First half tour-de-force sets impressive Clodiagh Gaels up for comfortable win

AN excellent first half saw Clodiagh Gaels build up an unassailable lead in a one sided Junior Football Championship semi-final in Tullamore on Saturday afternoon.

Tullamore Court Hotel Junior Football Championship semi-final

Clodiagh Gaels 3-16

Doon 2-12

Playing with a stiff wind in the first half, Clodiagh Gaels had their final place booked when they ;led by 2-12 to 0-3 at half time with Doon bystanders for most of it.

The wind was significant but it was in no way a fifteen point one and there was no way Doon were going to retrieve that deficit in the second half. They did well to end up with 2-12 but that tally is deceiving as the outcome was way more clearcut than the scoreline suggests.

It was a hard afternoon for Doon, who entered it with high hopes after an impressive display in their quarter-final win over Clara. However, the game got away from them early on and it was out of reach for them by half time.

Clodiagh Gaels played well on the day and were very good in the first half with two players not named on the starting fifteen inflicting fierce damage. Liam Langton scored 2-2 in the first half, Aaron Rattigan 0-5, two of them two pointers – Clodiagh Gaels goalkeeper Kevin Kinahan arrowed over a third two pointer in the first half as almost everything they did turned to gold.

Langton's first goal in the 10^th minute was a quality one, a sublime finish after a great build up with Ruari Dunne playing a lead role. The second in the 16^th minute was a fortunate one and even he seemed to put his hand up in apology when his mishit attempt at a point dropped short, bounced in front of the goalkeeper Mark Langtry and ended up in the net.

That gave Clodiagh Gaels a 2-6 to 0-1 lead and it was all over. Doon could get nothing going whatsoever in the first half as Clodiagh Gaels outscored them by 0-6 to 0-2 for that untouchable half time lead.

With their final spot secure, Clodiagh Gaels took off the outstanding Liam Langton at half time and Doon to their credit improved significantly, giving it their best shot. Three early wides didn't help them but Luke Kelly lifted their spirits with a 32^nd minute goal. Points from Eoin Dunne and Kinahan (“45”), however, quickly replied for Clodiagh Gaels and a Doon comeback was never possible.

Doon needed an avalanche of scores, something extraordinary to happen but instead the way Clodiagh Gaels continued to control the game was as impressive in its own way as their first half exploits.

They were competent and solid with a 45^th minute Aaron Rattigan goal putting them 3-14 to 1-4 ahead and it all dwindled out harmlessly from here. Clodiagh Gaels corner back Ronan Daly got a 53^rd minute black card and Doon rallied well late on to achieve some measure of scoring respectability.

Sub Micko Kelly got an excellent two pointer in a run of five points on the trot for Doon but an Aaron Rattigan free ended that streak and Clodiagh Gaels closed it out very comfortably – it was a measure of how one sided it was that both sides ran in a spate of subs in the closing quarter, mainly for the sake of doing so as the outcome could not be altered.

An injury time two pointer from Darragh Egan, a goal from Micko Kelly and a point from Darragh Egan narrowed the gap but the final scoreline can be ignored as Clodiagh Gaels' win was way more comprehensive than this suggests.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Eoin Dunne (Clodiagh Gaels): Liam Langton was the standout figure in the first half, running the show, scoring well and excellent on the ball. Aaron Rattigan was also very sharp up front, scoring 1-6, 1-5 from play but the choice is Clodiagh Gaels midfielder Eoin Dunne.

Dunne was rock solid at midfield, doing a mountain of work and ensuring that Clodiagh Gaels won this with very good support from the impressive Jack Kelly.

THE SCORERS

Clodiagh Gaels: Aaron Rattigan 1-6 (2 x 2p, 1f), Liam Langton 2-2, Kevin Kinahan 0-3 (1 x 2pf, 1 '45'), Sean Rattigan 0-2 (2f), Nigel Cunningham, Eoin Dunne, Jack Kelly 0-1 each.

Doon: Luke Kelly 1-4 (3f), Micko Kelly 1-2 (1 x 2p), Darragh Egan 0-3 (1 x 2p), Conor Keenaghan, Callum Kelly, Blaine Rigney 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

CLODIAGH GAELS: Kevin Kinahan; Fergal Dolan, Tom Dunne, Ronan Daly; Emmet Curley, Aaron Flanagan, Nigel Cunningham; Eoin Dunne, Jack Kelly; Liam Langton, Clint Horan, Cathal Brady; Sean Rattigan, Ruari Dunne, Aaron Rattigan. Subs – Mark Dillon for Langton (HT), Gavin Sheil for Curley (47m), Sean Brady for Sean Rattigan (51m), Mattie Hynes for Flanagan (59m).

DOON: Mark Langtry; Paul Eoin Boland, Luke Keenaghan, Mark Gaffey; Sean Og Foley, Sean Keenaghan, Conor Keenaghan; Callum Kelly, Ciaran Brazil; Darragh Egan, Terry Byrne, Conor Mannion; Luke Kelly, Jason O'Shea, David Crombie. Subs – Eoghan Hennessy for Mannion (17m), Micko Kelly for O'Shea (40m), Blaine Rigney for Crombie (40m), Mark Coughlan for Conor Keenaghan (57m), George Mooney for Boland (60m).

Referee – Christopher Joslin, Daingean.

REFEREE WATCH

A very dependable official who crops up on the line at matches all over the place, Christopher Joslin deserved a game like this and he took his opportunity well. He was fair and there were no big issues.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Liam Langton's second goal in the first half was a lucky one and ended it as a contest.

VENUE WATCH

This was the first of five matches in O'Connor Park this weekend and the pitch looked really well with a bracing wind helping keep it that way.

WHAT'S NEXT

Clodiagh Gaels go into the final.

STATISTICS

Wides: Clodiagh Gaels - 6 (5 in first half); Doon - 6 (1 in first half).

Yellow cards: Clodiagh Gaels – 0; Doon – 2 (Eoghan Hennessy and Sean Og Foley).

Black cards: Clodiagh Gaels – 1 (Ronan Daly); Doon – 0.

Red cards: 0