Masonite Senior Semi-final – Bornacoola v Glencar Manorhamilton
If ever the old cliché of a game of two halves was to be used correctly then yesterday evenings Masonite Senior championship fare was worthy of its proper use. Both teams will come away from this game full of mixed emotions as they must be equally frustrated at missed opportunities and relieved to have survived and to get another chance. It was an absorbing game and if the replay is half as good as yesterdays game then it will still be value for money.
Bornacoola played all of their best football in the 1st half, they commanded the centre area, made the breaks and scored at will and it was they that opened the Scóring within the first minute and dominated the last 10 leading to the break. They completely outplayed Glencar/Manor who looked rooted to the ground and who only managed 3 points from Adrian Croal (2) and Dominic Kelly in the 3rd, 11th and 13th minutes. It was a draw at this stage as Manor managed to hold their head as they scraped together some sequences of play. While the scoreboard remained locked on 3 points each from the 13th to the 20 minute you could feel that Bornacoola were building up a head of steam and on the 21st minute they opened the valve and started a 5 point unanswered Scóring spree. Philip Howard kicked and then fisted points from play, followed 4 minutes later by a long range kick from Damien Moran In the closing minutes Mark McCloskey slotted over a free and Sean McKeon registered the teams 8th point in the 32nd minute. Such was the Bors dominance that Manor only managed two wides in addition to their 3 scores. At half time it was Bornacoola 0-08 Glencar/Manor 0-03 but this was all to change.
Glencar/Manor may have been shell shocked to a point in the first half but they found themselves in the second and it was Bornacoola who were under siege for almost 25 minutes of the half. The Manor team will scratch their heads and wonder can they ever have as bad a shooting day again as the collectively blasted the ball wide on 10 occasions throughout the 2nd half. They dominated the midfield, half backs and forwards areas throughout the half and it was on the 6th minute James Clancy finally got the Manor Scóring engine started after two false attempts by Glancy and Croal in the early minutes. Manor were clearly in control as they bombarded the Bornacoola back lines. James Glancy put a free wide but on the 8th minute midfielder Arron Hickey let a rocket fly from outside the small square and Bors keeper Fergal McGill had to pull off a fantastic save. Manor picked up another gear much to the Bornacoola dismay but they wasted another two chances from Darren Sweeney and James Glancy. Finally on the 11th minute the Manor assault paid dividends, wearing number 3 and playing a round the centre half back area it was Adrian O Flynn who made the break through and he drove home an inch perfect daisy cutter into the bottom left corner of the Bornacoola net. 1 point now separated the teams. Manors shooting nightmare continued as Dominic Kelly missed two chances for points. Bornacoola finally got the ball as far as their forwards in a rare attack and they missed a golden opportunity as Damien Morans fist didnt connect with a crossed ball into the large square and with Shane Sweeney off his line a goal chance was missed. James Glancy missed Manors 10th chance of the game which was quickly followed by a similar miss at the other end for Bornacoola.
On the 21st minute it was a drawnÓgame as James Glancy finally found the target with a free and Glencar Manor took the lead for the first time on the 23rd minute when Stephen O Hara pointed a fine score after a quick pass down the stand side orchestrated by James Glancy who was now roving back towards the midfield.
It was their only score of the half but it was a key score as Mark McCloskey kept Bornacoolas hopes alive with a free in the 25th minute to bring the game back to a draw. Other chances went a begging for the Bors in the last few minutes including two 45s. Michael Duignan had an opportunity just before the 30th minute but it didnt reach the target and was defended well by a resolute Manor defence. James Glancy put a free wide at the other end and this was to be Manors last chance. Nerves were frayed for both sets of supporters as chances were going a begging. Michael Duignan had the final opportunity to rob a victory with a 45 in the dying seconds after several attacks by Bornacoola were smothered by a wall of Manor men. Duginans placed kick was similar to his previous one and he didnt get his customary clean long range strike as he dropped the ball in short and eventually the Manor defence cleared their lines.
They have it all to do again next weekend (dates, time etc to be confirmed later) as both teams will rue missed opportunities.
Full time score: Bornacoola 0-09 Glencar Manorhamilton 1-06
Referee: Francis Flynn
06-Sep-09 by Brendan Doyle – PRO
