County League Division 5
Ballydonoghue 1-08 Asdee 1-08
By Jack Hennessy
Asdee got their first points of the 2014 County League on the opening day after a close encounter against Ballydonoghue at Coolard. Just two weeks ago the home side had recorded a facile victory over John Kennedy’s men at the same venue who at the time appeared to have one eye firmly on their upcoming Munster Final. Despite a dull, cold morning the sun came out at Coolard and the neutrals were treated to passages of superb football.
The confidence they gained in Knockaderry stood to them in the first half where at times they threatened to build a considerable lead which could have been more at the break. Asdee wasted a handful of chances in the opening quarter before Darren Russell put them on the scoreboard with a pointed free on the 13th minute.
However, the home side possess a number of very dangerous forwards no more so than Paul Kennelly who got on the end of a move in the 15th minute to fire past Conor Coughlan in the Asdee net. Thankfully, the goal triggered a positive response from the men in Black and Amber with Eoin Kennedy winning the ball 15 meters out from the Ballydonoghue goal before blasting past the hapless Dara O’ Shea in the home net. A Paul Kennely free on the 21st minute was sandwiched between two fabulous Eoin Kennedy points in the 20th and 24th minutes of the first half. This sent Asdee in at half-time with a thoroughly deserved half-time lead of 1-03 to 1-01.
Ballydonoghue entered the field in the 2nd half eager to get a foothold in the game. Defences dominated on both sides in the early exchanges of the 2nd half until two Paul Kennelly frees in the 8th and 10th minute levelled the contest. The forward put Ballydonoghue into lead after a fine point on the 12th minute. Asdee were looking badly in need of a point at this stage until Eoin Kennedy pointed on the 13th minute.
Mike Breen then stepped up winning the ball on the sideline before cutting inside his marker to send over a fine point from twenty five yards out on the 14thminute. A purple patch from the away side was made sweeter when Eoin Kennedy scored a brilliant point also in the 14th minute. Asdee now led 1-06 to 1-04 with fifteen minutes left.
However, Ballydonoghue are not one of this years promotion favourites for nothing. Paul Kennely added a point on the 18th minute of the 2nd half before sending the home side into the lead with two frees on the 20th and 24th minutes. Asdee now had to go in search of a levelling point again. Ballydonoghue defended resolutely until John Doran eventually found a way through with a fine point from thirty five yards out in the 29th minute.
Asdee now went in search of the win but when playing against forwards of the calibre of Paul Kennelly a team will always be up against it. He scored his final point of the afternoon on the 31st minute bringing his tally for the day to 1-08(0-06f) which was all of Ballydonoghues total.
Asdee cant have been accused of lacking in heart in the past few weeks having ground out very tight hard fought results against Moyvane and Charleville in the past month. They would once again have to go to the well to gain a share of the spoils. In their final attack Eoin Kennedy won the ball forty yards out from goal on the wing before being fouled. He stepped up to score the levelling point in the 33rd minute of the game.
Team and Scorers: Conor Coughlan, Eoin O’ Carroll, Martin Collins, Sean Keane, Tom Mulvihill, Noel Long, Con Carmody, John Doran(0-01), Padraig Ruddle, Michael Tydings, Darren Russell(0-01), Michael Walsh, Michael Breen(0-01), Charlie Dalton, Eoin Kennedy(1-05) (0-02f). Subs: Daragh Keane for Michael Tydings, Eoin Tydings for Charlie Dalton, Kieran Kelly for Con Carmody, David O’ Connor, Paul O’ Carroll, Padraig Buckley, Barry O’ Donoghue, Denis Dalton, Brian Coughlan.