NY GAA: Astoria king Ulster combo

The first match of the afternoon set Sunday’s schedule back half an hour as the Fermanagh/Tyrone amalgamation kept Astoria and the Gaelic Park crowd waiting.
The Ulster side amalgamated due to a number of worries but now they are faced with the same troubles as two clubs combined that can barely raise 15 men. Predictably, Astoria were on top from the start and at times this match resembled a backs versus forwards exercise at a training session.
With the green-clad Astoria dominating the greens of Fermanagh/Tyrone, the only thing slowing the Kings of Queens was their shooting accuracy.
After five early wides Astoria finally broke through with a bang. Corner forward Damien Ward was the man who both started and finished it. First Ward’s hard work earned a 50 for the Gaels, who took it short. Midfielder John Rabbitte’s shot deflected high off the upright and when the ball touched down, Ward was first to it, and Astoria were on their way. Now that Gaels had located the goalposts, they set about dismantling the Ulster combo.
Rabbitte and Mike Doherty controlled the midfield and the Astoria forwards were flourishing with the constant supply. John Beirne, Sam Yore, Jack Golden, Nestor Allen and Ciaran Cull all had their moments in the first half but John Beirne and Damien Ward were the instigators in this decisive opening period.
At the break Astoria led 1-7 to 0-0 and quickly sealed the deal right after the restart. Sam Yore and Nestor Allen led the way and two Ciaran Cull goals eliminated all suspense, except for the 0-0 looming on the Fermanagh/Tyrone side of the scoreboard.
The score had climbed to 3-13 to 0-0 before Fermanagh/Tyrone finally raised their first flag. Sean Melly was the scorer from a free and the combo added two more in succession before Sam Yore capped Astoria’s big victory.
Man of the Match: Damien Ward.
Astoria: Eugen Kyne, Alan Foley, Timmy Lynch, Gerry O’Brien, Gary Cornyn, Sean Munnelly, Niall Kerwin, John Rabbitte, Mike Doherty, John Beirne (0-2), Sam Yore (0-4), Jack Golden (0-2), Nestor Allen (0-1), Ciaran Cull (2-2, 1 fr), Damien Ward (1-2) Sub: Ultan Brown (0-1).
Fermanagh/Tyrone: Gerry Judge, Gene Mulligan, Barry O’Neill, Keith Colman, David Higgins (0-1), Damien Boyle, John Comwey, Peter McNamee, Sean Melly (0-1), Declan Fitzpatrick (0-1), Noel McBrien, Emmitt Rogers, Kevin Green, Anthony Fitzpatrick, Fergus Bogue.
Referee: Kieran Traynor.

Senior Hurling: Connecticut line up win

Connecticut 1-18
Tipperary 1-13

Under the blazing sun at Gaelic Park, Connecticut State outlasted Tipperary in last Sunday’s Senior Hurling feature. Much of the crowd sought refuge under the new awning that New York GAA Chairman Seamus Dooley had installed over the bleachers this week rewarding months of tireless pursuit on Dooley’s part.
The $7,000 tab was picked up by sponsors Liffey Van Lines, and it provided a welcome patch of shade from the relentless rays at the sun-drenched venue.
Connecticut and Tipperary supply New York with a high percentage of the Gotham county team, and several of the Connecticut State defending championship side, including Bonny Kennedy, are Tipperary men.
Naturally enough, these two teams have become serious rivals and with most pundits expecting them to meet in the 2005 finals, fans of the small ball game in New York were looking forward to seeing this match.
Tipperary had the early edge in play and opened the scoring in fine style when wingback David Kennedy blocked Bonny Kennedy’s shot before gathering possession and firing a long-range point for Tipperary after two minutes of play.
Debutante referee John Hennessey had gathered both teams in the center of the pitch before starting the match, presumably explaining what would and would not be tolerated. Hennessey, who earned up a couple of New York Championship medals with Galway in the 1980s, quickly showed that one thing he would not put up with was dissent. On numerous occasions, when players questioned his decision, the ball was promptly advanced.
Veteran John Madden added a second Tipperary point after seven minutes while Connecticut were struggling as they tried to find their rhythm. Then Bonny Kennedy stepped up to take a free 25 yards from the Tipperary goal. Bonny was thinking goal all the way, and his sharply struck drive put the suburbanites on top 1-0 to 0-2.
Some fine individual battles were going on all over the field. David Kennedy was proving more problematic for Bonny than anyone Antrim put in his path during May’s Ulster Championship match for New York, and although Bonny notched 1-13 on the day, 1-8 of those came from frees.
Tipperary center back Tom Moylan was going toe-to-toe with Cyrill Donnellan in another tremendous match up that Donnellan was just about shading when Moylan was switched to midfield at the start of the second half.
Connecticut had built a 1-8 to 0-6 lead at the break with that Bonny goal, the big score. The Tipperary sideline tried several positioned switches at the midway point with Madden moving to center back, Moylan to midfield, Mike Maher to the 40, and substitute Dave Loughnane coming on at corner forward at Terry Delaney’s expense.
Those moves seemed to be paying off for the Premier County when a 1-2 to 0-1 start pulled them within a point, 1-9 to 1-8. All the scores came from frees, Trevor Fletcher’s goal being the highlight. Fletcher dramatically lifted the slithoar very high before skipping it off the turf and into the back of the Connecticut net.
After an exchange of points between Bonny Kennedy and Tipperary midfielder Shane Tierney, Connecticut began to turn this match their way. Leading the charge was center forward Donnellan. Without Moylan to contend with, Donnellan was proving too strong as Connecticut ran off a 0-7 to 0-1 streak.
It might have been closer, but Connecticut keeper Aiden Kiely alertly saved a Moylan goal chance. Then with Connecticut leading 1-17 to 1-9 with eight minutes remaining, Fletcher lined up a 21-yard free and the whole park knew what he had in mind. Again Fletch lifted high, waited for the ball to drop and struck. This time Connecticut were ready and wingback Brendan Dooley made the big save.
A point from Kevin Kennedy, his fourth in a fine display, and two more from Fletcher brought Tipp back within 0-4. Time, however, was not Tipperary’s ally and with one last pointed free from Bonny, the first round of this rivalry for 2005 went to Connecticut.
Man of the Match: Bonny Kennedy.
Connecticut State: Aiden Kiely, Conor Crotty, Philip Wicham, Brendan Dooley, Fergus Flynn (0-1), Eammon Walsh, Aiden Power, Michael Broderick, Bonny Kennedy (1-13, 1-8 fr), Cyrill Donnellan (0-2), Niall Callinan, Keith Hennessey, Seamus Kelly (0-2).
Tipperray: Thomas O’Meara, Seamus Burke, Tomas Keane, Martin Costigan, Tom Moylan, David Kennedy (0-1), Shane Tierney (0-1), Alan Slattery, Terry Delancey, John Madden (0-2), Trevor Fletcher (1-5, 1-4 fr), Mike Maher, Kevin Kennedy (0-4).
Referee: John Hennessey.

Senior Football Div. B: Cork deluge Monaghan

Cork 4-7
Monaghan 1-11

A three-goal blitz midway through the first half proved too much for Monaghan sparking Cork to a 4-7 to 1-11 SFB win in Sunday’s finale at Gaelic Park.
Two points each from Nestor Allen and Monaghan u-21 star Andrew Collins had Monaghan out in front 0-4 to 0-2, while Cork were shooting far too many wides.
Then Conchubhar Harrington took over the match for Cork. First Harrington had the ball in the back of the Monaghan net only to see his three pointer called back with referee Tom Fahey having already blown for a penalty. Cork center forward Tadgh Collins made no mistake, and his blast gave Cork their first lead.
Moments later, Harrington had the umpire’s green flag waving and the Rebels were ascendant. A brace of points by Harrington on either side of his second goal sent Cork to the intermission with a nine-point advantage, 3-4 to 0-5.
When Tadgh Foley’s pile driver found the back of the net just moments after the re-start Monaghan looked all but finished.
To the credit Monaghan fought back. After Paul McGlynn and Harrington traded points the next 1-4 went to Monaghan.
Collins contributed 0-3 in this good Monaghan spell and Mark Rooney capped it off with a nicely taken goal.
Monaghan had done well to come from so far back, but the effort may have been too much for the Farney men. Two of Cork’s Tadgh’s, Collins and Foley, added late points against a last Monaghan tally from Andrew Collins and time finally ran out on Monaghan.
Man of the Match: Conchubhar Harrington.
Cork: Brian Murphy, Robert Conlin, C.J. Doherty, Con Breen, Liam Hanley, Enda Lally, Brendan Wiley, Tadgh Healy, Sean Healy, Ed Cleary(0-1,f), Tadgh Collins(1-1,1peno), Tadgh Foley(1-1), Conchubhar Harrington(2-4) Eoin Coveney, Micheal McCarthy.
Monaghan: Dermot O’Sullivan, Willie Connolly, Pat Lyons, Niall McKenna, Paddy Skeath, Keith Daly, Ronan Gogarty, Paul McGlynn(0-3,2f) Dan Scott, Peter Dooley, Sean Carbin, Nestor Allen(0-2) Mark Rooney(1-0) Darren Meaney, Andrew Collins(0-6,1s.l. and 1f).

Senior Football Div. A: Barest of margins for Kerry win

Kerry 0-14
Donegal 1-10

It was rivalry day in the Bronx when Kerry versus Donegal followed Connecticut State against Tipperary, which preceded that other New York feud happening just a few miles down the Deegan.
This one had all the hallmarks of a classic rivalry — hard hitting, comebacks, a bit of a fight — fortunately, broken up before it got out of hand — and just a point between them after an exciting hour of football.
In the first half it looked as it Kerry might win this match easily enough when they led by double scores 0-10 to 0-5 at the interval.
Donegal full forward Paddy O’Kane opened the scoring seconds after referee Dave Ryan’s throw in, but it was Kerry that quickly began to assert themselves. Once again Bingo O’Driscoll was on hand only weeks after returning home. Bingo’s Kerry club Annascaul were knocked out of the Championship and Kerry wisely used a 60-day sanction to bring him back.
A vintage Bingo free to open Kerry’s account was a reminder, if one was needed, of what O’Driscoll can do. 40 yards out, near the right sideline, Bingo’s free kick from the hand was dead over the black spot.
Kerry quickly tacked on three more points, including one from roving cornerback Niall Corbett, while all Donegal were collecting were yellow cards.
Conor Hunter and Donal Breslin received the cautions as Donegal struggled early. Midfielder Garreth Kelly was noticeably limping throughout the match and ended up moving, first to the 40, and eventually to the edge of the square.
But Kelly has always been a hard-nosed player and now he was instrumental in Donegal’s second point. Kelly caught well under pressure and fouled. He quickly took his free, passing to Kevin Lilly, who flipped to O’Kane for the point.
Kerry were quick to respond with a three point burst. First, their impressive midfielder Donnacha Walsh pointed after good set up work from Paul McCarthy and Dave McCarthy. Then Bingo’s long free nearly fooled Donegal keeper Eunan Doherty, who had to scramble to deflect O’Driscoll’s shot over the bar for a point.
One more from Bingo and Donegal trailed 0-7 to 0-2 with 20 minutes gone in the first half and you had to wonder if Donegal were about to fade from this match. We didn’t have to wonder long, as Donegal scored three of the next four points.
Some hard work from Owen Carew, who had switched with Kelly, set up Kevin O’Connor for a well-taken point. Another Bingo free was Kerry’s response, but good points from Donal Breslin and Garreth Kelly closed the gap. With just a goal between them and halftime approaching, Bingo added two late points, one free, one from play, and at 0-10 to 0-5, Donegal had a big hill to climb.
It didn’t take them long.
Kelly started the second half at full forward and immediately made life difficult for the Donegal back line. Two Lilly frees, the second after Kelly was fouled, got it started. Then in the 12th minute, an excellent long-range pass from Carew found Anton Diver. Diver fed Kelly and Kelly’s goal leveled the match.
After a bit of a dust-up that earned Donegal’s Matt Mitchell and Kerry’s Walsh yellow cards, Donegal took the lead for the first time since O’Kane’s opening minute point. After Bingo tied it, Lilly put Donegal back on top after another fine pass from Carew.
Dave McCarthy gave Kerry an insurance point and they needed it when Matt Mitchell’s long score made it a one-point match. But that would be it as the horn sounded and Kerry had edged their rivals by the barest of margins.
Man of the Match: Donnacha Walsh.
Kerry: Finbarr Flood, Paddy O’Connor, Derek Riney, Niall Corbett (0-1), Eoghan Lawlor, Pa Murphy, Collie Fearon, Donnacha Walsh (0-1), Dave McSweeney, Paudie Mulvihill, Dan Downey, Paul McCarthy, Dave McCarthy (0-3), Bingo O’Driscoll (0-7, 5 fr), Dermot Foley (0-2).
Donegal: Eunan Doherty, Joe Sweeney, Gary Duggan, Martin Donaghy, Shaun Campbell, Matt Mitchell (0-1), Anton Diver, James Mitchell, Garreth Kelly (1-1), Kevin Lilly (0-4, 3 fr), Owen Carew, Conor Hunter, Donal Breslin (0-1), Paddy O’Kane (0-2), Kevin O’Connor (0-1).
Referee: Dave Ryan.