Murphy Cup Round Up

R2, Murphy Cup:

St. Joseph’s 1-10

North London Shamrocks 2-7

 

28 April 2013

 

A spirited performance in Montrose Park, North London, saw St. Joseph’s of Perivale earn a well-deserved and hard-fought draw against North London Shamrocks (NLS). A relatively flat first-half saw North London take advantage of a very stiff breeze, getting off the mark with a quick point from play, against a nervy looking St. Joseph’s. The Joes, however, soon settled and replied with a well worked point of their own through corner forward, Michael Colleran. The Joes were now finding their rhythm, scoring a well-pointed free from captain, Mark McNulty. NLS added two more good scores, utilising corner forward and London player, Vinny Murphy, well. The Joes kept the scores on par, with a fine point against the strong wind from midfielder, Tom Gormley. It was here, however, that NLS really laid down the gauntlet to the Joes, with surging runs up the middle resulting in two goals and a point without reply. The Joes could have been forgiven for getting frustrated at this point, but they didn’t drop their heads, and continued to play with style, working the ball forward through the breeze and earning a close-range free, which was dispatched with ease by Michael Colleran. NLS managed another point to take the lead back to 7 and, just before the break, a pointed free from McNulty left two goals in it.

 

As with Round 1 last week, the Joes had another rousing half-time talk and they came back to the turf with fire in their bellies. Corner forward, Paddy Gervin, having much of the ball in the first-half, finally got on the score-sheet with a point, after a well-worked ball from the Joes half-back line. In a second-half that saw NLS only mange two frees, the Joes were the stronger and fitter of the two sides, and it wasn’t long before the men from Perivale found the back of the net through Michael Colleran. A high ball from midfield proved troublesome for the NLS defence, when Joes full-forward, Peter McGlynn, broke the ball into the path of Colleran, who finished clinically past the outstretched NLS keeper. That second-half spirit of the Joes was showing through again, as they played with positive character, while NLS appeared to be at odds with each other. A fantastic score from Shane Longworth, wing half-forward, saw the deficit reduced to 2 points, before NLS managed a point from a soft free to leave the score 2-07 to 1-07 with 15 minutes to play. NLS were seeing much of the ball now, but, surprisingly, were not punishing the Joes, wasting too many easy scoring opportunities. This breathed life into the Blue and White, with Paddy Gervin being denied a goal through a great save, over the cross-bar, by the NLS ’keeper. The resulting kick-out was won by St. Joseph’s and delivered into the path of Gervin, who expertly scored a fantastic point to leave just the minimum between the two sides. A missed 45 from NLS was quickly punished when the ever-reliable kick-out of Joes keeper, Conor Hallissey, found his own midfield, and the driving run from Mark Killen was stopped illegally. McNulty stepped up to the plate to swing one over from right of the goals to draw the game level.

 

A hugely positive second-half from St. Joseph’s earned them a well-deserved draw and, had they been a bit more clinical, they may have edged out the win. This is a rejuvenated Joes side this year, and a side that are enjoying their game.

 

Team for St. Joseph’s: Hallissey, Conor; Walsh, Dara; Armstrong, Alan; Coppinger, Donal; McCauley, Shane; Killeen, Mark; Reaney, Aodhán; Duffy, Michael; Gormley, Tom (0-1); McGahern, Tom; McNulty, Mark (0-3; 3f); Longworth, Shane (0-1); Gervin, Paddy (0-3); McGlynn, Peter; Colleran, Michael (1-2; 1f)