Galbally prevail in derby clash

Galbally 2-11 Donaghmore 0-14

THIS was the game of the day in Senior football at the weekend and despite the poor weather conditions it didn’t disappoint as a large crowd at Pearse Park were treated to a hard-fought Parish derby.

Galbally went into the contest unbeaten and leading the way at the top of the table and they cemented that place with a deserved victory with their two first half goals proving pivotal.

Daniel Kerr got both of them with the first coming after just forty seconds for an advantage that the Pearses were never to lose and they pushed their lead out to six by the short whistle. Donaghmore were always in the contest and at one stage in the second half they trimmed the deficit to just two points but they could never get on level terms as the hosts were able to respond to claim the win.

Galbally couldn’t have wished for a better start to the game when an outstanding long pass from Liam Rafferty cut out the Donaghmore defence and landed in the chest of Kerr who cooly slotted to the net past keeper Lorcan Quinn.

It was the Pearses who were making all the early running and quality points from opposite wings from Ronan Nugent and Kerr had them 1-2 to 0-0 ahead by the ^seventh minute. The visitors were finding it tough to get into their stride but once Cormac McCann opened their account they clicked into action.

A Ryan Cush point from play was followed by a long range free from Quinn before full forward Ronan Cassidy cut in from the right wing to land a beauty as Donaghmore hit four in a row to cut the deficit to the minimum. In the 14^th minute though all Donaghmore’s good work was undone when Galbally scored a brilliant counter attack goal.

It all began in the full back line with Conor Quinn plying the ball to Darragh Donaghy and the teenager embarked on a blistering fifty metre run before having the presence of mind to look up and see Kerr at the back post for a palm in from close range.

It was a score that had the large home support in good voice and on a couple of other occasions in the opening period they threatened to catch Donaghmore out again as the visitors pushed more men forward. Donaghmore corner back Joey Clarke scythed through the Galbally defence to fire over a quality score before Kerr and Quinn exchanged points from dead balls.

The last ten minutes of the half belonged to Galbally as they confidently took the game to their opponents. Conor Donaghy kicked a fine point with the outside of his boot and after Kerr had converted a free McGarrity weighed in with an outstanding effort from an acute angle with his weaker left foot for a 2-6 to 0-6 interval advantage.

In the opening ten minutes of the second half the visitors took the game to Galbally with McCann landing a quality effort with the outside of his boot before keeper Quinn knocked over a “45”.

It took the Pearses a dozen minutes to open their second half account via a sweetly struck 48m free from Conor Donaghy but it was Donaghmore who continued to press. Two frees from Conor Cush were followed by a good score from out on the wing from Cassidy and suddenly the gap was down to two with thirteen minutes left to play.

Galbally needed a response and it was Captain McGarrity who provided it as he drilled over the bar. In the 51^st minute the score of the game arrived when Joseph Corrigan, who had worked hard throughout, gathered possession on the halfway line under the Stand and despite being under pressure from two Donaghmore defenders he managed to hold them off to kick an outstanding point that lifted his whole side.

Noah Grimes responded for Donaghmore after selling a neat dummy before Galbally defender Marc Lennon was alert to clear off his own line.

Quinn and John Hetherington then combined for McGarrity to kick another superb score before a 3^rd “45” from Lorcan Quinn left just a scire between them again.

With Donaghmore on the attack Nugent broke it up and found Corrigan who went on another lung bursting run before offloading to fellow teenager Darragh Donaghy who set up Conor Quinn for a well worked fisted point. Donaghmore had the final say with a point from substitute Philip Donnelly but it was Galbally’s night.

The Scorers

Galbally

Daniel Kerr 2-3 (2F), Enda McGarrity 0-3, Conor Donaghy 0-2 (1F), Conor Quinn 0-1, Ronan Nugent 0-1, Joseph Corrigan 0-1

Donaghmore

Lorcan Quinn 0-4 (3 “45s”, 1F), Ronan Cassidy 0-2, Ryan Cush 0-2, Conor Cush 0-2 (2F), Joey Clarke 0-1, Cormac McCann 0-1, Noah Grimes 0-1, Philip Donnelly 0-1