Edenderry minors made a great start to the 2011 minor championship with a three point win over Tullamore on Friday night. The game was played in terrible wet conditions and both sides struggled to keep possession but in the end two first half goals proved crucial for the Reds.
Edenderry dominated the opening fifteen minutes and after four minutes Cian Lawton put the reds in front when he pointed. Just thirty seconds later Gary Blong kicked a ball into the square to which the goalie attempted to kick it clear and it went under his foot and rolled into the net for Edenderry’s opening goal. Ten minutes would pass before the next score but again it was another mistake by the Tullamore goalie and when he lost the ball Oran Lawton was on hand to finish to the back of the net.
Both sides traded two points a piece in the next five minutes, Edenderry’s two coming from Sean Doyle and Tullamore pointing two free’s. With twenty minutes gone in the first half Edenderry lead 2-3 0-2 but with half time quickly approaching and Tullamore were once again awarded a 14 yard free and duly converted. Edenderry had the last say of the first half however when Daniel Nolan pointed in injury time to give the reds a seven point half time lead.
Edenderry 2-4
Tullamore 0-3
Edenderry’s half time lead proved vital at full time because Tullamore certainly dominated the second half, outscoring the hosts by 0-6 to 0-2. The reds started the scoring after four minutes when Sean Doyle dropped a free into the square Aaron McDonnell fisted the ball over the bar. This would be Edenderry’s last score for eighteen minutes while Tullamore knocked over four points, one from a free. On two occasions Edenderry failed to clear their lines and carried the ball into trouble and Tullamore punished the mistakes.
Eight minutes from time Edenderry registered their second and last point of the second half when Peter O’Neill pointed from a free. Tullamore pointed twice more and were trying desperately for a goal but for some great defending from Declan Fitzpatrick, Shane Cronin and Matthew O’Grady while Cian Lawton made a vital block and Cormac Hurley was solid in the goals. There was four minutes of injury time but Tullamore could not find the breakthrough needed despite two late 45’s and the reds recorded a three point victory.
This will be seen as a great start to the championship for the minors who would have been the underdog as when these sides met on July 27th 2009 at U16 level Tullamore beat them 6-12 1-6. Edenderry had some great performances all over the field and the improvement from two years ago is there for all to see. Four members of the U16 team started and it will help to bring them lads on while the olders lads have clearly benefited from adult football this year with the junior and senior team.
The management team of Kevin Nolan, Tom Lawton and Peader O’Neill will be delighted with the effort and result and a win over Rhode in their next game could see the reds through to the knockout stages.
Man of the match: Shane Cronin
Referee: D Walsh (Gracefield)
Cormac Hurley, Matthew O’Grady, Shane Cronin, Declan Fitzpatrick, Gary Blong(1-0), Daniel Nolan(0-1), Aaron O’Connell, Cian Lawton(0-1), Evan Kelly, Mikie Clear, Aaron McDonnell(0-1), Sean Doyle(0-2), Andrew Forde, Peter O’Neill(0-1), Oran Lawton(1-0).
Subs: Mark Nolan for Aaron McDonnell
James Pollard, Jamie Dolan, Ciaran Farrell, Ross Mangan, Eoin Kelliher, Cain Brereton, Jason Farrell, Sergio Camara, Darly O’Connor
