NO LUCK IN THE DEERPARK

Sunday March 10th 2019,

AFL Division 2, round 5
Full time: St. Michaels 4-06, Dunderry 0-20,
Half time: St. Michaels 2-02, Dunderry 0-11. 

St. Michaels failed to christen their new pitch with a win as their losing streak continued in the first adult match to be played in the Deerpark in Carlanstown on Sunday morning after Dunderry’s pitch was deemed unplayable following recent rain.
Dunderry started well and by the eight minute had three points to their name and a strong cross wind made play difficult, but both teams coped admirably producing an entertaining contest for the few hardy souls that turned out to spectate. The home side broke their duck when a high lobbing ball from Oran Meehan into the Dunderry square beat David Jennings for the opening goal and the leveller for St. Michaels on 10 minutes. Meehan then became the provider when he found Paddy Tobin in open space and he made no mistake from 6m out for his second major at the end of the first quarter. The home sides opening point also came from Tobin who performed quite well throughout to give his side a four point cushion after 18 minutes.
Back came Dunderry and in a four minute spell sent over as many points to level the match for the second time, Tobin once again split the posts with a great effort to go back in front however the lead was short lived as the visitors finished the half stronger to lead by 0-11 to 2-2 at the interval.

St. Michaels cause wasn’t helped when they lost Sam Briody to a red card two minutes into the second half as Dunderry stretched their lead to 4 points. Shane McDonnell settled his sides nerves with two well taken points from play but the visitors hadn’t gone away as they posted another minor to still leave three between the sides, a Shane McCormack converted free and another Meehan goal put his side 3-5 to 0-13 to the good heading towards the end of the third quarter. Dunderry however kept plugging away posting some well taken points with ease as the burden of playing with a man down began to take its toll on the St. Michaels lads as the visitors used the extra man wisely but they did managed to find their well marked target man Oran Meehan once more and he obliged by completing his hat-trick to go one in front with eight minutes left on the clock. A converted Dunderry free two minutes later left the match all square and they went two in front in another two minute spell before Ronan Lynch pulled one back but time ran out as the visitors posted the final point of the match in the first minute of injury time. St. Michaels will rue the fact that they could only manage 5 points from play for the entire hour in comparison to their opponents who posted 15 from play.

St. Michaels team and scorers:
Darren O’Connell; Harry Dunne, Sam Briody, Ciaran O’Reilly; Ray Reilly, Christopher Drew, Ben Reilly; Matthew Halpin, David Lynch; Shane McCormack (0-1 f), Shane McDonnell (0-2), Paddy Tobin (1-2); Oran Meehan (3-0), Peter O’Connell, Ronan Lynch (0-1).

Sub: Cian Sheridan for Dunne 22 minutes.

Referee: Pat Clarke.
Report: Pascal Reilly PRO.