Big moments cost Doire Trasna, but Lissan impress

Doire Trasna 2-10

Lissan 2-16

Two huge moments cost Doire Trasna their first Championship points, but at the end of an entertaining game at Corrody Road on Saturday, there was little doubt that Lissan deserved the victory.

At the end of a superb first half display, the home side were two goals clear and looking strong, until the award of a contentious penalty threw Lissan a lifeline which changed the game heading into the break. Referee Eoin Connolly adjudged that Enda Quigley was fouled in midair and Iarlaith Donaghy expertly finished from the spot.

Then, just five minutes into the second half, Pearses substitute Darren Coyne received a black card for a foul on Donaghy, also injuring himself in the process. That left Trasna down to 14 men for 10 minutes, and during that time, Lissan took a complete stranglehold on the game, scoring 1-7 without reply, damage which proved irreparable to the home side who had lost all momentum.

Pearses, led by the brilliant two-goal Colin Murray throughout the first half, lost all their swagger completely, and in the end, no one could begrudge Lissan their six-point victory in their first Championship game of the season.

Different team

Doire Trasna were a different team completely to the one which lost to Ballerin last week, a game in which they scored just six points. They had surpassed that tally within 13 minutes on Saturday as they absolutely blitzed their opponents, with the Lissan players willing but unable to lay a glove on their hosts, and Murray in particular.

Tom Casey had the home side in front with just a minute played and less than 60 seconds later, Pearses had the ball in the back of the net when Eoghan Devlin won the ball deep in the Lissan half and played in Murray, who drilled an accurate finish low past Adrian Bell and into the net.

Lissan, with the wind at their backs, got off and running with a score from Donaghy in between two from Ciaran Quigley to make it 1-1, -3 after just six minutes.  

Lissan were now building some momentum and despite Eoghan Quigg’s first score, the visitors drew level when Martin McCracken and Matthew Loughran made it 1-2, 0-5.

But the Pearses response was emphatic, and they pulled away again when Quigg’s shot was parried by Bell but only into the path of Murray, who fired in his second goal of the game from close range. That was quickly followed by a mark from Toma McDrossan and a free from Murray and the home side suddenly looked strong and comfortable again at 2-4, 0-5.

Lissan needed something but they were denied by a brilliant save from goalkeeper Flynn Doherty, who stopped Enda Quigley from finding the net after his one-two with Joe McElkennon had split the Trasna defence.

The combination of Quigg and Murray at the other end were tormenting Lissan and they extended their lead with a point apiece, with half time approaching and the home side looking in control.

Shea McKernan picked up Lissan’s first score in 11 minutes, but the picture of the game changed dramatically following the penalty incident which changed the score and the psychology of the game in an instant.

Ciaran McGowan had the final say of the half for Pearses, but the home side went in sore at the award of the penalty.

Half time 2-7, 1-7

Tom Casey started the second half off well for Trasna, but this was their final score for over 20 minutes as it all began to fall away quickly.

The black card to Coyne proved decisive as Lissan took control, although Quigg could have given his team some vital breathing space only to hit an easy free against the post.

That said, that would probably have been brief respite against the Lissan tide, as the visitors hit 1-7 without reply in a dominant period, no doubt helped by their numerical disadvantage.

Conor Murray began the fightback and the game was level on 42 minutes when Donaghy hooked the ball into the mix and goalkeeper Flynn Doherty and defender Mark Healy collided, gifting Ciaran Quigley the easiest of goals.

In the midst of this there was a huge chance for Doire Trasna to score a third goal, when Casey’s diagonal ball sent Caelan O’Connell through but he was denied by a huge save from Bell.  

It had taken some time, but Lissan finally took the lead for the first time in the game when Ciaran Quigley split the posts with 14 minutes remaining, and they weren’t finished there as two from McCracken and one from Joey Devlin took them four points clear in a matter of minutes.

Doire Trasna were finally back to 15 players, but it was too late – further scores from Donaghy and McCracken meant that they had gone from leading by six to trailing by six – an incredible 12-point swing.  

Eoghan Quigg did manage Pearses’ first point in over half an hour, but it was nothing more than a late consolation with Lissan finishing the stronger; McElkennon smashing the crossbar before Devlin split the posts again

Colin Murray scored the final point of the day, the most dominant player on the pitch in the first half unable to impact a one-sided game in the second as Doire Trasna’s wait for a Championship win continues.

Teams and Scorers

Doire Trasna: Flynn Doherty, Shane Lyttle, Davy Officer, Mark Healy, Caelan O'Connell, Ciaran McGowan (0-1), Connell Guille, Caolan Doyle, Cormac Kelly, Pol Brown, Eoghan Devlin, Tom Casey (0-2), Colin Murray (2-3, 2f), Tomas McCrossan (0-1, 1m), Eoghan Quigg (0-3).

Subs: Lorcan Doherty for C Guille, HT; Darren Coyne for E Devlin, HT; Dylan Deery for D Coyne (inj), 48mins; Shea Healy for T Casey, 50mins; Ronan Quigley for P Brown, 55mins.

Yellow: Caolan Doyle, Eoghan Quigg and Shea Healy.

Black: Carren Coyne.

Lissan: Adrian Bell, Conor Martin McCrory, Shane Glone, Callum Conway, Shea McKernan (0-1), Iarlaith Donaghy (1-2, 1pen, 1 '45'), Eoin Murray (0-1), Matthew Loughran (0-1), Joe McElkennon, Noel Conway, Joey Devlin (0-2), Martin McCracken (0-4), Ciaran Quigley (1-3, 2f), Enda Quigley, Matthew McKee (0-1). (Subs) David Monaghan for N Conway, HT; Conor Murray (0-1), for S McKernan, 35mins; Ronan McKernan for J McElkennon, 46mins; Paudi Donaghey for C McCrory, 53mins.

Officials: Eoin Connolly, Ciaran Brolly and Kieran Connor