Report from anglo celt
AIDEEN COYLE IN ANNALEE PARK
ALL Ireland Champions Arva picked up their second win of the campaign on Saturday with a six point victory over a Drumgoon side. Finbar O’Reilly’s side were made work hard for the result against a well organised Drumgoon side, who remain winless after two rounds. Arva led for the entirety of the tie in Annalee Park and deservedly got the win but a gallant Drumgoon side made it difficult for the newly promoted side in the second half.
Drumgoon created more goal chances across the hour with Cian O’Hara pulling off two fine first half saves and another in the second half whilst a superb Peter Conneely block with 28 minutes played in the second half denied Keith Fannin a goal with five points between the sides.
Arva started the brightest with the opening four points racing into an early lead they would hold for the remainder of the tie. Tristan Noack Hofmann got the opener followed by a Barry Donnelly effort. The next came ten minutes later as Kevin Bouchier pointed from a free won by Donnelly who, as a result, would go off injured. Peter Morris produced the next white flag to open up a four point lead.
Drumgoon opened their account through Matthew McDermott with thirteen minutes played after a superb crossfield ball from Drumgoon’s key man Conor Moynagh.
Arva replied with a hattrick of points, Morris added two more to his tally from attacking marks with Johnaton McCabe sailing over a point from dis tance after a pass from captain Ciaran Brady.
With the deficit at six, Cian O’Hara was called into action for the first time denying Daragh Lynch a goal after the wingback was played through by a brilliant Barry Cooney pass. Dean Carroll and Paddy Smith pointed for Drumgoon either side of a Kevin Bouchier free to leave five between them. Noack Hoffmann pointed another fine score from dis- tance moments before O’Hara was forced into another spectacular save.
Another excellent pass from Moynagh split the Arva defence and fell into the path of Lynch who failed to find a way past the outrushing O’Hara. Corey Smith pointed a much-needed score for his side from the resulting 45metre kick as Arva finished with another three of their own to open up an eight-point lead at the break. Stephen Sheridan and Conal Sheridan sent over spectacular efforts. Morris gave an exhibition in shooting in the opening half and sent over another from a tight angle to leave the half time score 0-12 to 0-04.
Similar to the opening half captain Ciaran Brady rose highest to win the throw in resulting directly in a score for Bouchier, his first from play. Drumgoon’s captain Conor Moynagh won the kickout and within seconds Dylan Hand had their opening point of the second half. In a fast paced resumption Bouchier hit his second from play off his right leaving the lead at nine.
Drumgoon responded with two of their own at the other end with Lynch adding a controversial point and Keith Fannin adding his first of the tie after good play from Conal Farrell. However, Arva hit back with three in reply, Bouchier (free), Brady and Noack Hoffman. The midfielder’s score was his sides final one for nearly twenty minutes as Drumgoon upped the intensity and asked questions of the Arva defence hitting 1-02 in succession and creating two more goal chances in this timeframe.
Corey Smith’s wind assisted kickout beat the Arva press and fell into the path of Shane Smith who found himself through on goal only to be denied by an outstanding tackle from James Morris. Moynagh brought the deficit back to nine with a fantastic long-range effort from his
right boot. Two minutes later he was provider for the game’s only goal. A long ball in from the captain caused confusion in the square with Barry Cooney palming the ball into the open net giving his side a lifeline and a new lease of life entering the closing stages.
With 24 minutes played in the second half goalkeeper Smith found himself in acres of room to sail over a fine effort from play reducing the deficit to five. They continued to press Arva and four minutes later created another goal chance which fell to stalwart Fannin. However, the attacker’s shot was brilliantly blocked by Conneely to avert the danger.
As the game approached its conclusion Drumgoon could only manage one more score from Shane Smith as Cian O’Hara pointed a long range free to finish the scoring for Arva as the full time whistle sounded.
Arva: Cian O’Hara 0-01 (1f),
Dylan Maguire, James Morris, Charlie Madden, Danny Ellis, Stephen Sheridan 0-01, Éanna Ward, Tristan Noack Hofmann 0-03, Ciarán Brady 0-01, Thomas Partington, Barry Donnelly 0-01, Johnaton McCabe 0-01, Peter Morris 0-04 (2f), Kevin Bouchier 0-06 (41),
Conal Sheridan 0-01 Subs Used: Ciaran Stanley for B. Donnelly, Peter Conneely for C. Stanley, Charlie Madden for D. Ellis, Paul Bouchier for J. McCabe, Thomas Brady for P. Bouchier
Drumgoon: Corey Smith
0-02 (1f), Mark Murray, Killian Moynagh, Matthew McDermott 0-01, Donal Keappock, Conor Moynagh 0-01, Daragh Lynch 0-01, Darren Lavery, Conal Farrell, Barry Cooney 1-00, Keith Fannin 0-01, Paddy Smith 0-01, Shane Smith 0-01, Dean Carroll 0-01, Dylan Hand 0-01
Subs used: Dominic Donegan for K. Moynagh, Andrew Murray for M. Murray.