Goals Kill New York Chance

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Irish Voice Sport

Goals Kill New York Chance

October 19, 2007

By Eugene Kyne

Sligo IT 4-8
York 1-6

An alarmingly small crowd was on hand at Gaelic Park, but they missed a wholehearted display from New York that was never going to win the game, but certainly showed the college side that they were going to make it as difficult as possible for them.

Goals were crucial and they are extremely difficult to overcome, but New York kept trying to put a dent in the armor. Suffice to say that the amount of scores were far closer in the second half than the first with a six to five parlay in the last 30 minutes. Three of Sligo’s were majors, however, and that was the difference.

Tactically New York could have gone in a couple of different directions that might have helped. The high kick out didn’t always work; players need to know that breaks are coming and be positioned and prepared.

Isolate the full forward line, hunt in packs when playing defense, which is for all 15 not just the back six. Practice would help; challenge matches are a big plus. A couple of players were also extremely unlucky to not have started.

New York have stepped in the right direction after the Connaught Championship, however, with a bunch of players showing that there is a nucleus there to build on for the arrival of Wicklow next month and also next year’s championship.

New York had the first attack of the afternoon but it was easily cleared with Sligo running out of the defensive end. They had two quick chances, but Anthony Moran was low with the first and wide left with the second.

New York, however, were showing that they could contend, and they were working the ball out with Brendan Reilly and Matt Mitchell both enthusiastic as they carried out. Kenny O’Connor was also showing in the center with Shane Russell that they would give 110%.
Two further wides from Francis Quinn and Moran a sideline gave NY a lift and they took it. Matt Mitchell stormed out from the back and he found Robbie Moran who flicked to the storming O’Connor. Bird tapped over for the first score of the afternoon. It was quickly cancelled out by Moran, with a towering kick.

New York had another chance to open the game up when a long ball from Shane Russell fell into Paddy Smyth’s hands, but Paul Durkin pulled of a brilliant save from Tomo and IT reacted from the break the best way possible.

Two further points from Barry Sloan and Emlyn Mulligan were the setting stone for a goal that was more a result of slicing team play than individual brilliance. Three passes found Barry Solan in front of Pa Ryan, and he flicked to a charging Barry Regan who easily tapped home.
It made the scoreline 1-3 to a point, but it did not give New York credit for the amount of work they had done, and indeed the amount they had contributed to the game.

They finally got their reward when C.J. Molloy was found on the left corner, and he carried hard at Karl Lacey. He slashed his way to the small square, and his foisted effort took a touch of the keeper and trickled to the net.

It gave New York a lifeline, and despite not scoring for the rest of the half they certainly showed they could play with the visitors as they hurt themselves with final passes, but built them all the same.

The introduction of Mike Higgins and Mark Dobbins off the bench also brought a different dimension to the team, and Higgins was very involved in the last 10 minutes of the half.
Sligo IT did have a brace of scores before the break from Boyle and Moran to again give them a four-point lead, but the game was very competitive as the whistle sounded to end the first 30.

A minute in to the second half Robbie Moran tapped over a free when Dobbins was fouled, but it was the calm before the storm as a length of the field move that involved six players ended with Rory O’Connor driving to the net from the 10 yard line for the visitors.

The New York lads worked the ball again, and it resulted in Smyth finding Higgins. The Four Provinces club man slotted over from an awkward angle.

It was getting harder and harder, however, for the home squad to build an attack as Barry McWeeney and Adrian O’Flynn exerted more of an influence. They were put back on their heels be a further pair of scores from Andy Moran, one a free, but it did not cause the team to drop the heads as they created a host of chances in the next 10 minutes.

But wides from O’Connor twice when he cantered down the center, Robbie Moran (a free) and Mike Higgins from play hurt them. However, they were running at their opponents and this was causing problems for Sligo IT, and it made them uncomfortable.

Robbie Moran did have a point from a free after Dobbins was fouled, but it was their only score after a long period of dominance.

The game again took a tidal swing against New York against the run of play, when after a Solan point an Alan Costello shot on goal took a deflection and it ended up in the net.
It was a blow to New York, but again they showed resolve to put back to back points on the board from Mitchell when Sean Munnelly took a feed from O’Connor and set the Clara man free. Then a brilliant score from an impossible angle from Smyth made it a little closer.
The last score of the game, however, summed up New York’s afternoon, another goal from Regan that typified the day.

For New York it was a tough afternoon when they needed things to go perfect and have lots of luck on their side. The Sligo IT team is a talented outfit that is on par with a host of county teams at the moment.

Luck fell to New York when Molloy’s run ended in a fortuitous goal, but they needed more. But that does not take away from the resolve and effort that a host of players gave for New York.

Pa Ryan did well in goal in his first outing for the county, and the goals were not his fault as two and three players were running at him for three of the goals. The other took a deflection. His kick outs are tremendous, but the team possibly needs to utilize the short game as well to change up the speed.

Aiden Power was outstanding and never stops running. He doesn’t have stop in the vocabulary of his game. Barry Annette did well in a foreign position. He held his ground after a year at wing back for Down.

Matt Mitchell in the first half had some penetrating runs. However, when he goes forward, which has to be one of your tactics, someone has to drift in behind to pick up his man. Sean Munnelly got stronger as the day went on and was close to Power in the accolade department. He adapts to all positions and is never found wanting.

Kenny O’Connor had one of his best games for New York in years. The Bird ran at the opponents, pulled down some high balls and made his presence felt.

Shane Russell also had moments. If his drive in the second half had found its way over, as it often does for Cavan, it would have been a tremendous lift.

Mike Higgins and Mark Dobbins were all action when they joined the fray. Dobbins was very unlucky to not have started. He took his chance, however, when he arrived and covered a lot of ground around the center.

Higgins was a point guard for the team for the last 10 minutes of the first, and he was linking brilliantly between the defense and attack. He was filling the role that Mitchell had to do for the first period which made perfect sense. Alarmingly the Four Provinces player was then sent to the corner at the start of the second half, a no man’s land for his talent, and his contribution was nullified despite his point from play.

Paddy Smyth needs to be isolated with his marker and then given the ball low in front. Even a high ball in front will be pulled down by the Cavan player. Too many times, however, he had to head to the corner for scrapes. His point was brilliant but it showed where he was getting possession. His goal effort could have spawned a terrific day, but Paul Durkin denied him with an outstanding save.

Robbie Moran had periods when he showed well while he distributed and carried strong in the first half. He was handed the free taking duties but was not given many opportunities to capitalize by a stingy and well-schooled defense.

New York: 1 Pa Ryan, 2 Mark Peacock, 3 Aiden Power, 4 Barry Annette, 5 Brendan Reilly, 6 Matt Mitchell (0-1), 7 Shaun Munnelly, 8 Shane Russell, 9 Kenny O’Connor (0-1), 10 Liam McDonald, 11 Robbie Moran (0-2, 2fs), 12 Vinny Gavin, 13 C.J. Molloy (1-0), 14 Paddy Smyth (0-1), 15 Liam McGourty. Subs: Mark Dobbins for McGourty, Mike Higgins (0-1) for Gavin, both on 20 mins., Fergal Shannon for McDonald 40 mins., Sean Kelly for Reilly 50 mins., Tommy Quaid for Peacock 55 mins.

Sligo IT: 1 Jason Farrell, 2 Karl Lacey, 3 Barry McWeeney, 4 Sean McDermott, 5 Colm Boyle (0-1), 6 Adrian O’Flynn, 7 Jamie Murphy, 8 Rory O’Connor (1-0), 9 Tom Parsons, 10 Francis Quinn, 11 Emlyn Mulligan (0-1), 12 Alan Costello (1-0), 13 Barry Solan (0-2), 14 Barry Regan (2-0), 15 Andy Moran (0-4, 3fs). Subs: Shane Molloy for Costello, 40 mins., Shane Boyle for Solan 50 mins.

Referee: Declan Corcoran (Mayo).

In contrast to the last ref from Ireland, Corcoran let the players play football. It was a free flowing game and he kept it that way. Terrific job.

Man of the match: Sligo IT, Andy Moran; New York, Aiden Power.

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