Five star Aghaloo brush Eskra aside

Aghaloo 5-13  Eskra 0-11

LEVEL four times during a typically competitive first half of Junior Championship jostling, this match-up of near neighbours took a decisive turn in a ten minute spell either side of the interval at ONeills Healy Park on Friday night.

The sides were deadlocked at 1-3 to 0-6 in the 26^th minute, with Eskra giving as good as they got against one of the fancied runners in the race for the Junior Championship. However fast forward to the 36^th minute and the scoreboard had a much more one-sided slant to it, with Aghaloo forging ahead 4-8 to 0-6. Game over!

With Tiarnan Donnelly, Ruairi McGlone, James O’Hara and Niall McElroy all running amok the O’Neills put the tie to bed in that stunning purple patch, leaving a shell-shocked Emmetts wondering how their hopes had so spectacularly unravelled in such a short period of time.

The final margin of victory was somewhat cruel on Eskra, and the likes of Conor Hackett, Cathal Arkinson and Joe McCarroll who produced stout-hearted performances, but you had to admire Aghaloo’s potency and clinical edge.

While O’Hara floated over a quality opener in the second minute, it was Eskra who appeared the more cohesive in an albeit scrappy first quarter, their tenacity and work-rate catching the eye.

McCarroll (free) and Cormac Hughes (‘mark) both split the posts, while Cormac O’Hagan also struck over handsomely from distance, with Donnelly responding with an Aghaloo free.

O’Hagan was also proving effective inside his own square, pulling off a fine block to divert McGlone’s piledriver behind for a ’45’, before McGlone again blasted another goal opportunity wide of the target after retrieving a high ball along the endline.

Aghaloo were carving out openings but not converting them, McElroy teeing up the supporting Oliver Sherry but with just keeper Daire McCarroll to beat he trailed an effort wide.

However after Donnelly and Hughes traded neat scores, Aghaloo eventually swooped for the opening goal in the 22^nd minute, McElroy with the deft layoff to O’Hara who barnstormed through to blast to the net.

Eskra maintained their composure to level again courtesy of a brilliant Aaron Kelly point and McCarroll free, but after McGlone converted a fine score on the turn for Aghaloo, they were awarded a penalty in first half injury time, Shiels adjudged to have fouled Sherry amid a scramble for possession, and McElroy neatly tucked away the resultant spotkick. (Half-time Aghaloo 2-4 Eskra 0-6)

The breeze favoured Aghaloo now on the resumption and as they upped the intensity levels Eskra were pegged back. Three pointed frees on the spin (two from Donnelly and one by midfielder Jody McGlone) stretched their lead.

Then a razor sharp exchange of passing involving Harry McGinn, Jody McGlone and James O’Hara was capped by Jody fisting to the unguarded net. That goal arrived in the 34^th minute and within seconds they raised another green flag, keeper McCarroll unable to deal with a booming delivery from deep and Ruairi McGlone diving to palm the loose ball over the line.

Further scores from Donnelly and Sherry widened the gap still further, and when Donnelly himself crashed in goal number five in the 43^rd minute it was definitely game over.

Cathal Meegan, Luke Kelly and Paul Shiels did hoist over a few consolation points for Eskra before the end, but the likes of Donnelly, McElroy and O’Hara were able to respond on the counter-attack for the victors.

The Scorers

Aghaloo

Tiarnan Donnelly (1-6,3f), Ruairi McGlone (1-2), James O’Hara (1-2), Jody McGlone (1-1,f), Niall McElroy (1-1), Oliver Sherry (0-1)

Eskra

Joe McCarroll (0-4,4f), Cormac Hughes (0-2,1m), Paul Shiels, Luke Kelly, Aaron Kelly, Cathal Meegan, Conor O’Hagan (0-1 each)