the board after 18 minutes. Clinton Hennessy added another from a free to leave just a goal between the sides. Two were sent to the side and when tempers cooled, both teams traded points to end the half at 1-3 to 0-3.
In the second half, the Blues took 29 minutes to register just one point while Donegal had just three points. Seamus McKenna (2) and Michael McGinty (1). Final score 1-6 to 0-4.
In the second senior game, Aiden McAnespies had a three point win over Wolfe Tones 1-9 to 0-9, in a very close game which was tied up at 0-5 all at the half.
McAnespies started with points by Nigel Regan, Ross Hainsworth, Conor McKeever and Barry Fay all inside of nine minutes. But the Tones chipped away at the lead and keep McAnespies scoreless for 20 minutes with points from Mick Salmon (2), Ken Daly (2) and Ray Butler (1). Kevin Heaney would tie it up for McAnespies on the stroke of time.
The second half saw McKeever send over an early free and added another from play. Mick Salmon of the Tones pulled one back before Paddy Stones hammered the ball to the back of the net for the only goal of the game. Yet the Tones fought back and nearly walked away with a draw.