Arnold leads Saul to championship crown

23 September 2020

SAUL were celebrating success as they clinched the Parador Lodge Down Intermediate Football Championship title against Drumgath at Pairc Esler with a superb display of attacking dynamism.

The two teams came out on to a sun-drenched pitch in Newry on Sunday afternoon with the sense of anticipation and tension palpable amongst both contingents, given what was at stake.

It was Saul who settled quickest in the opening exchanges and they got the first point just before the contest was at the three minute mark. Ruairi O’Hare brought the ball beautifully under control and floated his effort over the bar.

Drumgath did not let that perturb them and a minute later they posed a real threat on the goal of Jack Hazzard. The Saul defence did well initially, but Mark Connolly was able to pick up the loose ball to register Drumgath’s opening score.

This effort heralded a mini purple patch for Drumgath. Connolly registered his second point and then Cathal Tumilty foraged forward before floating the ball over to put Drumgath 0-3 to 0-1 to the good.

Saul struggled to rein in Drumgath at this early stage and Shea Byrne added another score from just before the ten-minute mark.

And the threat kept coming from the Drumgath half-back line, Colm Maginn getting forward before firing over another minor score to put four points between the teams.

Saul badly needed something to stem the flow and they got just the fillip they needed when they scored the final’s opening goal. Lorcan Harney outmuscled the attentions of the Drumgath defence in the area and fired to the net in the 12th minute.

Drumgath responded moments later with a pointed free from Shea Byrne. Drumgath led 0-6 to 1-1.

At the first water-break though Rory Mullen ensured there would be just the minimum between the sides when he pointed.

It has not always been the case with the introduction of water-breaks since sport’s return following the coronavirus-enforced stoppage, but on a day like Sunday it was needed. The sun was shining, and the opening salvoes in this battle were hot.

After the restart, there was joy for Saul as they found the back of the net for a second time. Ruairi O’Hare was the man in the right place at the right time as the ball broke to him and he drove home to put Saul two points ahead, 2-2 to 0-6.

Drumgath were determined not to let Saul get away from them and Mark Connelly’s third score of the game in the 21st minute registered Drumgath’s seventh point. Ciaran Harney pointed just a minute later to keep Saul in good health.

Drumgath then strung together a wonderfully flowing move, the length of the pitch more or less, five minutes from half-time, which Shea Byrne finished off to leave the scoreline 2-3 to 0-8 in Saul’s favour.

Drumgath soon made it a level-pegging affair. In the 28th minute of an absorbing first-half, Connolly kept his composure to deliver a wonderful score.

Still Saul came back and responded, O’Hare sending over another fine effort. Connolly’s free in injury time meant the sides were level at 2-4 to 0-10 at the half-time interval.

At the start of the second half, the teams were slightly more wary in their approach, but Harney pointed in the seventh minute of the half to put Saul a point ahead once more. Substitute Philip Traynor was in the thick of the action just moments after coming off the bench as he pointed in the 44th minute to make it 2-6 to 0-10 in Saul’s favour.

Jamie Morgan teased the Drumgath defence out on the right flank before cutting inside and firing over another score for Saul who moved three points clear. Ryan Hillen reduced that gap to two, but a minute later it was back to three when O’Hare fed Traynor, who made no mistake with an arrowed finish over the bar.

In the 54th minute, there was joy for Saul as they netted their third goal. Pierce Laverty cut through the opposition defence and he kept his cool to fire a controlled effort into the net beyond the helpless Parsons to stretch the lead to six points.

Drumgath kept in touch with a point from Shea Byrne, his fourth of the contest. They were enjoying a good spell of possession, but they struggled to find gaps in what was a superbly drilled and disciplined Saul back line.

Ciaran Harney’s endeavour drew a foul from his marker five minutes from time. He picked himself up to convert the resultant free and put Saul six ahead, 3-9 to 0-12.

Colm Maginn received his marching orders for Drumgath late on as their frustrations spilled over. Pierce Laverty’s second yellow saw him get his marching orders too to make it 14-men apiece as the match moved into injury time.

Harney tagged over another score in the last minute to increase the lead to seven points. Packie Downey pulled back a couple of late scores for Drumgath with the game already up.

The referee’s final whistle was the cue for Saul celebrations. The players had delivered on the big stage when it mattered most.

Saul: J Hazzard, A Harney, C Fitzsimmons, M McGrady, J Morgan (0-1), C Byrne, C Mahoney, R Mullan (C) (0-1), C Arnold, P Doran, C Harney (0-4), P Laverty (1-0), L Harney (1-0), R O’Hare (1-2), J Mahoney.

Subs: R Cunningham, J Hayes, C Watson ( for R Mullan h/t), G Robinson, D Nugent, T McGuinness, S Higgins, R Connor, ( for L Harney) S Burns (for C Mooney), C Laverty, D McComiskey, P Trainor (0-2), J Fitzsimmons.

Drumgath: C Parsons, P McPolin, S Parsons, M McConville, C Tumilty (0-1), C Maginn (0-1), P Hillen, P Downey (0-2), M McArdle, S McConville, R Hillen (0-1), S Byrne (0-4), M Connolly (0-5), C McComish, R McCusker. Subs: O Toner, P Hillen, M McConville, P Downey, C Burns, J Fitzpatrick (for S Byrne), C Hynes, T Devlin, C Hynes, L Hynes, C McGivern, C Devlin.

Saul 3-10

Drumgath 0-14

PARADOR LODGE IFC FINAL

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