Both Cortown and Meath Hill find a way to win
Ryan Owens slots over late point to give the Hill their victory
CORN NA BOINNE
Meath Hill 2-9
Navan O‘Mahonys 2-8
Meath Hill travelled to Paddy O’Brien Park on Thursday evening to make their competitive bow against Navan O’Mahonys in the Corn na Boinne Cup and chalk up an impressive victory.
Meath Hill took an two point lead after four minutes when Cormac Sheehy curled a great effort over with his left foot from 40 yards. This was followed swiftly by good interchange between the Meath Hill forwards which resulted in Pierce McGrath slotting over from 20 yards out.
Meath Hill would then struggle to keep pace with an O’Mahonys team that looked to have the killer instinct inside as their inside forward line accounted for the entirety of their half time score totalling 1-7.
Meath Hill would only keep in touch at half time with a goal and a point from Jack McMahon just before the break.
The half-time score stood at: Navan O’Mahonys 1-7 Meath Hill 1-3
The second half did not start great as Meath Hill were punished for fouling inside and the Navan O'Mahonys forwards duly obliged with a free early on. Meath Hill would respond with scores from Pierce McGrath and Cormac Sheehy.
The game then looked dead and buried as the Navan men were awarded a penalty which was dispatched to the net.
Meath Hill then began to rally and well-orchestrated scores from Pierce McGrath and Jack McMahon left Meath Hill three adrift.
From the resulting kickout the tireless James Mooney found himself in the box being fouled after good build up play, a penalty was awarded and slotted home by Meath Hill goalkeeper Dominic Yorke.
A winning score from Ryan Owens finally came after resilient defending from O’Mahonys in the 56 minute.
Meath Hill - D Yorke; G Boylan, T Carolan, B Gogarty; A Monaghan, J Slavin, P Griffin; R Owens, S McCabe; C Sheehy, J Gillen, C Farrelly; J McMahon, P McGrath, J Mooney.
Navan O'Mahonys' report
Meath Hill2-9
Navan O’Mahonys 2-8
In the first competitive outing of the year, Navan O’Mahonys lost out by the narrowest of margins to Meath Hill in Brews Hill on Thursday evening.
The lead changed hands a couple of times during the game, with both sides sending penalties to the net.
The visitors opened the scoring, with two points in the first two minutes. Navan O’Mahony’s responded with a goal, with a pass from Craig O’Toole setting up Robbie Keelaghan to find the net. Midfielder Shane Maguire pointed from play in the eighth minute, followed by three Keelaghan frees to leave Navan O’Mahony’s 1-4 to 0-2 ahead after fifteen minutes.
O’Toole added a point in the twentieth minute before Meath Hill responded at the opposite end of the pitch.
Breaking through the defence, a one-on-one with netminder Niall Devlin ended in a goal for the visitors, closing the gap. Niall McGrane and Keelaghan each pointed before the interval and Navan O’Mahony’s held a four point advantage at this stage.
Navan O’Mahony’s 1-7 Meath Hill 1-3
A Keelaghan free two minutes after the resumption left five between the sides again. The visitors pushed on following this, kicking three scores in quick succession. With only two points between the sides, a foul in the square left Keelaghan on the penalty spot.
He duly converted and Navan O’Mahony’s led by five once again. In the following five minutes, Meath Hill raised two white flags to leave a kick of the ball between the sides. On the 22nd minute, another penalty was awarded, this time at the opposite end of the pitch. It found the back of the net and the sides were level.
Almost immediately afterwards, Meath Hill scored a point from play to take the lead for the first time since the fifth minute.
With seven minutes on the clock, both teams tried in vain to score and when the referee’s whistle rang out, it was the North Meath side who were in the lead.
Navan O’Mahonys - Niall Devlin, Darragh Murphy, Evan Brady, Mike O’Reilly, Sam Formosa, Eimhin Power, Aodhan Mallon, Conor Brady, Shane Maguire (0-1), Conor Finnegan, Ronan Clarke, Niall McGrane (0-1), Jake Regan, Craig O’Toole (0-1), Robbie Keelaghan (2-5)
Subs - Brian Dillon, Darragh Maguire, Craig Nolan, Sean Betson, Duggie Dillon, Jack Flynn, Eoghan Nugent.
TAILTEANN SHIELD
Cortown 0-10
St Mary's 0-7
It wasn't pretty but it was probably never going to be pretty with the difficult underfoot conditions however Cortown found a way to win this Tailteann Shield encounter.
An impressive first half showing from Martin McGovern's charges very much laid the foundations for the understrength hosts who lead by 0-7 to 0-2 at the interval.
Mary's too were missing their ace attackers Sam Victory who swapped the glorious surroundings of Cortown for the miserable and gloomy conditions of Barcelona - go figure!
The hosts opened the scoring with an advanced mark converted by Davy Rispin following an excellent Luca Brady delivery. Trim Celtic star Oisin Smith would double the Cortown advantage with a neatly taken curled effort.
Mary's would get up and running shortly after before Rispin pointed a free following a foul on the ageless Ivor O'Halloran. Hugh Staunton would do likewise from the opposite side with Cortown firmly in control at 0-4 to 0-1 after the opening quarter.
The dominance continued with Staunton adding another free and Rispin lofting over from close range. The Donore men were struggling to penetrate a stubborn Cortown defence with Barry Canning, Decky Clarke and Micky Costello all on top.
The youthful half back-line gave Cortown plenty of energy whilst the hardworking midfield pairing of Clarke and Brady was key along with the industrious O'Halloran and Reilly either side of the silky smooth Staunton.
James Lynch tagged on a second point for the visitors from a free but Staunton raised another white flag from a free to give Cortown a handsome five point buffer at the break.
The second half turned into a real slog with Nicky Gogan's team in the first game under his tenure determined to make a game of it. Cormac Victory added a couple of scores to edge his side that bit closer.
Their cause was not helped with a St Mary's player picking up a second yellow with 15 minutes still to go. That and Oisin Smith's left footed effort should have proved the platform for the men in yellow to go and see their visitors off but it didn't materialise that way.
The plucky Saints plugged on and got themselves back within three prior to Tommy Smith firing over a much needed score with the customary roar following immediately after.
Back-to-back scores from the Mary's approaching injury time had the margin back to two with nerves jangling.
Thankfully for the bulk of the supporters Ciaran Keating popped up in the pocket and added the insurance point with the last kick of the contest.
Arguably it should have been more comfortable than it was in the finish but in their first competitive outing of the year, Cortown will be delighted with a win of any kind.
A tricky second tie away to Kilmainhamwood is next on Saturday week with Boardsmill to come the following Thursday.
One win from the next two should guarantee a semi-final spot with preparations ongoing for the commencement of the league in March.
Cortown - Colm McGearty; Barry Canning, Decky Clarke, Micky Costello; Ciaran Keating (0-1), Charlie Smith, Theo Staunton; Stevie Clarke, Luca Brady; Elliot Reilly, Hugh Staunton (0-3 frees), Ivor O'Halloran; Davy Rispin (0-3 one free, one mark), Tommy Smith (0-1), Oisin Smith (0-2). Subs - John McGearty for O Smith, David Coyne for O'Halloran, Declan Clarke for S Clarke.
Referee - Gus Martyn (Dunderry).