AGHADA HURLING AND FOOTBALL CLUB

There was no end of season joy for Aghada as our minor footballers lost out in the league final to Fr. O’Neills. In what was a repeat of the championship final, this game was played in Ballymacoda on Saturday Sat 21st in poor weather conditions. There were few scores or even chances early on, but O’Neills, playing with the wind, opened the scoring on 7 minutes with a fine score from play.
Wing forward Aiden O’Connell opened Aghada’s account with a good point on the run, only to see O’Neills restore their lead almost straight from the kickout.
Aghada did have plenty of possession but created little up front whereas O’Neills kicked 3 fine points from play in the next 10 minutes. With 4 minutes to go to the break, Aghada had their second and final score of the half when Cian Fleming pointed a free after Davy Leahy was fouled. 5 points to 2 nearing the short whistle didn’t seem to bad, but 2 quick points from O’Neills gave them a more commanding half time lead of 7pts to 2pts.
Aghada could have had the perfect start to the second half, but Dave Leahy blazed a goal attempt narrowly wide. Scores were still hard to come by, and 12 minutes had passed when Cian opened the second half scoring with a free earned by Allister Murphy. Then came a defining moment. Aghada won a ’45 and tried to work it short.
O’Neills intercepted, and as they do so well, broke quickly up the field and pounced for a superbly worked goal. 1-7 to 0-3 and Aghada were left with a mountain to climb and only quarter of an hour to get there. Fleming kicked two super points (one from a sideline) to lift Aghada spirits again. O’Neills had another from play, before Evan Kennedy, Allister, and Cian again reduced the deficit to a goal with a couple of minutes to play. Aghada came in search of the goal they needed, but O’Neills defended well, before breaking up the field and kicking the insurance score. Fleming pointed another in injury time, but with the last act of the game O’Neills restored their 4-point lead and secured a well-deserved victory for the home side. Aghada can have no complaints by the result, despite great games from ‘keeper Andrew O’Donoghue, Alan Creedon, Cian Fleming and the hard working Michael Russell in the second half. Aghada team and scorers –

Andrew O’Donoghue,

Shane Wall, Evan Kennedy (0-1), Eoin Healy,

Dave Leahy, Conor Rice, Alan Creedon,

Cain Fleming(0-6,2f,1sl), Dave Condon,

Adian O’Connell(0-1), Finbarr Day, James Daly,

Michael Russell, Shane Scanlon, Alister Murphy(0-1).

Sat 30th Sept Minor football league

Aghada got walk over from Bride Rv

Fri 15th Sept minor football Aghada bt Glenville

Tue 29th Aug Minor Football final

Aghada 0-11 Fr. O'Neills 2-7

Aghada will feel desperately unlucky to have lost this B grade final to O’Neills on last Tuesday the 29th of August. Played in Castlemartyr, the winners were the quicker to settle, and had the first score with a point from play on 5 minutes.
In fact the opening 10 minutes was a one sided affair with Aghada struggling to get into the game. O’Neills pointed a ’45 on 8 minutes, earned after a good save from Aghada ‘keeper Andrew O’Donoghue. Aghada were grateful for some stout defending at this stage from David Condon, Eoin Healy and the impressive Shane Wall at corner back. Wing back, Alan Creedon, made a super solo run to set up Shane Scanlon for Aghada’s first point, as Aghada finally got going in earnest.
A number of wides were kicked before Davy Leahy had Aghada’s second score, after a fine ball from Evan Kennedy found Scanlon, who in turn set up Leahy. Scanlon was a real handful for the O’Neills defence and was causing problems all night.
On a night of strange refereeing decisions, to say the least, Aghada were about to be on the wrong side of the 1st of two major decisions. Scanlon burst through on goal after 20 minutes, and was pulled back in the middle of the big square.
Only a 21 metre free was awarded however, which Cian Fleming pointed to give Aghada the lead for the 1st time. From the kick out, Aghada put a good move together, which ended with Allister Murphy seeing a great punched effort, rebound off the crossbar to safety. 2 minutes later the sides were level again, when O’Neills pointed from play. Aghada had 3 more before the break, with Scanlon involved in all three, scoring two and setting up Fleming for the third. In injury time, O’Neills pointed to leave the score at the interval – Aghada 0-6 V O’Neills 0-4.
From the resumption, Finbarr Day burst through, only for the O’Neill’s keeper to make a fine save. A minute later the gap was down to a point, when Fr.O’Neills kicked their 2nd ’45. On 5 minutes came the second of the major decisions that went against Aghada. After a goalmouth scramble ‘keeper O’Donoghue stopped the ball and held it clearly outside the line. The juvenile umpires, half went to award a goal, hesitated and eventually did after consultation, and O’Neill’s were now 2 points to the good. Aghada responded well, and two super scores from Scanlon and Fleming aswell as Leahy’s second, restored Aghada’s one point lead with just 10 minutes played. It could have been even better, but for Michael Russell unluckily hitting the upright with a goal attempt. The sides were level again when O’Neills pointed a free with just over quarter of the game to go.
Finbarr Day set up skipper Kennedy for a super point off his left after 20 minutes and 5 minutes later Rory Walsh and Scanlon combined to set up Fleming for another to give Aghada a 2 point lead going into the last 5 minutes. That was as good as it got however, as O’Neills rallied once again. A super breakaway move forced a great save from O’Donoghue in the Aghada goal, but O’Neills were first to the rebound to smash home a crucial goal. Aghada pressed again, Allister Murphy being denied by the O’Neills ‘keeper, but another sweeping move on the break, again yielded a fine point for O’Neills, and with only 2 minutes to go Aghada needed a goal. All credit to O’Neills, as their defence held firm, and the East Cork trophy was on its way to the Ballymacoda club. Congratulations to a fine Fr.O’Neills side, and hard luck to the Aghada panel who gave it their all, had a great campaign all year, but it just wasn’t their night. Aghada team and scorers –

A.O’Donoghue,

S.Wall, D.Condon, E.Healy,

A. O’Connell, C.Rice, A.Creedon

, E.Kennedy (capt)(0-1), C.Fleming(0-4,1f),

R.Walsh, F.Day, D.Leahy(0-2),

M.Russell, S.Scanlon (0-4), A.Murphy.

Thur 17th Aug Minor Football semi final

Aghada 2-14 Glanmire(2) 0-7

Aghada advanced to the final of this years Minor B football championship, when they defeated Glanmire’s second team in Carrigtwohill last Thursday night. Played in the middle of some horrendous downpours, conditions were anything but conducive to good football. Aghada did start very brightly, with free scoring corner forward Allister Murphy pointing after 3 minutes. This was followed a couple of minutes later by a like score from centre back Conor Rice, who started and finished a good move. A minute later Michael Russell slotted over another point with his trusty left peg, before Shane Scanlon put through Murphy who buried the ball to the back of the Glanmire net. From the kick out Finbarr Day pointed after an excellent solo run and Aghada had 1-4 registered with Glanmire yet to score. Glanmire pointed after 10 minutes, but it was still all Aghada. Murphy pointed again, before a misplaced free from Glanmire, gifted Scanlon Aghada’s second goal. A minute later Davy Leahy burst in from the wing to kick another Aghada point. The next two scores were frees from the Riverstown men, but Cian Fleming pointed 2 frees for Aghada to cancel out these scores before half time. At the break the score read Aghada 2-8 V Glanmire 0-3.

With Glanmire having being reduced to 14 men just before the interval, it seemed like Aghada would have matters all their own way again as the second half got underway. Nothing could be further from the truth however as Glanmire really upped their performance. Indeed it was the 14 men who dominated the possession stakes for the rest of the game, as Aghada failed to get into their stride at all. Upfront though, Glanmire lacked any real penetration and Aghada were grateful of some fine defending from Eoin Healy and Shane Wall. For 20 minutes of the second half it was 3 points a piece, with Andrew O’Donoghue also being called on to make a fine save in the Aghada goal, but with time running out, Aghada eased to victory with points from Cian Fleming, Evan Kennedy and Finbarr Day. Aghada now march on to meet either Fr.O’Neills or Ballinacurra in the final. Aghada team and scorers –

A.O’Donoghue,

S.Wall. D.Condon, E.Healy,

A.O’Connell, C.Rice(0-1), A.Creedon,

E.Kennedy(0-1), C.Fleming(0-4,2f),

D.Leahy(0-1), F.Day(0-2), R.Walsh,

M.Russell(0-1), S.Scanlon(1-0), A.Murphy(1-4).

Subs Used – J’O’Brien, G.Murphy, W’O’Shea.

Thur 10th Aug Minor Football Championship

Aghada 3-16 Glenville 2-6

Playing some terrific football, Aghada advanced to the semi-final stages with a comprehensive victory over Glenville in Lisgoold on Thursday last. Cian Fleming opened the scoring with a point after a scintillating run from midfield, but it was Glenville who had the better of the opening exchanges. Indeed they raced into a 1-2 to 1 point lead, and spurned a couple of goal chances at this stage also. Slowly however, Aghada started to get on top, with Cian and Evan Kennedy starting to dominate around the middle of the field. Also Aghada’s inside line was outstanding and looked a major threat at all times to the Glenville goal. In fact before the night was out this line of Allister Murphy, Shane Scanlon and Michael Russell had scored 3- 10 between them. Russell had Aghada’s 2nd point on 11 minutes, before the same player set up full forward Scanlon for Aghada’s first goal. Next flying wing forward Davy Leahy pointed, before some excellent play from Eoin Healy at the back led to a point for Scanlon. It was 1-4 to 1-2 at this stage, but that all changed in the next 3 minutes. On 17 minutes, a super catch from a kick out by the impressive Finbar Day at centre forward, and a great ball inside to Murphy, who finished brilliantly to the net. 3 minutes later, the same player was on hand to palm home his second goal after a great move involving Kennedy, Leahy and Scanlon. When Russell pointed his second after 21 minutes the scoreboard read 3-5 V 1-3 and now Aghada were coasting. Aghada tacked on 3 more points before the break, the last of which was a fisted effort from Scanlon, after a great break up the field from full back David Condon.
The second half was all one way traffic to begin with. Rory Walsh who was solid throughout at wing forward set up Scanlon after a minute. Then Day did the same for Leahy, before excellent work from Alan Creedon set up Scanlon for his second of the second half. Creedon pointed a super effort from the sideline and Aghada’s lead now stood at 3-12 V 1-3. Glenville rallied with 2 points of their own, but points from Russell (2), Scanlon and Fleming, put the game beyond all doubt. Glenville kept going to the end and pounced for 1-1 in the closing stages aswell as seeing goal efforts denied by ‘keeper Andrew O’Donoghue and corner back Shane Wall. In the end though Aghada were comfortable winners and go on to meet Glanmire’s 2nd team in the semi-final. Aghada Team and Scorers –

A.O’Donoghue,

S.Wall, D.Condon, W. O’Shea,

A.Creedon (0-1), C. Rice, A.O’Connell,

E.Kennedy, C.Fleming (0-3,1f),

D.Leahy (0-2), F.Day, E.Healy,

A.Murphy (2-1), S.Scanlon (1-5), M.Russell (0-4)

. Subs Used – R.Walsh, G.Murphy, J.O’Brien.