Éire Óg v Cambridge Parnells
10 August 2014
Stockwood Park, Luton
Referee: Mick McCarey (St. Vincents)
Liam Reale kicks a beautiful point from 30 yards to get the scoring started after some “intense” play at mid-field. Piers McGlynn doubles the advantage with five minutes gone. Wide for Cambridge from Corner back McGovern. First shot in anger for Cambridge. Another wide for Cambridge who are developing a good dominance in Midfield. Yet to capitilise though! Cambridge get off the mark with a free from Ross Smith after some “defending” from the full back line. . Smith levels the game with a great point from close to the 45 line. EO Cul!!!! Beautiful long diagonal ball into Chris Donnellan from Mark O’ Callaghan, he turns on a six pence and blast the ball past Reilly in the Cambridge nets!! Donnellan again, blast a ball toward goal but drifts to the right! First wide for Oxford! Oxford failing to make hay whislt the sun shines! two more wides in 30 seconds. Donellan settles the nerves with a long range effort which floats swan like between the posts! EO Nerves reemerge with wides all the full forward line in three minutes. Will this come back to haunt the Oxford men? Danger here! Long ball into the square from Faulkner, Smith rises above everyone and is tackled. Ref blows the whistle. Going in to consult Umpires! Penalty! The long outstreched arms of McCarey are like scythes to the Éire Óg hopes! Sean Faulkner steps up to take the penalty and blasts it into the Oxford net past keeper Davies who got a finger on it…. And thats half-time. Oxford should be further ahead, but Cambridge are dangerous and will be looking to pressure early in the second half!!
Cambridge win the first tussle of the second half and send the ball straight into Faulkner who floats the ball between the posts! McGlynn responds for the Oxonians to extend the difference to two points. Simon Rice with a great individual effort for Cambridge. He caught the ball on the 50, looked at it, it look back and together they raced through the Oxford defence before parting ways. John Gaughan yields the changes for Oxford. Tommy Gaughan and Kevin Morrissey on to steady the ship. Tommy Gaughan repays the Gaffers faith immediately with a long range point. Schmozzle in the half back line and Mark O’ Callaghan goes down injured! Gaffer Gaughan dons the first aid cap just after instructing the subs to warm up – Further Schmozzle and Gaffer Gaughan sees red from the Ref!
Half time Éire Óg 1-06 Cambridge Parnells 1-04
Back to the action on the field. Free for Cambridge which Maguire blasts to the left and wide. Oxford lead by two but need to settle. Nerves are very evident as Ryan fists a close in effort inches wide! More nerves more wides. All of the half forward line contribute to the tension with three wides in an hour. Ah a great point from McGlynn to settle things.”Excellence is not a singular act but a habit. You are what you do repeatedly” The reply from Cambridge is immediate! Faulkner with a great individual effort reduces the advantage to 2. Maguire with the ball on the thirty, on the twenty, on the ground. Free in! Drifts wide.! Kick out won by Cambridge, Faulkner passes to substitute Morgan who shoots a dangerous low shot which a back deflects over the bar. Great kick out from Davies goes to O’ Callaghan. Pops a ball to play maker Doyle who palms it onto speedster McGlynn. Past one, past two! Back of the net from McGlynn!!! Different Class…… Poor kick out from the Cambridge Keeper goes straight to Mark Ryan who sails the ball between the Cambridge posts!! Its over! Great finish from Oxford! Showed guts to win as were just a point ahead with 7 to go!!
Final Score Éire Óg 2-08 Cambridge Parnells 1-06
Eire Og: 1. Ryan Davies 2. Danny Reidy 3. Michael Cooke 4. Mark Hickey 5. Darren Cuddy 6. Johnny Harte 7. Stephen Mellon 8. Colm FitzGerald 9. Mark O’ Callaghan 10. Conor Briody 11. Liam Reale 12. JP Doyle 13. Chris Donnellan 14. Mark Ryan 15. Piers McGlynn
Cambridge Parnells: 1. Andy Reilly 2. Shane O’ Carroll 3. Glenn O’ Connor 4. Darren McGovern 5. Alan Power 6. Simon Rice 7. Chris O’ Hare 8. PJ Maguire 9. David Baueter 10. Sean Faulkner 11. John Buckley 12. Domhnall Fogarty 13. Richie Austria 14. Ross Smith 15. Pat O’ Dea