St. Colmcilles 1-08: Eire Og 2-05
Championship gets underway with a battle in Cotslandswick.
St. Colmcilles entertained Oxford on Saturday evening in Cotlandswick. After 24 hours of rain championship commenced in Hertfordshire with a great tussle between the two sides.
The home side started brighter with two early points from John Brosnan and Padraig Higgins. Eire Og replied with gusto, a nice point from Piers McGlynn opened the deadlock. Oxford retained possession and scored a goal through marauding wing forward Liam Reale. Both sides had plenty possession thereafter but were guilty of not taking their chances as the wide tally racked up. John Tobin of Oxford dragged down Paul Dolan in the square. Dolan dusted himself off to convert the resulting penalty. Oxford rallied and replied with two points both from Piers McGlynn, the first created from John Paul Doyle, the second after a good exchange between Paul Mulligan and Kevin Morrisey. The St. Albans side scored a point from their reliable free taker John Brosnan to draw the sides level. After 25 minutes John O’ Neil and Odran McShane clashed and referee Damien Maloney produced two straight red cards. At half time the game was level 1-03 each.
As the second half commenced the home side started better. A free from John Brosnan put Colmcilles ahead. Oxford drew level with a free from Paul Mulligan. Paul Dolan and John Brosnan both scored for the home side to put St Colmcilles in the driving seat, however Oxford had other ideas – after a fine move involving Mark O Callaghan and Piers McGlynn, supersub Aiden Doherty rattled the net to put Eire Og ahead by one point. St Colmcilles rallied and got two more points, one coming from full back Wayne Duggan and the next through Padraig Higgins to go one ahead. With one minute to go the Oxford side won a free and displaying nerves of steel, player-manager Mulligan converted the chance. Final score in an entertaining game St Colmcilles 1-08 Eire Og 2-05.
Reiteóir, Damien Maloney(St Dymphnas).
St Comcilles: G McGwyne, B Phelan, W Duggan, T Maloney, J McLoughlin, P Anderson, B Keegan, N Gallagher, P Higgins, S Cox, J Brosnan, C Carney, J O’ Neil, P Dolan, A O’ Byrne.
Eire Og: J Doran, P Murray, R Jones, J Tobin, P Mulligan, S Mellon, B Quinlan, O McShane, M O’ Callaghan, D Nicholls, F Jones, L Reale, JP Doyle, K Morrisey, P McGlynn. Subs T Gaughan (capt) for K Morrisey, S O’ Rourke for J Tobin, A Doherty for JP Doyle, J Phelan for D Nicholls. Subs not used: P O’ Sullivan, D Behan, J Goddard, J O’ Sullivan,T Griffin.