February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
For players so young, both of these teams displayed all the fine arts of Gaelic Football with finesse and style. No fewer than 14 times were kicks being blocked fearlessly and with great precision. Both teams moved the ball stealthily with accurate and effective give-and-go passing movements. The fielding was exceptional, the marking tenacious but fair, and both goalkeepers made many fine saves.
In the second minute, St. Ray’s opened the scoring with a goal by Peter Lamachia. Less than a minute later, St. Barnabas almost equalized. Padraig McDaid made a great solo run down the left flank and unleashed a pile driver that was brilliantly saved by St. Ray’s keeper Peter Neubauer. In the fourth minute, Jack Hannon kicked a point to open the Woodlawn boys’ scoring. And in the eighth minute, Mickey Butler fed Padraig McDaid, who added a point. Two minutes later, McDaid passed to Jack Hannon and he slotted the ball between the posts to even the score.
Straight from the kickout, St. Raymond’s were on the attack and Peter Lamachia pointed for the Ravens. During the first half, the St. Raymond’s defense was solid, with Ciaran Slattery, Patrick Moulton and Daniel McGinty protecting their keeper valiantly.
St. Barnabas were now to come into a period of dominance. Hannon pointed a free on 17 minutes, immediately followed by a Shane Flanagan point after a marvelous individual effort and capped by a Mickey Butler free. St. Barnabas fullback Patrick Hallinan made a courageous and team-inspiring block of a blistering goal-bound effort from Peter Lamachia. Just before halftime, Stefan Manz scored a point for St. Raymond’s to send the teams into the break with St. Barnabas ahead 0-6 to 1-2.
St. Raymond’s recaptured the lead with two points from Lamachia in the 31st and 32nd minutes, only to have Hannon equalize again with a deft maneuver to elude his marker and kick a wonderfully stylish point. St. Raymond’s then struck two lethal blows. Fullback Dennis Kilkenny kicked the ball out to center back Aimee Gomez, who in turn released to midfielder Conor Bowden. Bowden sent a high ball into the attack and Lamachia timed his jump perfectly and fisted the ball into the net. St. Barnabas were shook, and sensing this, St. Raymond’s stormed forward on full cylinders. A few neat passes and the ball came to super sub Seamus Lawton, who poached a wonderful goal and put his team up by six points.
Between the 38th and 46th minutes, Barnabas scored five unanswered points and then Frankie McDermott scored a goal to leave the score 1-12 to 3-4.
Thomas Enright kicked a superb point in the 51st minute to again narrow the gap at one point. But within seconds Hannon replied for St. Barnabas with a left footed. In the 54th minute Daniel McEanerney finished a fine St. Barnabas attack with a neatly taken goal. Again St. Raymond’s showed their character and swept up field. Padraig O’Connor kicked a powerful point that seemed goal bound but narrowly went over the crossbar. In the last minute, Frankie McDermott of St. Barnabas and Thomas Enright of St. Raymond’s each scored superb goals for their team.
OTHER GAMES
At Paddy’s Field on Saturday, in a thriller, Rangers edged Celtics 2-2 to 1-4 in an under-10 League game. Rangers player of the game, Denis Collins; Celtics player of the game, Brian Slattery.
In the under-12 League, Celtics 4-7 Rangers 2-2. Celtics player of the game, Daniel Tierney, who scored 4-5 of Celtics’ total. Rangers player of the game, Fiona O’Dwyer.
Rangers coasted to an 0-12 to 0-4 victory in the under-14 League over Celtics.
On Sunday next at Gaelic Park, at 11:15 a.m., Rockland meet St. Barnabas in the under-21 semifinal. Winners play St. Joseph’s in the final.