AGHADA HURLING AND FOOTBALL CLUB

Next up it was the turn of the seniors who were taking on Ballincollig at Rostellan in the 2nd round of the Kelleher Shield. Aghada started with wind at their backs and the game was tied at 2 pts a piece before disaster struck for Aghada on 10 mins. A long ball into the Aghada square wasn’t fully dealt with and the resulting scramble yielded a goal for the Muskerry men. Strong play from Brendan Flaherty at midfield helped Aghada claw their way back into the match and reduce the deficit to the minimum mid way through the half. Ballincollig went on a scoring spree in the 5 mins before the break, notching up 1-3 without reply. The second goal also coming from a hopeful long ball into the Aghada square. At the break it was Aghada 10pts, Ballincollig 2-8 and Aghada had an awful lot of work to do to turn it around in the second half. Unfortunately things got worse and not better in the second period with Ballincollig out scoring Aghada 8pts – 3pts in the 2nd period, the final score was Aghada 0-10 V Ballincollig 2-16. The only good news for Aghada in the second half was the return of Colm O’Brien to competitive action after nearly 9 months on the sidelines through injury. Aghada team and scorers – S. O’Connell, B. Crowley, R DeWine, P. Kilbane, K. O’Connor(0-1),W. O’Donoghue, K. O’Keeffe, B. Flaherty(0-2), P. O’Neill, T. O’Keeffe(0-1), J. O’Connell(0-2), D. Creedon(0-2), G. Melvin(0-1), J. O’Connor, S. O’Keeffe(0-1). Subs Used – C. O’Brien.

Mon 15 Mar Kelleher Shield Senior Football League Aghada 1-9 Bishopstown 0-6

Sun 28th Mar Kelleher Shield Senior Football League Aghada 0-8 Na Piarsaigh 0-8

Aghada started the better Kenneth O’Keeffe, Pearse and Eoin O’Neill pointing before the city boys got a score in the 10th minute James O’Connell restored Aghada’s lead again. The city boys hit back but O’Connell and Eoin O’Neill but Aghada back on course then just on the short whistle Na Piarsaigh scored a minor to leave the score 0-6 to 0-3 in Aghada’s favour
By now the rain made the field slippery and the football suffered the city lads now started to get a handle on the game and opened the scoring. Mark Lewis got one back before Na Piarsaigh got two in a row. Aghada were well back in the game at this stage but due to woeful shooting and poor passing we left Na Piarsaigh off the hook. Again Lewis put Aghada two points in front with as many minutes left but the city side finished stronger scoring two points to level the game
Team Shane O’Connell, Billy Hennessy, Kieran O’Connor , Paul Kilbane, Aidan Kelleher, William O’Donoghue, Kenneth O’Keeffe, Rohan Dwane , Pearse O’Neill, Dave Creedon, Brendan Flaherty, Trevor O’Keeffe, James O’Connell, Mark Lewis, Eoin O’Neill
Subs 28th minute Stephen Cashman for Eoin O’Neill, 40th minute Colin Scanlon for Billy Hennessy 48th minute Stephen O’Keeffe for Cashman

Thur 1st April Kelleher Shield Senior Football League Aghada 1-6 Nemo Rangers 3-13

Team and scorers – D. Devoy, J. Wall, K. O’Connor, P. Kilbane, K. O’Keeffe, W. O’Donoghue, A. Kelleher, R. Dwane, P. O’Neill, T. O’Keeffe(0-1), D. Creedon , Ml. Lewis(0-1), E. O’Neill(0-3), B. Flaherty(1-0), J. O’Connell(0-1). Subs Used: J. O’Connor, D. Lee.

Sat 10th April Senior Football Championship Youghal 2-11 Aghada 3-8

We had drama last week between the same teams in the u21 championship, could we be prepared for this. Seven minutes left Aghada leading by seven points home and dry? Not so, two minutes of injury time Aghada down a point ,Aghada come again, a pass to Flaherty, goal, no, save, ball cleared, have we time?, up stepped Trevor a mighty point pride saved. Yes as both teams had a back door you would think there was nothing at stake but how wrong you would be. Youghal smarting after last week were never going to lye down.
Brian Morrissey opened the scoring for Aghada after 2 minutes when he goaled after a great pass from halfback Dave Creedon. Eoin Coleman replied for Youghal with a point. In the 9th minute Pearse O’Neill pointed when a goal chance was there, Youghal added two points against the run of play before Aghada’s O’Connell goaled on the 22 minute. Youghal put two more points on the board before ref Níall Barrett sounded the short whistle to leave Aghada ahead 2-1 to 0-5. Yet no word about Aghada’s wides would they come back to haunt them?
On resumption Youghal opened the scoring when Eoin O’Neill pointed a free, Paul Moylan and O’Connell exchanged points before a now rejuvenated Captain Pearse O’Neill got two points within as many minutes. A minute later JP O’Connor pointed with his first kick of the ball when he replaced Eoin O’Neill, Aghada looked on their way. Moylan pointed for Youghal before JP put it beyond doubt with a goal on the fore mentioned 53rd minute. All Aghada had to do was hold on to the ball. Now Aghada decided to kick the ball away, when cool heads were needed. yet after Youghal scored 1-3 to leave them trailing by one point as time closed in, James got a point on the stroke of time and that should have been that. An Aghada forward got involved with the Youghal goalie and when Ken Dempsey won the ball from the kick out one scented a draw but Dempsey had other ideas. fair play to our lads the game was lost but we had the guts to come back. if we are too serious we need to hold our lead, never mind the wides we missed. Mark Lewis also made a great contribution when he came on. team Shane O’Connell, Billy Hennessy, Kieran O’Connor , Paul Kilbane, Aidan Kelleher, William O’Donoghue, Dave Creedon, Rohan Dwane , Brendan Flaherty, Eoin O’Neill (0-1f), Pearse O’Neill(0-3) ,Stephan O'Keeffe, Trevor O’Keeffe(0-1) , James O’Connell (1-2), Brian Morrissey (1-0)
subs used JP O'Connor (1-1) for Eoin O’Neill, Mark Lewis for O'Keeffe (43minute)

Sat 17th April Senior Football Championship Replay Aghada 0-13 Youghal 1-7
Our strange saga with Youghal continues
Having opened a 9 point lead by half time Aghada looked home and dry, Aghada had a strong wind to their backs and looked like a well oiled machine. Indeed only for a great save by the Youghal goalie when he advanced on a fast moving Pearse O’Neill who had a goal at his mercy things could have been a lot worse for the town.
Aghada made wholesale changes from the drawn game J P O’Connor starting instead of Trevor O’Keeffe and A fit again Brendan Crowley for Stephen O’Keeffe, Rohan Dwane went to centre back while Willy O’Donoghue went into the corner and Billy Hennessy went to half back. Centre field saw Aidan Kelleher face the throw in.
Like last week Brian Morrissey opened the scoring after two minutes, Eoin O’Neill followed with two points, Dave Creedon scored a mighty long range free, and when the two O’Neill’s added two more on the 14th minute Aghada were rampant. Youghal replied with a point on the 18th minute, but this seemed to spur on the Aghada crowd. Eoin O’Neill was every where and added a point. Brian Morrissey, Brendan Crowley scored two more before Youghal’s next point on the 28th minute. Eoin O’Neill hit another free before James O’Connell finished with a mighty point to leave Aghada leading on the scoreline of 0-11 to 0-2. Aghada could do nothing wrong and it was how a matter of how much we would win by or so we thought Youghal made a few changes at half time. They also changed their attitude and came at Aghada and had two points on the board before Aghada found their scoring touch when Again Eoin pointed a free and a minute later Brendan Flaherty scored a great point. Little did we know this was to be our last score of the game? Youghal upped the tempo and when they goaled with 9 minutes left on the clock our backs were to the wall indeed only for a great save by Shane O’Connell in goal things could have been different. Two more points from Youghal left the game in the melting pot with 4 minutes on the clock. Indeed it boiled over when the Youghal goalkeeper gathered a ball under his post, and soloed out the field and when Aghada dispossessed him on the forty fire works erupted which saw Mackey walk the walk. Still Youghal came at Aghada and it was a much relived Aghada that heard Ger Sweeney’s final blast to signal our passage into the third round.
team Shane O’Connell, William O’Donoghue, Kieran O’Connor , Paul Kilbane, Billy Hennessy, Rohan Dwane , Dave Creedon (0-1f), Aidan Kelleher , Brendan Flaherty (0-1), JP O'Connor , Pearse O’Neill (0-1) , Brendan Crowley (0-1), Eoin O’Neill (0-6 )4 from frees, James O’Connell (0-1), Brian Morrissey (0-2)
subs used Trevor O’Keeffe for O’Donoghue (28m), Conor Hickey for Hennessy (56m), Stephan O'Keeffe for Trevor (58m)

Sat 22nd May Senior Football League Aghada 0-9 Newcestown 0-9

The senior footballers got back into action on Saturday last when they played out a controversial draw with Newcestown in the West Cork venue. Both sides felt Aghada had won by a point but the referee had it down as a draw and at the end of the day, he’s the man that matters.

Sat 19th June Senior football league Aghada 1-11 Ilen Rovers 2-10

Aghada made the long journey down west to play Ilen Rovers on Saturday last. Aghada were short a few on the night , but an excellent 60 minutes of football was played by both sides with the home team emerging victorious. Aghada’s goal came from a spot kick by Brendan Flaherty after Kieran O’Connor was brought down. The other main scorer on the night was Eoin O’Neill who kicked 3 points. Aghada team - S. O’Connell, S. Cashman, K. O’Connor, B. Crowley, D. Creedon, R. Dwane, B. Hennessy, A. Kelleher, B. Flaherty, S. O’Keeffe, J. O’Connell, JP. O’Connor, E. O’Neill, B. Morrissey, T. O’Keeffe.
Subs Used R.Goode.

Thur 24th Senior football league Aghada 0-12 Dohenys 4-12

Sat 31st July SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP AGHADA 0-13 NA PIARSAIGH 0-11

Into the last eight and a meeting with champions Castlehaven or Mallow was Aghada’s reward for this victory.
While never reaching any great heights Aghada dug out a win that was down to hard work and making the best of their chances. While Aghada were never led and were on top for most of the game, Na Piarsaigh had a golden chance just after haft time when the duffed a penalty effort putting it miles wide. With the game on a knifes edge Aghada introduced Trevor O’Keeffe with 11 minutes to go. Trevor was the catalyst for change and his two points one from a free put Aghada on their way when it seemed they hit the wall. All of a sudden Aghada were masters hitting four points in as many minutes as the game closed. The city boys were far from finished scoring a point in added time before Dave Gardiner gathered a ball on the edge of the square only to flash the ball over the bar with goal at his mercy. Team Shane O’Connell, Paul Kilbane , Ronan Dwane , Kieran O’Connor, Billy Hennessy, Willie O’Donoghue, Dave Creedon, Aidan Kelleher, Brendan Flaherty (0-2), JP O’Connor (0-2), Pierce O’Neill (0-1), Brendan Crowley, James O’Connell (0-1), Brian Morrissey, Eoin O’Neill (0-5)(3 frees) Subs used Trevor O’Keeffe (0-2 )(1 free) for Morrissey 49 m , Stephen O’Keeffe for Willie O’Donoghue 55 m

Sat 19th Sept Senior Football Championship Q-Final Aghada 0-12 Mallow 2-10

Aghada started well when Eoin O’Neill scored a great point from a sideline ball 45 meters out after only one minute. 5 minutes later John Paul O’Connor kicked the 1st of two mighty points from play again at least 45 m out. Eoin O’Neill added another free to leave Aghada ahead after 11 minutes of play 0-4 to 0-1. Slowly Mallow started to get into the game with Rohan Sheehan, Sam Cronin, and Cian O’Riordan putting Aghada under pressure. Four points on the trot followed before Aghada scored again when O’Neill pointed another free on the 28th m Mallow replied to lead at the short whistle 0-6 to 0-5 despite playing against the wind. In between Brendan Flaherty had a great chance but flashed it across the face of the goal.
Mallow opened the scoring with a pointed free, O’Neill replied again from a dead ball. Now Mallow upped a gear and Aghada had no answer. A point and a goal that came from sloppy defence when not one but three Aghada men dropped the ball. Now with their tails up Mallow added two more points on the 45m before Aghada decided that they were in a County Q-final. O’Neill started the rally with two pointed frees within a minute. The two corner backs Kieran O’Connor and Paul Kilbane pointed to put Aghada back into the frame. Aghada failed to press home their advantage having Mallow on the ropes. Then in a brake away we paid the ultimate price when again Mallow goaled. in fairness to Aghada they never gave up. Trevor O’Keeffe and Brian Morrissey pointed before in injury time the Mallow Keeper made a great save from Morrissey and that was that. Shane O’Connell, Paul Kilbane (0-1), Ronan Dwane , Kieran O’Connor (0-1), Billy Hennessy, Willie O’Donoghue, Dave Creedon, Aidan Kelleher, Brendan Flaherty, JP O’Connor (0-2), Pierce O’Neill , Eoin O’Neill (0-5)(all frees), Brendan Crowley, James O’Connell , Brian Morrissey, (0-1)
Subs used Derek Bowler 36th m for Shane O'Connell, Trevor O’Keeffe (0-1) for Kelleher 38 m, and Ger Melvin for Willie O’Donoghue 38m, Steven Cashman for Hennessy 43m

All-Ireland Sevens
10 of Aghada’s senior footballers , still smarting from last weeks championship exit, made their way to Kilmacud Crokes to defend their All-Ireland sevens title. After topping their group, Aghada beat a highly fancied Castlewenning side to qualify for the final. Lead at half time in the quarters, disaster struck when Aghada first lost Brendan Flaherty through injury and then James’ O Connell when he picked up his second yellow. 7 V 6 or 10 v 8 if you like, made it mission impossible for the Aghada lads, who none the less did the club proud once again in this fantastic tournament. Aghada panel – S. O’Connell, P. O’Neill, D, Creedon, E. O’Neill, R. Dwane, J. O’Connor, J. O’Connell, B. Flaherty, A. Kelleher, W. O’Donoghue.