Championship 2006 - Sunday July 8th

Match reports by John Power

Junior Football - Celts 0-13 Sean Treacys 0-4
Mens Football - Rangers 1-13 Naomh Padraig 1-8
Junior Hurling - Naomh Padraig 2-10 Na Fianna 1-17

Junior Football
Celts 0-13 Sean Treacys 0-4

The Celts won this match handily 0-13 to 0-4 as they dominated the game on both sides of the ball. They had the ball on the Treacy side of the field for most of the game, as Treacy had a hard time getting any attacking going. The Celts just seemed to be the better team on the day because they made the most of their opportunities.

In the first half the Celts scored their first point on a free kick followed by some great passing that would set up their second score. The Celts were definitely a presence early on as they controlled the tempo of the game, while the Treacy’s seemed to be concentrating on going for a goal. Nearing the end of the first half the Treacy’s responded with two points, one of which was a free kick, that allowed them to go into half time trailing 0- 5 to 0-2.

In the second half the Celts made a few substitutions, as the Treacy’s would apply early pressure in the Celts side of the field. The Celts would settle down and score a point on a free kick early on in the half. Not long after they had a chance to score a goal, but the ball would be cleared out of the square. In the 6th minute a Treacy player was booked for a foul, which gave the Celts a free just outside the square, but they failed to score. A great save by the Celts goalkeeper prevented a goal by Treacy’s before the final minutes during which a free kick for the Celts would lead to the final point of the game, leading to a 0-13 to 0-4 victory for the Celts.

Intermediate Football
Rangers 1-13 Naomh Padraig 1-8

Shannon Rangers dominated the tempo of this game in the first half, as the ball never seemed to leave the Naomh Padraig side of the field. In the second half things were evenly matched as Naomh Padraig’s forwards began to come awake and their defense tightened up. The Rangers though, proved they were the better team as they scored some final points in the end to seal the victory.

Early on in the first half the Rangers scored their first point followed by a near miss wide and then another point. The Rangers then had another scoring chance go wide but their constant pressure would lead to the first goal of the game after some great passing. In the ensuing minutes a great save by the Naomh Padraig goalkeeper prevented the Rangers from scoring another goal, instead they would have to settle for a point. Then in the 11th minute another great passing sequence by the Rangers saw them with a chance for a goal, but the kick would go wide.

To end the half Naomh Padraig would score their third point making it Rangers1-9 to Naomh Padraig 0-3 going into the second.

To start the half, Naomh Padraig would miss a point wide, thus allowing the Rangers to get the ball and score a point. A scramble for a loose ball leads to a free out for Naomh Padraig but they failed to capitalize on the opportunity. The Rangers would get the ball back and score another point.

Not long after one of the players for Naomh Padraig was injured after he and a Ranger player put went up for ball and the Naomh Padraig player landed on his stomach, number 36 for the Rangers was booked because of the incident. After the player was taken off the field, Naomh Padraig responded by scoring a point in the 9th minute. Some great passing by Naomh Padraig led to many great scoring opportunities, but they couldn’t take advantage of this.

Naomh Padraig took the bad look off the scoreline with a goal from a shot nailed into the left corner of the net. Naomh Padraig would then suffer a big blow to their new-found confidence with a sending-off.
In the last minute the Rangers would put the game away by scoring the final point of the game, leaving the score at 1-13 to 1-8.

Junior Hurling
Naomh Padraig 2-10 Na Fianna 1-17

A very exciting first half that saw two evenly matched teams square off would only be a preview of what would was to come in the second half. In the first half both teams went back and forth scoring points, as either team seemed to have an advantage over the other. The game was very physical on both sides as each team was fighting hard for the ball.

Both teams in the second half were playing the same they did in the first as they went and forth exchanging points. The momentum of the game started to swing in the favor of Na Fianna toward the middle of the half as Naomh Padraig started to self-destruct as their goalie would be booked and their defense would collapse allowing Na Fianna to take the game.