Affairs ended even in a tightly contested battle today between local rivals Cloughaneely and St Michaels.
Cloughaneely 0-12 2-06 St Michaels
The much anticipated match-up between the sides brought a large crowd to Pairc Naomh Fionan. It was 2015 since the sides last met with St Michaels winning that tie.
In windy conditions in Falcarragh, the away side got on the scoreboard first. Oisin Langan splitting the posts with a delicious outside of the boot effort after a strong run forward.
Cloughaneely managed to respond quickly with Shaun Maguire tipping over a left footed free-kick. John Fitzgerald and Colm McFadden traded scores before John McGarvey drilled over from thirty yards with a fine individual effort.
Cloughaneely’s slender lead didn’t last too long. A ball into their defence from Liam Paul Ferry broke to Lee McColgan and the wing-forward drove the ball straight to the back of the net off his left foot.
Hugh O’Donnell prodded on another good effort for the away side soon after. Cloughaneely had to respond and they did, Shaun Maguire knocked over another free-kick and John Fitzgerald added an excellent score after taking on two men.
Liam Paul Ferry was doing well around the middle sector and he drilled over from twenty yards out to extend St Michaels lead to two points.
John Fitzgerald was in menacing form for the home team and he got his third of the first half, sticking over off the right once again. Kevin Mulhern quickly added another and it looked like the sides would go in level at half-time.
But St Michaels got their second goal of the game just before the half-time whistle. Daniel McLaughlin broke forward with pace and squared to Andrew Kelly who fisted into the net. Shaun McClafferty in the Cloughaneely goal disputed the decision, but the umpire raised the green flag judging the ball to have crossed the line.
Cloughaneely started the second half brightly. Denis Boyle and Lee O’Brien knocked over two scores within three minutes. Colm McFadden was in typically accurate form for the visitors, many of the spectators questioned his decision to take on a 55 metre free-kick. But, the All-Ireland winning forward nailed his kick and the white flag was raised.
John Fitzgerald and Andrew Kelly traded scores to leave it a two point game in favour of the visitors with ten to go. Cloughaneely then put the pressure on, first through Shaun McGarvey form a tight angle, then Martin Maguire added a peach of a score off his left.
Things were level with five minutes to go, and after Cloughaneely won a free-kick, Liam Kelly was sent-off after appearing to have hit out at Michael Mulhern.
St Michaels missed four efforts in succession and then Cloughaneely were reduced to fourteen. Shaun McGarvey was awarded a second yellow for a tackle and was forced to head for the line.
Both teams will be happy enough to put a point on the board after a pulsating sixty minutes of football. Local derbies are generally full of action and this one was no different. The sides will look forward to the reverse fixture later on in the season.
Cloughaneely: Shaun McClafferty, Ciaran McFadden (Paddy Cannon, 54), Ciaran Scanlon, Michael Mulhern, Michael Fitzgerald, Michael Mulhern, Mark Harley, Lee O’Brien (0-1), Martin Maguire (0-1), Aidan Doohan (Denis Boyle, 20), Shaun McGarvey (0-1), John McGarvey (0-1), John Fitzgerald (0-4), Shaun Maguire (0-2 2f), John Harley.
St Michaels: Aran Bowyer, Liam Kelly, Steven Doak, Jamie Hunter, Ruairi Friel, Ciaran Gallagher, Oisin Langan (0-1), Ciaran Kelly, Liam Paul Ferry (0-1), Daniel McLaughlin, Colm McFadden (0-2 2f), Lee McColgan (1-0), Hugh O’Donnell (0-1), Andrew Kelly (1-1), Odhran McFadden.
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