Late goals secure five point win for seniors

Post date: Mar 20, 2016 3:8:51 PM

Gracefield................2-12

Edenderry................3-14

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Edenderry senior footballers played their first game since last October's Leinster club defeat to Rathnew on Sunday morning in the first round of the North Tier 1 league.

The league structure in Offaly has been completely revamped for 2016 and see's the county separated into regions. The reds will play in the North Tier division alongside Rhode, Gracefield, Bracknagh, Raheen and St Brigid's of Croghan. The tops two teams after five games will progress to 'phase two' along with the top two teams from the Mid Tier region and the South West tier region.

Edenderry made a promising start to the year by collecting two points on Sunday morning but a determined Gracefield outfit made life difficult for the reigning county champions. The reds were trailing 0-2 to 0-0 after eight minutes of play when captain Keith McGuinness pointed for the reds. Ciaran Farrell and Ciaran Hurley pointed for Edenderry in the eleventh and fifteenth minute and left the side one behind at 0-4 0-3.

Consecutive scores from Ciaran Farrell, Sean Moriarty and Keith McGuinness put Edenderry 0-6 0-4 ahead and a point from full forward Aaron McDonnell with five minutes remaining in the first half gave Edenderry a 0-7 0-6 lead at half time.

Half time:

Gracefield 0-6 0-7 Edenderry

Within two minutes of the restart Gracefield were back on level terms but Edenderry responded with a good point from half back Sean Moriarty. Seven minutes had been played in the second half when Edenderry finally got the breakthrough they had been looking for and it came courtesy of Aaron McDonnell who rose highest and punched the ball to the back of the Gracefield net.

Richie Dalton pointed with his left foot in the thirty ninth minute and gave Edenderry a five point lead but Gracefield hit back immediately with 1-1. Adam Mahon and Ciaran Hurley added points for Edenderry to maintain Edenderry's one point lead 1-11 to 1-10 but Gracefield took the lead with eleven minutes to play after Thomas Doyle fired his shot to the roof of Cormac Hurley's net.

The reds needed a response and it came from their captain on the day Keith McGuinness. A long ball into the square was palmed down from Aaron McDonnell into the stride of the oncoming McGuinness and he coolly slotted to the back of the Gracefield net. It was a well worked goal and a good finish from the fifteen year veteran.

Midfielders Oran Lawton and Richie Dalton added to two points for Edenderry before substitute James Rafferty secured the points when he punched the ball to the back of the net. Oran Lawton's second point in the fifty ninth minute secured a five point win for Edenderry and put two points on the board ahead of this Saturday's clash with neighbours Rhode.

Team: Cormac Hurley, Diarmaid Meleady, Mark Young, Alan Pender, Adam Mahon(0-1), Colm Byrne, Sean Moriarty(0-2), Richie Dalton(0-2), Oran Lawton(0-2), Jamie Dolan, Ciaran Farrell(0-2), Keith McGuinness (1-2), John Gorman, Aaron McDonnell(1-1), Ciaran Hurley(0-2).

Subs: James Rafferty(1-0) for John Gorman (41 mins), Evan Kelly for Jamie Dolan (58 mins), Leslie Nolan for Adam Mahon (58 mins)