Clinical Carmen too strong for Ardboe

Carrickmore 0-17  Ardboe 0-10

CARRICKMORE comfortably made it back to back ACL Division One victories in front of a large crowd in a cold Pairc Colmcille on Thursday night. Carmen led from start to finish with Daniel Fullerton hitting double figures (ten points) in an eye-catching display.

Carrickmore controlled almost every aspect of the game, making it difficult for Ardboe to get any momentum, the O’Donovan Rossa’s first score not coming until the 21st minute, at which point their opponents had already landed eight points.

The hosts high pressing from the front and domination around the middle of the park made it almost impossible for the visiting side to get a foothold in the tie. Cormac Munroe, Lorcan McBride and Jonathan Munroe stood out in that midfield battle winning possession a number of times and feeding the efficient and effective Daniel Fullerton and Ciaran Daly.

Coming off a superb five point victory over Jim Devlin Cup winners Dromore in their opening Division One match, Carrickmore seemed to use the momentum from that contest as they obliterated Ardboe in the opening half.

The magnificent Cormac Munroe got the opening point of the match, kicking a fine score from an acute angle. Carrickmore’s high press was causing havoc in the Ardboe defence as the Carmen side doubled their lead, turning over the away side deep in their own half which resulted in a free which Daniel Fullerton converted.

It was that man again who extended the lead further after a great ball in from wing half back Ruairi Loughran. Ciaran Daly would get his first contribution of the match kicking a ‘mark’.

The opening 20 minutes was the Daniel Fullerton show, as he would score the next four points; two from frees and two from play.

The young forward was not only clinical, but furious in his tackling as his fifth point came from winning the ball off the opposing defender and scoring from close distance.

It could have been even worse for the O’Donovan Rossas if it hadn’t been for a fantastic last ditch block from Michael Cassidy.Carrickmore midfielder, Lorcan McBride, played a one two with teammate, Daniel Fullerton, and looked certain to finish to the net, but Cassidy’s block denied him a goal.

It was Ardboe who would get the next two scores, one coming from Jeimi Muldoon who kicked a brilliant 45 and Sean O’Hare with an assured finish.

Carrickmore responded like all good teams registering the final two scores of the half, both coming from frees by Ciaran Daly and Daniel Fullerton.

The home side, as a team, were spectacular with defenders, Sean Donnelly and Tiarnan McGarrity particularly impressive showings in the first period as their side led 0-10-0-02 after 30 minutes.

Ardboe definitely improved in the second half, making it a more competitive half of Gaelic football. Fullerton started where he left off scoring the first point of the half with Ardboe responding immediately through forward, Eoghan Devlin.

The Loughshore team would outscore the home side 0-05-0-03 over the next 20 minutes, scores coming from Sean O’Hare getting his second score of the contest, two Shay McGuigan frees, and points from Conan Devlin and Eoghan Devlin.

Oisin Devlin and Conan Devlin stood out for the O’Donovan Rossa’s side in that spell. Fullerton and Daly both raised white flags for Naomh Colmcille in that interval to leave the score at 0-14-0-08 heading into the final 10 minutes.

Carrickmore would show their superiority in the final 10 minutes as full forward, Aidan Fullerton, kicked a delicate score after great work from Rory Donnelly. Daniel Fullerton would kick his final point which was his 10th point of the contest before he was taken off to a rapturous round of applause from the home crowd.

Ardboe would respond with two points of their own through Sean O’Hare and Oisin Devlin, but Carrickmore would register the last score of the match in injury time through the brilliant Rory Donnelly to run out deserved seven point winners in a clinical display, only kicking two wides.