Beragh Comeback Stuns Owen Roes
A disastrous second half capitulation cost the footballers
of Owen Roe’s a place in the last four of the WJ Dolan sponsored 2007 Junior
Championship. At one stage the Leckpatrick side led by seven points, before
eventually succumbing to a four-point defeat to a rampant Beragh outfit led by
tormentor in chief Martin Rodgers.
Despite the poor showing in the second period, the
O’Neills were hugely impressive in the opening thirty minutes. It was a sign
of things to come when Mark Kelly won and converted a free with 30 seconds on
the watch. However Beragh struck back in style, when a mix up in the Leckpatrick
rear guard allowed the roving corner back Niall Boyle to punch to the net.
The Glenmornan based side though were about to go on the
most productive of runs. Firstly Barry Porter was fouled, allowing Kelly to tap
over another placed ball, before good work from Cathal Dooher let Aidan
McCrossan level things up.
Within a minute McCrossan was to be the architect of the
Green and Red’s goal. The big midfielder hit a free from a long way out that
had accuracy but lacked the distance. However Porter stole a march on his
opposite number to rise high and punch the ball venomously past keeper Colin
Grimes.
Gerard Porter’s men continued to be in the ascendancy
with full back Noel Mullen dealing comfortably with anything into the full back
line, and Aidan McCrossan and Chris Kelly dominating centre field. It was Kelly
next to split the posts with a neat effort off the outside of his right boot
following hard graft in the corner from the O’Neills Mark and Kevin.
Chris Kelly’s midfield partner Aidan McCrossan was about
to cap his fine thirty minutes with a trio of scores. Two placed balls from the
right side of the 45, were superbly executed, before more exertion from Kevin
O’Neill allowed McCrossan his third score in five minutes.
Behind 1-7 to 1-0, and the half coming to a close Palor
McNulty’s charges needed some inspiration, and in the guise of 17-year-old
Martin Rodgers they found it. The Beragh number 14 had been nullified up to that
point by Noel Mullen, but a switch to further in field yielded early reward.
Firstly Rodgers tapped over a short free, before the game’s key moment in the
29th minute of the contest.
Picking up the ball in centerfield, Rodgers rode the
tackles and sliced through the O’Neill’s defence to plant the ball past the
out rushing Andy Devine, and into the net. Mark Kelly ended the half by
converting a routine free.
Beragh reshuffled the pack at half time introducing Michael
Ward fresh from Glentoran duties earlier in the day, and the Red Knights got
straight to work in eroding the half time arrears. Terry McKenna, who had an
excellent second half, capitalised on some Beragh early pressure to point,
before Ward won a free kick that Rodgers converted.
Mark Kelly continued his fine dead ball work with a 38th
minute free, but the game was starting to slip from Owen Roe’s grasp.
Good work by McKenna allowed Sean McMahon to point, before
Rodgers swivelled onto his left boot to put a single punt in it. A slender lead
soon became level pegging, as Rodgers caught, ran and converted with 11 minutes
remaining.
It was now all Beragh, as the Red jerseys swamped midfield
and won constant possession, despite the best efforts of Noel Mullen and Brendan
McCrossan, who gave the dangerous Ward very little space. It was that man
Rodgers again that gave his side the lead with an excellent free with the right
foot, before Martin McMahon burst from the half back line to drive his side
home.
The Green and Reds now looked ragged, and a poor kick out
from Andy Devine allowed Dan Boyle to score, before appropriately it was a
converted dead ball deep in injury time from Martin Rodgers that ended the
contest.
This was a deeply disappointing night for the Owen Roe’s
club who were craving a decent championship run. An excellent opening 30 minutes
went to waste as they had little answer to Beragh’s efforts in the second
half, and in particular Martin Rodgers who ended the game with a personal tally
of 1-6.
Owen Roes: Andy Devine, Paul Kelly, Noel Mullen, Willie Doherty, Brendan Boggs, Cathal Dooher, Brendan McCrossan, Chris Kelly (0-1), Aidan McCrossan (0-4), Mark Kelly (0-4), Stephen Dooher, Kevin O’Neill, Mark O’Neill, Barry Porter (1-0), Paddy McNulty.
Subs: Aidan Christy for Doherty (30 mins), Declan McCrossan
for Kevin O’Neill (36 mins), Ronan Parker for Declan McCrossan (48 mins),
Mickey Dooher for Mark O’Neill (54 mins), Kiernan Kelly for Mark Kelly (59
mins).
Beragh: Colin Grimes, Damien Meenagh, Paddy Kelly, Niall
Boyle (1-0), Conor Hegarty, Martin McMahon (0-1), Niall Meenagh, Enda Donnelly,
Terry McKenna (0-1), Sean McMahon (0-1), Chris Donnelly, Niall Owens, XXXX,
Martin Rodgers (1-6), Dan Boyle (0-1).