ACL Division 3 – St. Pauls v. Keady Michael Dwyers

St. Pauls – 0.09 : 3.14 – Keady Michael Dwyers

The Dwyers travelled to Lurgan on Sunday with St. Pauls the opponents in this ACL Division 3 game. Originally a home fixture for Keady, the match had to be switched due to heavy rain affecting the Keady pitch and the Dwyers were looking to pick up their fourth consecutive win away from home. In the end they were comfortable winners over a team at the top of the table before the game. Two goals from Mark Hughes and another from Chrissy Woods put the gloss on a fantastic team performance where the superior strength and fitness of Keady was clearly evident.

The game started at a frantic pace as both teams strived to gain a foothold in the game and it was to be the away team who drew first blood, a free converted by Mark Hughes. David O’Hea, outstanding in his first start of the year, quickly doubled the lead after Ryan Comiskey found him in space and O’Hea put the ball over the bar. Keady soon put daylight between the teams as Comiskey was brought down in the box and Mark Hughes slotted the resulting penalty past the ‘keeper to leave the scores at 1.02 to 0.00 in the early stages of the game. Keady were well on top at this stage, looking very dangerous in attack and solid in defence with Christopher Courtney, Barry Toal and Stephen Murray effectively repelling attacks. St. Pauls then got their first score of the game with a well taken point from distance but Keady took control of the game with a number of scores.

Further p oints from Comiskey and Chrissy Woods came after good work from both individuals and O’Hea registered his second point of the game, beating his man with ease and firing over with his weaker foot. With around ten minutes gone a Keady victory looked the only possible outcome and Richie Brennan got the ball in midfield and played a long ball to Mark Hughes who was able to score to put eight points between the teams. St. Pauls won the ball from the resulting kickout but Brennan did well to intercept and allow Chrissy Woods to get his second point of the match. This was to be Keady’s last point of the first half as the momentum swung in favour of the home teamas five unanswered points, including three frees, allowed them a route back into the game with the scores at 1.07 to 0.06 going in to the half time interval.

Keady started the second half with renewed vigour and enthusiasm and Ryan McGale converted a free to extend the lead. The eight point lead was soon regained as Barry Hughes, a half time substitute, showed remarkable strength to beat two St. Pauls defenders and fist the ball to Mark Hughes who was waiting to kick home his second goal of the game. Barry Hughes was involved in the next two points for the Dwyers, first playing in Comiskey to point and then getting a score for himself. Chrissy Woods extended the margin between the two teams as he finished off an attack, blasting the ball into the bottom corner of the goals from just inside the 21 yard line leaving the St. Pauls’ ‘keeper with no chance. Further scores from Comiskey and Gerard Toal followed before the home team managed their first score of the second half with around fifteen minutes to go. Richie Brennan then got the point his workrate deserved before St. Pauls reduced the deficit to fourteen points at this stage before Woods got another point for Keady.

With just minutes remaining the home team were striving to make the score more respectable and blocks from Kevin Rafferty and Paul Murray denied them a goal before Keady goalkeeper Ryan Smith made two excellent saves to preserve the clean sheet. St. Pauls finished the game with a point but the damage had been done and Keady were deserved victors by fourteen points, a great margin over a team coming into the game with the same points tally as the Dwyers in the league. This win gives John Toal and his management team a perfect competitive record with four wins from four and the fact that they were all wins away from home makes this more impressive. Overall a great team performance from the Dwyers as every player gave 100 % effort and the Keady defence was as solid as the forwards were clinical.

Team: R.Smith, C.Courtney, S.Murray, D. Boylan, P.Murray (B Scully), R. Mullen, B.Toal (c), C. Nugent (B. Hughes), K. Rafferty, R. Comiskey (K. O’Neill), R. Brennan, R.McGale (M. Toner), M.Hughes (G. Toal) C. Woods, D. O’Hea.

Scorers:  M.Hughes (2.02), C Woods (1.03), D. O’Hea (0.03), R. Comiskey (0.02), R. Brennan (0.01), B. Hughes (0.01), R. McGale (0.01), G.Toal (0.01)