Referee: G McKenny
This Paddy Sheelan Cup game was the opening match of the club season. The game was played in good weather and ground conditions which produced a lively and exciting affair with Roche taking the spoils by five points on a score line of Dreadnots 2-5 Roche Emmets 2-10. The story of this game was one of scoring dominance shifting from the home team to the visitors in dramatic fashion from the first half to the second half. Both teams fielded short a dozen regulars because of those on County duty and injuries but the reservists proved good enough to serve up a fast, skilful and exciting encounter.
The Dreadnots opened the scoring through Peter Kirwin with a free kick. With the home team gaining the upper hand all around the pitch they hit a purple patch by scoring 2-3 without reply from Roche in the opening 20 minutes. In the eighth minute Kenneth Shevlin ghosted through the Roche defence to score a goal followed by (No 10) taking advantage of poor defending to score a second goal on the tenth minute. Shevlin followed with two further points while Roche struggled to make any impact in their raids forward. The visitors were lucky not be even further behind such was the dominance of the home team and the ease at which they were racing through the Roche defence. Barry O’Hare opened Roche’s account in the 17th minute followed by a pointed free by Peter Kirwin on the 21st minute to push the Dreadnots 2-4 to 0-1 in front. Roche’s fortunes improved with three further points, two pointed frees from O’Hare and Philip Quinn on 24th and 25th minutes but then O’Hare missed a scorable free before Kirwin missed twice, one from a placed ball. The scoring was completed before the break by Dan O’Connell with a good point from 30 metres on the 32nd minute making the halftime score Dreadnots 2-4 Roche 0-4. The game appeared to be Dreadnots with Roche without the means to stop them.
From the throw in Roche moved the ball to O’Hare who was fouled on the left 30 metres out and he slotted the free over the bar. Roche missed two further frees but from the kick out. Roche moved the ball to Martin Craven 30 metres out and with neat movement scored a further point on the 5th minute of the second half. Philip Quinn scored his second point from play on the 6th minute. Roche were rampant and the management moved to strengthen their position by sending on sub Bernard McConnon to replace Ciaran Sloane on the square. From the kick out Martin Carroll won position and from his pass O’Hare scored a good point from a position in front of the target. Roche were within two points of the Dreadnots and the home team could not get an attack under way. But Martin Craven missed a good chance after excellent inter-play the length of the pitch by Roche on the 10th minute. But a minute later from a similar passage of play Gerry Murphy scored a cracking goal from 14 yards into the corner of the net to complete Roche’s revival. The Dreadnots registered their 1st wide of the half on the 13th minute. The home team dispatched replacements to ebb the tide but little dividend was being gained. Hope arrived in the shape of Kirwin with a point from play on the 15 minute mark leaving the score Dreadnots 2-5 to Roche 1-9. Play became un-rulely for a time following a tackle after an attempt at a point by Dan O’Connell. Gabriel McKenny restored focus on the game with yellow cards to Dan O’Connell and (No. 17 Dreadnots). O’Connell was wide with an attempt from 20 metres but his next attempt a minute later, a strike of a loose ball to the left hand corner of the Dreadnots net was a smashing effort that moved Roche into a 5 point lead with eleven minutes remaining. Kirwin tagged a point back with six minutes left from a 21 metre free. The Dreadnots had come back into the match to a much greater degree and hit wide on the 55th minute of the game followed by an O’Connell wide at the other end. Aidan McCoy then made a good save from (No 9 Dreadnots) who rounded G. Murphy very well and off loaded a low drive from 6 metres from the right side of the goal. Darren McConnon’s attempt from 35 metres in open play was wayward but Roche extended their lead with a Paudie Callaghan effort from the left on the 62nd minute which completed the scoring. The Dreadnots piled forward to recover the situation and forced the Roche defence to get all hands to the pump where Aidan McCoy produce a fine save deep in injury time to stop a pile driver from 8 metres to his right reaching the Roche net at the expense of a 45 which sailed wide and was the final action of an eventful and trilling match.
Roche Emmets: Aidan McCoy, Niall Treanor, David Quigley, Sean Kirk, Sean O’Hare, Gerry Murphy (1g), Dwane Callan, Martin Carroll, Darren McConnon, Paudie Callaghan (1pt), Dan O’Connell (1-1), Philip Quinn (2pts), Barry O’Hare (6pts), Ciaran Sloan, Martin Craven (1pt). Subs: Bernard McConnon for Ciaran Sloane.
Best were Aidan McCoy, Sean Kirk, Dan O’Connell, Barry O’Hare with good work from Niall Treanor, Sean O’Hare, Martin Carroll, Darren McConnon and Gerry Murphy.
