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N.Y. GAA Cork sloppy but victorious

February 16, 2011

By Staff Reporter

By Jack Flynn

Cork 0-9, Cavan 0-6

Brazilian soccer great Pele often referred to his sport as “the beautiful game.” Had Pele been forced to sit through Cork’s excruciating 0-9 to 0-6 win over Cavan as his only exposure to Gaelic football, one can only wonder what indignities he would have heaped upon the sport.

The Div. I senior football match was devised of any brilliant play and was more often characterized by sloppy play and uninspiring efforts to score points.

Cork’s Gerry O’Riordan was one of the few bright spots in the match, notching five points to lead all scorers. Although he admitted it was not a well played 60 minutes for either side, matches like this are important to win if Cork harbors playoff ambitions.

“Points are valuable in the early games,” O’Riordan said. “Hopefully, we’ll have enough to get to the playoffs.” If the post season is Cork’s goal, a lesson in fundamentals is sorely needed. While they maintained the better of play for most of the match, Cork hardly looked like a top-flight team.

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Denis Kiely also played a good match for Cork, picking up the first point on a deflection over the bar. O’Riordan’s first point made the score 0-2 to 0-0 before Cavan’s Joe Cassidy cut the lead in half with a point of his own.

Cork had two fine chances in the early stages of the match, but could convert on neither one. Fergie O’Donoghue put a ball to the left and wide of goalkeeper Paddy O’Sullivan when left alone in front of the net. Dennis Mahoney did no better, lobbing a lovely pass from Pat Mahoney and failing to convert.

As if play wasn’t bad enough, a driving rain began to fall with the score 0-4 to 0-2 in Cork’s favor. An extended game of “hot potato” ensued, as players from both sides struggled to hold on to the ball and keep it from squirting out of their hands.

The rain began to taper off by the time the second half began, and Cork’s play began to pick up. After running off three straight points, including two from O’Riordan, to give Cork an 0-7 to 0-2 lead, it seemed that all was lost for Cavan.

However, Jim Gilsenan temporarily rescued the hopes of the Cavan faithful with two straight points, making the score 0-7 to 0-4. But the boys in blue could pull no closer, mainly because they kept missing easy frees.

Cork were missing their share of frees as well, just not at the same pace as their opponents. With the score 0-9 to 0-5 and time running out it appeared that Cork had managed to pull out a win.

However, it took an absolutely breathtaking save from O’Sullivan to keep Cavan out of the net. Gary McDermott rifled a shot at the net on a free just after O’Sullivan’s save, forcing the keeper to push the ball over the bar to protect his goal. Time ran out on Cavan after McDermott’s point, giving Cork the victory.

Cork scorers: O’Riordan 0-5, Kiely 0-2, Dockery and J. Mahoney 0-1.

Cavan: McDermott 0-3, Gilsenan 0-2, Cassidy 0-1.

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