Martry is playable despite a hard night's frost that would render less natural pitches doubtful.A touch slippy but modern studs more than compensate.Bit cold but bearable.
Dunderry Team.
Kenny Patterson
Shane Maguire Simon Carty
Conor O Shea Eoin Dempsey J.P.Kenneally
Killian Minogue Liam Dempsey
Conor Daly Alan Garry Comor Farrell
Stephen Coogan Paddy Kenneally
Fir Ionad
Jordan Martin(injured hamstring)
James Mitchell
Brendan Wright,
Shane Mooney
Dylan Keenan
Chris Harrington
Selectors
Kevin Dowd
Darren Fay,
Damian Clarke,
Paul Govern.
Petes Cassidy,a Michael's selector and fellow internee with me in Navan Hospital some years ago, greeted me like a long lost brother ,telling me I was one of the fairest umpires he had ever met,even when my own team was involved and that as this view was universally shared in Calanstown , hoped I was umpiring today.Disappointed that I wasn't he was overjoyed when I wished him the best of luck .May the best team win.
The ball is in the game is on.
Within two minutes Michael's register two minors,one from a free and one from play.Even now it is clear this will be no pushover .Bomber delivers to Coogan who hits wide.Liam D.fields well and to Paddy Kenneally who dances hither and thither before being dragged down.Coogan converts.
Midfield is a ding dong battle ,both sets vieing for dominance,neither getting their own way.
When we get possession, we don't waste it and the service to the full forward line is spot on.
Kenneally is dragged down again but Coogan misses.Garry cleverly engineers a goal,finished to the onion bag by Kenneally P.Stan's pencil stub leans heavier on his note book as he records it.The same man scores some point ,jinxing from midfield to a scorable position closer to goal.A fine score,but he is well supplied with good ball.Liam Dempsey is spreading his shoulders and playing intelligent football.We work the ball in and hit wide.Kenneally is on fire and is fouled .Coogan converts.1-3 to 0-2.we are edging it all over the park.Daly to Paddy to Coogan .Point.John Paul is adjudged to have handled on the ground.They gratefully accept and tap over.
We spurn maybe two scorable chances and them one.
WE shave the lower upright ,unfortunately on the wrong side.Michael's put on a sub and he goes down almost immediately.He too is substituted .Minogue score a fine point.They reply.1-5 to 0-4 for us.Octo delivers to Cougar who shoots over.Michaels pull back a minor from play.They are not panicking.
John Paul goes centre back and Ownie to wing half.Michaels now shave the post on the wrong side.Liam wins the kick out.ball goes astray and they hit wide.We were wide open.Lucky.Despite sterling defending they score from a free.We hit a point wide.Petse's son scores from play for the Michaels.Paddy misses from play.Carty breaks up a promising attack .We lead by two points as the half time whistle blows.
With the hill in the second half we should do it.
Garry goes centre half back and Eoin Dempsey on the forty.Coogan takes a quick free to Paddy K,who misses.Coogan has a go off a sixty yards free and it drifts wide.Garry hits wide from play.Kenneally converts a fifty.We going well.Michaels pull one back from play.Garry parts to Paddy.Wide.
Wright on for Maguire.Coogan hits a free wide.Michaels score one.And another.Level pegging.Who has the will and the greater hunger?Paddy edges us ahead from play.They score from a free.They get another.Liam soars to the clouds and to Kenneally hits a quick free to Cougar.He pounces.Point.Level again.Martin on for Daly.
Minogue stretches for the ball and to Cougar.Point.One up.Michaels miss an easy chance from play but take a pointed free.
My poor heart.
We miss a free.They miss one too.Then they edge ahead by one.No matter what the ref does he gets it in the neck.The game develops its own momentum.We attack and they defend.Carty goes walkabouts with the ball and is only arrested about forty five from their goal. Kenneally hits the upright.We throw the kitchen sink at them .They hold out.What a finish.The whistle blows.Our boys are near tears.
Bet one point.The same as champions Fianna beat us in the IfC.Level pegging with Rathmoylan in the IHC.They are now in the Leinster Final.Feck it.
Overview.
A hop of the ball.Busted ourselves.So did they.Two fine teams.Two committed teams.Maybe,just maybe the facile victories we had in the earlier rounds served us badly.
Everybody was a hero.Management included.A great voyage.
Congrats the Michaels.
Good referee and fair umpires and linesmen.
Shag it all the same.
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