ACL Division 3 - Keady Michael Dwyers v. Shane O’Neill’s

Keady Michael Dwyers: 2.16 – Shane O’Neill’s: 0.14

Gerard McGleenan Park played host to its first senior match of the season on Sunday as the Dwyers welcomed Shane O’Neill’s as the next obstacle in their attempt to gain promotion back to ACL Division 2 at the first attempt. Played in front of a good crowd on a mild day there were no excuses for the Dwyers not to pick up another two league points and were able to do so with eight points to spare in the end. Goals from Ryan Comiskey and Mark Hughes gave Keady a comfortable margin of victory in a game that never really looked like going the way of the visitors.

The Camlough men were the first to score in the game but an excellent point from the ’45 yard line from Kevin Rafferty and a free from Mark Hughes quickly edged the Dwyers in front in the early stages of the first half. Another Shanes’ point was followed by Ryan McGale’s first score of the game before Hughes gave the home team a two point margin. McGale followed this with a fantastic score from long range to extend the lead as the Dwyers looked to stamp their authority on the game. As the Shanes got into the game more the teams seemed to cancel each other out for a time as good defending from the Keady full back line of Chris Courtney, Stephen Murray and David Boylan kept the visitors from reducing the deficit. However, a soft free was converted by the visitors and another point brought them within a point of Keady with just over ten minutes remaining of the first half. Barry Hughes stepped up to claim his first score of the game as a long ball from the lively Ryan Comiskey found him in space and Hughes was able bypass his marker and slot the ball over the bar. The Shanes won the resulting kickout in midfield but Barry Toal showed strength to win the ball and play the ball downfield to Mark Hughes who laid the ball to Comiskey to convert. Another accurate long ball from Toal found Mark Hughes in space and Hughes registered his third point of the game before quickly registering his fourth soon after. The visitors clawed back a point before points from McGale and the industrious Eugene McDonnell extended the Dwyers lead to six points just before half time. This lead was to become nine points almost immediately as good work between Paul Murray and McGale in the forward line allowed Murray to play the ball into the box where Ryan Comiskey was waiting to grab an opportunistic goal with three defenders beside him. From the kickout the ball was won by Raymy Mullan who then played the ball down the line for McGale to receive and promptly beat his man and fist the ball over the ball under pressure from the visitor’s defence. The first half was concluded with a free from Shanes to leave the scores at 1.12 to 0.06 in favour of the home team.

The second half began with a point from Chrissy Woods before two points from the visitors reduced the deficit to eight points and although the Dwyers were looking solid the Camlough men were growing in confidence and were looking more of a threat than in the first half. A Mark Hughes point was followed by two more well-worked points from the Shanes including a free from the 45 yard line. Chrissy Woods made his second point of the game with some good work as he found space and his ferocious shot was palmed over the bar by the opposing ‘keeper. Keady were starting to look more dangerous as McDonnell and Rafferty in midfield were always looking for opportunities to attack and the forward line were exposing the gaps left by the visitors defence. Paul Murray got the point his hard work deserved as he made a diving block, picked the ball up and ran at the defence then put the ball over the bar. A further two points from the visitors were soon cancelled out by the Dwyers’ second goal of the game as substitute Paul Gollogly took the ball through the defence and laid it off for Mark Hughes to bury it to give Keady an unassailable ten point lead just before the final whistle. Two final points for the visitors did little but make the score somewhat more respectable but the damage was done as the Dwyers finished the game with a comfortable eight point lead and their fifth win of the season. This win sees unbeaten Keady remain at the top of ACL Division 3 and looking good after a number of impressive wins over the teams at the top of the table and they will look to take this form into next week’s game away to Belleek.

Team: A. Ashforth (R. Smith), C. Courtney, S. Murray, D. Boylan, B. Toal, R. Mullen, P. Murray, K. Rafferty, C. Nugent (E McDonnell), R. McGale, D. O’Hea, R. Comiskey, M. Hughes, C. Woods (P. Gollogly), B. Hughes (G. Toal). Subs not used: C. Comiskey, R. Morgan, D. Nugent, P. Nugent, K. O’Neill, P Smith.

Scorers: M. Hughes - 1.05, R. Comiskey - 1.01, R.McGale - 0.04, C. Woods - 0.02, B. Hughes - 0.01, P. Murray - 0.01, E McDonnell - 0.01, K. Rafferty - 0.01.