Pitch in great condition. No wind. Overcast.
Was there at 6.00,half hour before kick off as didn’t want to be in queue because of dodgy leg and inability to walk far.Went in players entrance because cannot pass through styles.Whatever thought I might have entertained that free admission might apply disappeared, with money man nearly snatching hand off along with tenner.
Went to practise pitch to see lads warming up.The Barr,T.Garry ,Legend,Con and Pip all there.Phil Fay ,Seamin and Jack Devine and Billy casting benevolent eye.Jack remarking to me”Hoping HE didn’t come.”HE being “hard luck”,a private joke from time I was on line as Sec. And he as P.R.O.You know the way it is.If some lads make a hames of it it is “hard Luck”,if other guys do the same it is “what a fucking gobshite.”Funny enough when things are going well hard luck stays at home.
There is a small crowd on the stand and about four on the terrace opposite the stand.No one at the back of each goal.
The Team.
David Jennings
(son of Pat)
Kevin Slattery Darren (Red) Callaghan Davy Mc Cormack
(son of Bill) (Oliver) (Noel)
Colm Harte Evan Stephens(Finn) Alan Garry
(Jim) (Daithi) (Michael the bear)
David Callaghan(Lar) Darren Fay
(Michael) (Allstar)
Andy Coogan Kevin Dowd (Ted) Damian Clarke (Swiss)
(Tony Calfer) (Tommy) (Vincent)
Stephen Coogan(Fairhill) Paddy Kenneally Keith Callaghan
(Christy) (Stan) (Gerry)
I set out the names of the fathers as some of the blog viewers may not know the present generation.
The big men for Carnaross would be Ollie Murphy,John L Mc Gee,the Nugent brothers and Comaskey who must be the best midfielder in Meath(how he is not on the Meath team is beyond me ).To add spice to the occasion my brother Alan is manager of Carnaross.Winner take all.
Murphy has number 14 on his back.Mc Gee number 11.As anticipated they switch positions before the throw in.Idea would be to hit ball in high to Mc Gee who is taller than Red.
The ball is in the game is on.
We earn free from throw in.Fairhill collects and to Fay who lets in long ball to Keith.Ball breaks but we fail to capitalise and a free out awarded against us.Missed opportunity.Carnaross work ball down wing,cut out by Garry to Swiss to Ted and Carnaross retrieve it ,send in long towards Mc Gee but it is cut out by Finn who passes to Jennings to Slatts to Mc Cormack to Andy who lets long ball in. Kenneally wins ball and earns free about 30 yards out, half way between sideline and centre.Fairhill converts free from ground.Good score from his wrong side.Lar wins break from kickout to Fairhill to Garry to Keith who scores a minor.Broken play ends with Fay hitting wide from 50 yards.Carnaross win free from kickout .No dirty play but their man goes down.From free Carnaross play keep ball and take a point from play 40 yards out.We earn ball and Slatts to Finn to Harte to Kenneally who takes fine point forty yards out.Another player from the border down.Are they carrying a lot of injuries?We disposses Carnaross fron kickout but they retrieve the ball around the middle.Finn runs back in front of Mc Gee but ball worked to Murphy and interplay ends with Mc Gee in possession.He kicks wide under pressure.They win free from kickout and let it in quick to Mc Gee who fluffs shot.Ball gathered by Davy Mac .Keepball played and Fairhill misdirects ball to opposition.Long ball to Mc Gee who again misses from close in.Another border man on ground.Must be a plague of injuries.Carnaross 10 wins ball to 8 who converts.Carnaross win kickout and send to McGee who is fouled.They convert free.Three points each.Carnaross win kickout but lose possession to Harte ,to Fay,whose long ball is mopped up by their full back line.They play keepball and eventually send long ball to Mc Gee who lays ball off for point.Ball collected by Stephens who hits long to Keith 40 yards out and he shoots short to goalie.They build from the goals and long ball to Mc Gee wide.Stephens is trying to cover back in front of Mc Gee to stem flow to him.This is leaving Murphy space.Different plan needed.Short kickout to Finn,to Davy Mac,to Garry.Gets tough shoulder and ball breaks to Carnaross.They lose ball to Red,to Swiss to Lar,to Kenneally.Fouled.Quick fre beaks to them and into our full back line.Slatts gathers,to Fay,to Coogan,to Lar,to Fay,long ball in to Kenneally,who is fouled near corner flag.Fairhill to Andy to Swiss,whose shot breaks to Ted to Harte .Wide of posts and free to us from edge of D straight in front of goal.Fairhill converts.We win ball from kickout and work to Fairhill who hits post with shot.Carnaross break and send long to McGee who shoots wide.We win throw in from disputed free and work ball to Kenneally who makes brave burst but is dispossessed and ball worked to Mc Gee,who is surrounded by our lads and can’t get shot in.He passes out and ball shot wide.Stephens and Garry switch. Swiss wins kick out and is fouled.Another border man down.From broken play Kenneally passes to Fairhill.who score from play.Good point.They win kivkout and work ball to Murphy who offloads it. Kicked wide.Carnaross win free from kickout and long ball to corner,where they lift from ground and concede free.From broken play Mc Gee scores a minor from a free.They win kickout but Ted retrieves to Fay to Harte to Kenneally to Fairhill.Point.Ball breaks to Garry,to Swiss to Harte to Kenneally ,dispossessed.Ping pong football up and down the field ends when Keith gathers ball,sidesteps marker and takes a minor. 0-7 to 0-5 in our favopur.Half time whistle blows.
Very average football that half.But great to be ahead.
Dunderry later on field than Carnaross.Must be a bollicking going on.No changes in personnel apparent.From throw in ball worked to Ted,who hits post and wide.They win kickout and pass to Murphy who passKto 9 is cleverly diverted by Fay to kenneally.who shoots wide.Fay breaks ball to Coogan.to Kenneally who atones for last miss with a minor from 45 yards..WE win break from kickout.Coogan to Dowd to Garry whose pass is intercepted.Work ball to Mc Gee.Red forces shot .Wide.Dunderry backs surround Carnaross forwards and stifle them.Ball got by Finn,to Slatts,to Kenneally.Beaten by bounce.Ball back in to our half .Stephens wins it and to Jennings.We counterattack and they do.Ends with a carnaross wide.More end to end play terminates with another McGee wide.Fay wins kickout and sends long ball to Ted ,to Kenneally whose shot is deflected for a 50.Fairhill converts. (His ma is seen texting Conor Counihan). 0-9 to 0-5 in our favour.
Stephens to lar who lets in long.Carnaross intercept and work to Mc Gee who is quickly closed down and shot diverted for a 50,which they send wide.Murphy picked up by Davy Mac as he hovers around the full forward line..Garry on 15.Red fiollows Mc Gee further out.They work ball in but good defending forces a wide.Carnaross win break and register a good point from play.Ivan Mc Cormack and Bob Doherty on for Ted and Keith.Mc Gee gathers kickout and to Murphy who lays it off.Shot wide.Slatts off ,Peadar Callaghan(son of Henry) on.Lar gone full back.Attack and counter attack end when a quick free to Fairhill is converted.Mc Gee wins ball from kickout and keepball by both sides end with Fairhill wide from play.Period of keepball end with move involving Stephens,Fay and Fairhill,who scores magnificient point.(Counihan’s helicopter has landed).That was a great move capped by a magnificient point.Another Carnaross man is down.No reason.must be shipping big injury list.Mc Gee back in full.Red in close attendance.Murphy back out with Lar in close attendance.Ball worked to Ivan who sends to Coogan.Wide.Lar moves back on Mc Gee.Paddy Kenneally off.J.P. his brother replaces him.Murphy wins kickout and ball worked to Mc Gee who goals.0-11 to 1-06 to the Fort of the Oaks.We work ball to Fay who scores debut point ,I think,for Dunderry.KIckout won by Finn to Swiss to Bob,who mishits and Carnaross intercept.Broken play and clever interpassing by Dunderry earn another Fairhill point from play.Fay moves back on Mc Gee and Trevor Conaty on for Andy Coogan.Every ball is desperately contested and Murphy hits wide.4 minutes left 4 points in it.Dunderry play keepball and through a succession of players work ball to Ivan who scores a minor.Carnaross fight back and earn close free.We line goals and they take point.Murphy has argument with himself.They play on and secure a minor.Final whistle blows.
Ref.Watch.
Did well I thought.Was seemingly instructed on his job during course of game.(not by us I hasten to add)
Post Mortem.
I have nothing but praise for both teams.On mature reflection afterwards it struck me that there would be only one of the starting fifteen who could say for definite that he had work to go to on Monday morning.I understand that Carnaross have been badly hit by emigration also.I heard after that another local team will be missing 6 of their starting 15 for their next outing and yet another has been ravaged similarly..
How these young men stick it I cannot understand.And I must say that our politicians have no consciences to let this state of affairs continue.They are utterly shameless .Only the clubs are keeping a lid on the energies of the prime of our youth there would be social revolution.The way things are shaping the country will be devoid of Irishmen soon and a whole generation gone.The clubs will have to take a lead here and start pressurising the political classes to get their fingers out.
I therefor take my hat off to both sides for the contest and bow to the fortitude of all the players and mentors.The first half was not great but the second half was entertaining.We are a work in progress and will improve,as indeed we must.From now on it is knock out for us.We must win all the matches to stay in.For Carnaross it is an end to this year’s dream.
Post post mortem.
A confluence of circumstances lifted poverty from misery’s back last Saturday.The post match conference lined up with a 40th birthday in Horans.Nance was bustling behind the bar,the people got merry on little as drink is so rarely imbibed now and a great night was had.Of such are memories made.
Rumour has it that the Pylon people are active locally and despite opposition are using all legal means to push their case.They are not welcome in Dunderry,Any of ye abroad affected should note.
Incidentally all the politicians promises made before the last elections in this regard are like last winter snow-evaporated.Par for the course i’d say.
Helllo to Brian in New York and all the emigrants who tune in wherever ye are.
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