Aughlisnafin make history

Aughlisnafin make history

10 November 2021

AUGHLISNAFIN were crowned junior champions for the first time in their 19 year history after a pulsating contest with Dundrum concluded in a three-point victory at Pairc Esler on Friday night.

Despite a commendable second half surge from John Clarke’s Dundrum men, the ‘Fin showed their experience in the competition and managed to cling on to achieve intermediate status for next year’s campaign.

Dundrum began on the offence straight from the start, winning the throw-in and immediately attacking the opposition. 

This set the tone for what would be a highly paced and energetic contest, as Aughlisnafin’s Oran Flanagan fouled Dundrum’s Michael McGrattan for a free within the opening minute.

However, what should have been a straight forward conversion was missed by Cormac Venney.

Breannain McComiskey immediately made Venney rue his miss, as the Aughlisnafin man kicked over the bar following good build-up play from Shea Croskery for the opening score of the final.

The ‘Fin kept their foot on the pedal and won the following kick-out, with Flanagan making up for his earlier foul to convert a point from play.

Referee Conor Curran was kept busy throughout the game and first brandished his yellow card just four minutes in to Aughlisnafin’s Noel Travers after a sloppy high tackle.

Following patient build up play, Croskery added his side’s third point of the game, with Dundrum now desperate to get on the board.

It was clear nerves were playing a part in the early stages, as Venney failed to convert another free wide, this time dragging his shot right of the posts.

With Aughlisnafin piling the pressure on the Dundrum defence the ball was worked back to ‘keeper Walsh who played a fist pass out to team-mate Thomas McShane 20 metres from goal.

However, disaster struck as the Dundrum man fumbled the ball in the danger area, allowing Flanagan to pick up the scraps and bury the ball into the back of the net to give The ‘Fin a six point lead less than ten minutes in.

Michael McGrattan tried to answer for Dundrum but saw his effort drift wide before custodian Walsh finally got his side off the mark with a converted free.

McComiskey replied sharply, notching his second point by kicking over the black spot from open play, although Venney did answer this with a point of his own that he desperately needed just before the water-break.

At the conclusion of the opening quarter, Aughlisnafin were by far the dominant side and led 1-4 to 0-2.

On the restart Dundrum managed to find their groove and make up for earlier mistakes courtesy of successive points from Venney and McGrattan. 

However, Aughlisnafin would soon hit their opponents with a damaging blow as Tiernan Noade’s high ball over the top found ‘Fin forward Adam Garland, who converted his sweetly struck shot into the top left corner for the second goal of the game after 18 minutes.

Noade won a turnover from the resultant kick-out, but saw his effort sail wide before McGrattan replied with a point for Dundrum after winning an individual battle with Aughlisnafin defender Sean Fitzsimmons.

The contest was beginning to ebb and flow with both sets of supporters making their voices heard, as Garland dummied his man, but missed the target.

Despite Noade pulling his shot wide a minute later, Aughlisnafin’s high balls over the top were clearly causing Dundrum all sorts of bother as their defence struggled to maintain the pressing forward line.

Garland kicked over a free to give his side a 2-5 score line as Dundrum prepared to introduce substitute Odhran McKibbin to the pitch.

Perhaps overeager to impress, McKibbin received a yellow card immediately following a late tackle, as referee Curran continued to show efficient officiating beyond his years.

Soon after, McComiskey registered his third point of the match, but once again, Dundrum showed why they made it to the final.

After overturning the ball in midfield, the ball worked its way to Dundrum captain Aidan Fegan, who played a lovely pass over the top to McGrattan. 

The forward found himself in acres of space and struck the ball with conviction past ‘Fin ‘keeper Morgan Croskery and into the net.

Garland replied with a free just before half time as the score read Aughlisnafin 2-7 Dundrum 1-5.

The ‘Fin began the quicker following the restart after a McComiskey ‘45’ floated into Garland, who pointed over for the first score of the half. 

A series of wides took up the next five minutes of the game before McComiskey became the latest player to enter Conor Curran’s book, receiving a yellow for a high tackle.

Travers then pulled his effort wide before his side won the resultant kick-out and forced a fantastic save from Dundrum’s Walsh, who stopped a certain goal.

Walsh found himself at the opposite end of the pitch a minute later to kick over a fantastic free, which spurred team-mate Venney on to convert one himself in the following passage of play. 

This was Venney’s third time raising the white flag and the last notable piece of action before the second water-break as Dundrum trailed by four.

The last quarter was nothing short of dramatic, as both sets of players were clearly beginning to fatigue and yet still managed to throw everything at eachother.

Dundrum really set the scene for a nail-biting last 15 minutes when they passed the ball neatly from one end of the pitch to the other before skipper Fegan found David McComiskey with only ‘keeper Croskery to beat.

Dundrum’s McComiskey duly converted make it a one-point game and now the atmosphere was beginning to reach fever pitch.

John Hurley saw his chance sail wide for Dundrum before Garland kicked over a free to double his side’s lead.

McGrattan continued to battle, winning a free out of nothing, before Walsh stepped up to send the ball over the bar.

Shea Croskery received a yellow card in between two wide balls from Dundrum, as they resulted to kicking from range in the final five minutes.

Walsh was forced to make another eye-catching save, this time preventing substitute Ruairi Croskery from converting.

Garland managed to kick over a point a minute later to add to his impressive personal tally before Flanagan saw his long range effort split the posts to give Aughlisnafin a comfortable three point margin.

With just seconds on the clock, Dundrum knew it was now or never and with the last free of the night attempted a short pass to allow an opportunity for a strike on goal.

However, Shea Croskery was on hand to block the shot as Curran’s whistle sounded for the final time to signal it would be Dolen Croskery’s men who would lift the trophy.

Aughlisnafin: M Croskery; J Matthews, S Fitzsimmons, S Willoughby; O O’Toole, B McComiskey (0-3), N Travers; D Steele (capt), O Flanagan (1-2); S Croskery (0-1), C Matthews, F Murphy; C Croskery, A Garland (1-5, 2f), P O’Hare.

Subs: C Rea, R Croskery, B Ogle, T Noade, J Murnin, R Murphy, O O’Neil, D Murphy, D Tumelty, R Quinn, A Leneghan, B Willoughby, R Walsh.

Yellow cards: N Travers, B McComiskey, S Croskery.

Dundrum: K Walsh (0-3f); R McGuigan, D Flaherty, C Miskelly, A Doyle, J Hurley, T McShane; N Rogers, D McComiskey (1-0); P Curry, A Fegan (capt ), C Hogg, E King, M McGrattan (1-2), C Venney (0-3, 1f).

Subs: C Coughlan, Oisin McKibbin, Odhran McKibbin, R Carey, D Brennan, G Grant, K Glavin, C Mulholland, S Keenan, D McComb, S Byrne, A Byrne, B O’Connor

Yellow Cards: Odhran McKibbin.

Referee: Conor Curran (Downpatrick RGU).