SAFC: Beál Átha'n Ghaorthaidh off to a winning start against Clyda Rovers
Daire O'Ceallachan of Beal Atha'n Ghaorthaidh attempts to get past Mike Forde and Niall Hanley of Clyda Rovers during the Bon Secours SAFC in Coachford. Picture: Howard Crowdy
BEAL Athan Ghaorthaidh kickstarted their SAFC campaign with a victory over Clyde Rovers in Coachford, with Ben Seartan and Conchur O’Loingsigh making sure they got the result by overturning a four-point deficit.
It was a similar game to their meeting in the Cork Credit Unions Division 2 Football League, in which Beal Athan Ghaorthaidh won 3-13 to 3-12. Both teams were able to create chances, with three wides kicked by each team in the open 15 minutes.
What worked for Clyda was the work done by Cork star Conor Corbett. He started the game with 1-3, with two scores coming from frees. This allowed his club to go into a four-point lead, something that was helped by Eoin Walsh and Niall Hanley raising white flags.
When a goal chance fell to Beal Athan Ghaorthaidh, the Clyda defence scrambled to block Seartan and the ball rolled out for a 45 that Conchur O’Loingsigh split the posts with.
Cian O’Sullivan was unlucky not to get a brace of scores in the first half. One of his first attempts hit the crossbar, and a shot from the 45-metre line was put down as wide. Despite these frustrations, the half-back was instrumental in Clyda going into the break with a 1-6 to 0-5 lead.
Beal Athan Ghaorthaidh continued to get scores despite Clyda’s momentum, with a Conchur O’Loingsigh free reducing the gap between the two teams to just three points.
Corbett and Seartan exchanged scored when the game restarted, and Beal Athan Ghaorthaidh pushed up for a goal. O’Sullivan managed to win his club a turnover, but they were unable to get the ball up the pitch. This created an opportunity for Seartan and he used it to reduce the gap to just two points.
A goal chance was created when a free from Daniel O’Callaghan dropped short and Corbett tried to get squeeze the ball in. Beal Athan Ghaorthaidh held firm and managed to get this away, and the next chance that fell to Clyda was flicked inches wide.
A converted free from Seartan was followed by Diarmuid MacTomais driving the ball high and over the bar. Beal Athan Ghaorthaidh won a free from the kick-out, and Seartan’s sixth point of the game left the bar minimum between the two clubs.
Seartan’s equaliser was arguably the score of the game, as he combined accuracy with temperament to raise the white flag.
Beal Athan Ghaorthaidh’s momentum carried them into a deserved lead in the 53rd minute, with Conchur O’Loingsigh splitting the posts. He also got the next score and created a slight buffer as the rain began to fall in the closing minutes in Coachford.
B Seartan 0-8 (0-2 f), C O’Loingsigh 0-4 (0-1 f, 0-1 45), S O’Luasa, A O’Coinceannain, D MacTomais 0-1 each.
C Corbett 1-5 (0-3 f), E Walsh 0-2, N Hanley, P Kissane, D O’Callaghan, C O’Sullivan 0-1 each.
D O’Coill; A O’Loingsigh, E O’Duinnin, J O’Donnchu, N O’Laoire, A O’Coinceannain, D O’Ceallachain, D Seartan, C O’Tuama, S O’Luasa, C O’Loingsigh, L O’Criodain, D MacThomais, B Seartan, C O’Duinnin.
S O’Tuama for S O’Luasa.
S Denneny; A Walsh, S Kelly, C Kenny, M Forde, B O’Connor, C O’Sullivan, D Walsh, B Nyhan, K Graham, C Corbett, N Hanley, E Walsh, D O’Callaghan, P Kissane.
C Flanagan for Graham (30), D Buckley for O’Connor (40), K Coffey for Nyhan (50), G Deane for M Forde (55), C Buckley for Hanley (58)
Alan O'Connor.
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