Aghada show early promise
By Fintan O’Toole ( Irish Examiner)
Saturday, May 15, 2010

THIS was a hugely satisfying opening championship assignment for Aghada, as they breezed past Na Piarsaigh in last night’s Evening Echo Cork SFC first round clash in Midleton.The east Cork men have enjoyed the upper hand in clashes between this pair in recent years but this game flew in the face of recent trends. Instead of eking out a tight victory over the city team, Aghada had a handsome advantage at the final whistle.
They were full value for the ultimate nine-point success, leading by six points at the interval after a wind-assisted first-half and then displaying the ruthlessness thereafter to press home their advantage.
Aghada’s summer was a short-lived one last year as they exited the championship in the third round. Losing at that stage to eventual county champions Clonakilty in a replay after letting a lead slip late on in the drawn game stirred up a well of regrets and they played with a great sense of purpose from throw-in last night.
The tone was set after just thirty seconds when Pearse O’Neill galloped through the Na Piarsaigh rearguard for a rousing point off his left. O’Neill, showing no ill-effects after being absent recently with a broken thumb, and his Cork senior colleague Kieran O’Connor played hugely important roles, and manager Denis Healy complemented their inputs afterwards.
"It was great to have our Cork players back in Pearse and Kieran as they were big additions. We’ve added a few players from the minor two years ago and they’ve added appetite to the team. What was most pleasing was that we scored 1-15, as Na Piarsaigh have always been a difficult team to play."
It was not a game where Aghada were reliant on their star turns to bail them out and by infusing their lineup with a slew of promising youngsters, they have embellished their prospects. Wing-back Eoin Healy and corner-forward Michael Russell showed up well, while their number 15 Cian Fleming looks a superb attacking talent. Fleming, a Cork minor two years ago, racked up 1-6 here as he displayed a prodigious ability from placed balls and his seventh-minute goal when he knifed through the cover was key.
That score pushed Aghada 1-3 to 0-1 in front, and by the 17th minute they had accelerated into a 1-6 to 0-2 lead. Indeed a second goal could have arrived shortly after but James O’Connell blasted just past the post. Still with the O’Neill brothers controlling midfield and O’Connor and Ronan Power in sound form at the back, Aghada were able to stay on top.
The stiff wind that they had to forage into in the first half was a clear impediment to Na Piarsaigh’s play and they did manage to stem the tide of Aghada pressure before the break. Cork hurler John Gardiner illustrated his threat as a football attacker once more with two fabulous long-range points, and the accuracy of Colin Lynch’s free-taking kept them in touch. At the break they were 1-8 to 0-5 adrift and still in the hunt.
But Na Piarsaigh needed a swift start to the second-half where they generated scores and shut Aghada out. They didn’t manage to achieve those objectives as Fleming banged over a brace inside two minutes to stretch Aghada’s lead to 1-10 to 0-5. Na Piarsaigh responded with substitute Keith Buckley impressing and when Shane Duggan converted a 38th minute free, there was six in it again at 1-11 to 0-8.
However the force of Aghada’s play in the closing 20 minutes was telling. They restricted Na Piarsaigh to just one more point, and while the city team’s poor shooting did contribute to that, they were afforded little latitude by the unyielding Aghada rearguard.
Up front, the likes of Stephen O’Keeffe and James O’Connell brought great pace and energy to their play, and Aghada tacked on a series of points to move 1-14 to 0-8 in front. The highlight of that scoring burst was when Kieran O’Connor moved upfield to strike from distance and a nine-point lead entering the final quarter meant Aghada’s third round spot was never in doubt.
Na Piarsaigh now face the losers of tonight’s clash between St Nicholas and Castlehaven in the second round.

Scorers for Aghada: C Fleming 1-6 (0-4f), P O’Neill, M Russell (0-2f), J O’Connell 0-2 each, T O’Keeffe, S O’Keeffe, K O’Connor 0-1 each.

Na Piarsaigh: C Lynch 0-3 (0-3f), J Gardiner, C O’Mahony 0-2 each, S Duggan (0-1f), K Buckley 0-1 each.

AGHADA: A O’Donoghue; B Wall, JP O’Connor, K O’Connor; J Connolly, R Power, E Healy; T O’Neill, P O’Neill; J O’Connell, S O’Keeffe, D Creedon; M Russell, T O’Keeffe, C Fleming.
Subs: J O’Shea for Creedon (47), S Wall for Connolly (53), G Melvin for Russell (57).

NA PIARSAIGH: W Daly; P Rourke, M Prendergast, T Miller; A Brady, S Óg O hAilpín, R McGregor; A O hAilpín, W Long; C O’Mahony, P Gould, J Gardiner; C Lynch, G Sheehan, S Duggan.
Subs: K Buckley for Long (21), E McCarthy for Prendergast (half-time), K Butterworth for Duggan (44), T O’hAilpín for Lynch (46), G Noonan for Gould (50).

Referee: Michael Collins (Clonakilty).

1. A. O' Donoghue
2. S. Cashman 3. JP O' Connor 4. B. Wall
5. C. Hickey 6. K. O' Connor 7. E. Healy
8. E. Savage 9. T. O' Neill
10. D. Creedon 11. S. O' Keeffe 12. P. O' Neill
13. J. O' Connell 14. T. O' Keeffe 15. C. Fleming (2P, 1F)
Subs used 16. J. Connolly for C. Hickey 17. P. Wall for B. Wall 18. M. Russell for T. O' Keeffe
19. J. Wall for S. Cashman 20. C. Power for T. O' Neill

Aghada looked on course to register their 1st win of the season when James O’Connell broke through and with a point at his mercy he drove it wide. From the Kick out Kiskeam won a free on and popped it over to make it a two point game with a minute left on the clock. Aghada dominated mid field all through the second half but lost this kick out a fast ball in to Robert Carroll who got inside his man and rattled the net for Kiskeam to lead for the 1st time. It was no more than they dissevered as Andrew O’Donoghue was by far the busier cul barra making two great saves in the 1st half and one in the second. On the upside for Aghada the young players were quite good with Eoin Savage, Eoin Healy, and Shane Wall outstanding Team

Andrew O’Donoghue
John Connelly, Shane Wall, Brendan Crowley,
Eoin Savage, Adian Kelleher, Ronan Power
Pearse O’Neill, Eoin Healy (0-1),
Kieran O’Connor, Michael Russell (0-2f's 0-1), Dave Creedon,
Cian Fleming (0-5 f's 0-3), James O’Connell, Colm Power
Subs used Deckie Morressy, Paudie Wall, and Paul Kilbane

We were well beaten at the end of this TCCshield match play'ed at Douglas.At halftime we were level on the scoreline of 2-2 to 1-5 to Douglas.In the second half we were chasing a superior and slicker Douglas team and they deservedly won on a scoreline of 2-14 to 2-7.Best for Aghada were Shane Wall Brendan Crowley and Cian Fleming

.Aghada team

M O' Brien

B Wall S Wall B Crowley

R Power A Kelleher E Savage

P O Neill E Healy

M Russell C Fleming1-61-0 Pen 0-4Frees D Creedon

G Melvin1-0 J O Connell 0-1 S O Keeffe

subs used S Cashman F Day C Power C Hickey A Creedon

Aghada were beaten by a stronger Na Piarsaigh in our first senior game of the year. Trailing by only a point at half time 0-5 to 0-4 we were in a strong position to win this game. On the resumption Na Piarsaigh played the better football and in the end won on a scoreline of 1-11 to 0-11.With both teams missing quiet a few regulars, it was a chance for new faces to get a run and our new management to access players. Best for Aghada were Stephen Cashman Aidan Kelleher Eoin Healy Eoin Savage and Gerard Melvin. Aghada team

C Cashman
S Cashman B Wall S Wall
E Savage A Kelleher J Connolly
T O Neill E Healy0-1
M Russell 0-4 0-3 frees S O Keeffe 0-1 D Creedon
C Fleming 0-3 0-2frees J O Connell G Melvin 0-2.

Subs used C Hickey J Wall F Day A Creedon and D Morrissey.
Great to see James O Connell back playing in the green and white.