Dreadnots eke out narrow win over Geraldines in Darver

ANCHOR TOURS SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

GROUP 2 ROUND 2 

Dreadnots 2-10 Gers 2-8

Paraic Smith was once again the match winner for Dreadnots as they edged Geraldines under the Monday night lights in Darver to face off with neighbours St Fechin’s this Sunday.

Time and time again, it has come down to Pepe and his drive at the midway point of the second half was decisive and proved to be enough for Wayne McKeever’s side on the night.

Geraldines would be happy overall with their display, the Haggardstown based side edged the opening half by a point but despite conceding two goals shortly after the restart they showed enough spirit to fight back into the game right to the final play.

Jim McEneaney’s departure with injury was a dampener on the night, the luckless star with injuries was a huge loss in the midst of Dreadnots push for victory.

County goalkeeper James Califf was introduced at half time and straightaway his impact was felt. Smith supplied the ball and Califf ran through and finished with his right foot to give the winners the early initiative.

That injection of confidence had Clogher’s tails up but Beanón Corrigan pointed from play and the lively Ben Gartlan soon gave Mícheál Magill’s side back the lead. Gartlan was living off scrapes and his eye for goal was seen in the opening half.

The pacey inside forward raced on to a fine Paul Smith delivery over the top to deservedly edge the opening period for the Geraldine’s.

So with the highly physical but fair game in the melting pot, Smith seized the initiative by dropping the shoulder and drilling low into the bottom left corner past the hapless Seán McEneaney and with his brother now on the line, the Geraldines were running short on ideas.

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It must be said, Shane O’Hanlon was suspended and Shane Rogers has left the country so it was unsurprising that the Gers struggled in front of the posts. Shaun Callan was guilty of wides while Corrigan and Michael Rogers saw placed balls waved wide.

Gartlan did manufacture a goal, his second, out of nothing. A fine Dermot Campbell block in fact spun his way along the endline, but that major aside the misses would catch up with them. 

In stark contrast, McKeever’s side didn’t register a single second wide. As the pressure mounted and Geraldines dominated possession Jay Hughes was on hand on two occasions to cut in off the right wing and seal the deal with his trusty left foot for the efficient Clogher men.

DREADNOTS: Dylan Cassidy; Aaron Scullion, Pádraig Rath (0-1), Conor Faulkner; Ciarán Finnegan, Anthony Williams, Conor Clarke; Darragh Shevlin (0-1), Dermot Campbell; Owen Murphy, Peter Kirwan (0-1), Cian McEvoy; Jay Hughes (0-3, 0-1 free), Páraic Smith (1-2), Craig Shevlin (0-1). SUBS: James Califf (1-0) for Murphy (HT), Conor Shevlin (0-1) for Craig Shevlin (HT), Barry Faulkner for C Faulkner (60), Dean Hyland for Kirwan (60).

GERALDINES: Seán McEneaney; Tom Cunniffe, Gareth Neacy, Tiarnan Hand; John McCrohan, Dan Corcoran (0-1), Fearghal McDonald; Michael Rogers, Paul Smith (0-1); Brian Cafferty, Shaun Callan, James Craven; Jim McEneaney (0-1 free), Beanón Corrigan (0-4, 0-2 frees), Ben Gartlan (2-1). SUBS: Josh Arrowsmith for McEneaney (38), Conall Hoey for McCrohan (40), Conor Rafferty for Callan (51), Thomas McNamara for Hand (53).

REF: Stephen Fitzpatrick (Clan na Gael).