Emly edge out Solohead in a thrilling junior A championship showdown

By Francis Coughlan at Emly

Emly just edged out Solohead in an entertaining game in round 2 of the Maria Marron Palmers Hill Stud West Junior A Football Championship in Emly on Friday evening. Emly looked to be well in control of this game on a number of occasions but Solohead always seemed to get themselves back into contention only to lose narrowly at the end.

Solohead had the best start when John Joe O’Brien finished an attacking move to the back of the Emly net in the second minute. Emly settled two from Shane Carroll either side of a James Purcell effort had the sides tied by the seventh minute.

Both sides were guilty of poor shooting but Emly were looking the more menacing side. Purcell added a second point early in the second quarter and this was quickly followed by Emly’s first goal when Shane Carroll found himself through on goal with a clear path from around the twenty-metre line and he duly beat Colin Hanly.

By the twenty first minute James Cunningham stretched Emly’s lead out to six and things looked ominous for Solohead. Around five minutes before the break, Solohead lost Philip Doherty and he was replaced by Aaron Ryan with Anthony Owens going to full back. Ryan made an immediate impact and in the space of three minutes he had kicked 1-1.

The goal coming when space opened up after he won possession before taking on his marker and shooting into the bottom right hander corner. At the break just two points separated the sides with Emly ahead 1-8 to 2-3.

Despite James Cunningham extending Emly’s lead when the sides resumed Solohead kicked three in a row from Christopher Kirby, Declan Riordan and Jack Redican. Cunningham pointed another free but Eoin Riordan responded with two in kind with Solohead entering the final quarter one up.

James Cunningham once again levelled and then Emly got a big break when Shane Carroll converted a penalty. Seven minutes later with four left on the clock Joey Lonergan powered his way in for goal number three. At this stage Emly looked comfortable and their way to victory. Solohead kept plugging away but found the Emly resistance hard to break down.

Eoin Riordan pointed a free well into injury time and then in the next attack they were awarded a penalty which Eoin Riordan converted. That would be the final action as referee Paul Carew blew full time on Kevin McGrath’s kickout.

Scorers and Teams:
Emly: Shane Carroll (2-3, (1-0p)), Joey Lonergan (1-1), James Cunningham (0-4, (0-2f)), James Purcell (0-2), Paul O’Heney (0-1), Declan Hennessy (0-1m)

Solohead: Eoin Riordan (1-6, (1-4f)), Aaron Ryan (1-2), John Joe O’Brien (1-0), Declan Riordan (0-2f), Christopher Kirby (0-1), Jack Redican (0-1)

Emly: Kevin McGrath, John O’Brien, Patrick McGrath, Christopher Lonergan, Sean McGrath, Brian Burke, Paul O’Heney, Conor Bourke, Joey Lonergan, Shane Carroll, James Cunningham, Diarmuid Carroll, Oisin Fawl, James Purcell, Declan Hennessy
Subs Used: Bob McEniry, Johnny Purcell, David O’Brien, James Condon, Cian Quish

Solohead: Colin Hanley, Christopher O’Connor, Philip O’Doherty, Colin Allen, Brian Gavin, Jack Redican, Christopher Kirby, Tommy O’Mahoney, James Dee, John Joe O’Brien, Paul Ryan, Tristan Stokes, Declan Riordan, Anthony Owens, Eoin Riordan
Subs Used: Aaron Ryan, Shane Farrell, Tommy O’Mahoney, Jason Sutton

Referee: Paul Carew (Lattin/Cullen)