Cumann Pheadair Naofa 3-11
Rostrevor 1-09
Return to a 7.15 pm thrown in is one of the first signs that the long summer days are drawing to a close, but this bright and sunny evening in Páirc Liam Uí Ír was really our first and perhaps final experience of summer senior football in Moygannon this year. For Warrenpoint it turned out to be a perky and lively performance stirring expectations for the coming championship. There was a good crowd present with more than ample room for social distancing to watch the local derby match with neighbours Rostrevor.
With the Point winning the toss they opted to play into the river end goals in the first half. The Red had the first chance of a score when the won a ‘fifty’ but this chance was squandered and the scoring opened in the second minute when Ross converted a free won by Donagh Mc Aleenan forty yards dead in front of the goals. Shortly after that Conor Doyle equalised with a free from near the side-line on the right hand side. A patient build up from the Point ended in a Cormac Mc Cartan Point from play in the sixth minute. Rostrevor mid fielder James Rice made a strong run from the Point thirty yard line and passed to Sean Cooper who shot low and hard into the net to put Rostrevor ahead 1-02 to 0-02 with seven minutes gone. From the kick out Warrenpoint advanced and had their own goal chance but it was blocked and in the scramble the ball went wide. Another Point attack ended in a wide from Joe Magee from the kick out the Point won good possession in mid field sending the ball forward at speed a pass put Donagh Mc Aleenen in a good position but his low shot went across the face of the goal and narrowly wide. Great work from Paddy Murdock and Ryan Mc Aleenan thwarted another Rostrevor attempt at goal before Ross Mc Garry scored a fine point from play in the tenth minute to leave one point between the teams. Niall Mc Cartan was unlucky when a fine effort from forty yards out hit the post and Davidson scored his first of two points to even the match in the thirteenth minute.
In the sixteenth minute Rostrevor broke at speed and Johnny Connolly was carrying the ball forward at great pace with the Point defence quite stretched in front of him when he suddenly pulled up in pain, Con Reynolds the referee opted for the water break on resumption Connolly was replaced by Johnny Farrell. John Boyle’s long range shot wet wide and Rostrevor took the lead again when Conor Doyle converted a close range free. Wides were exchanges from Niall Mc Cartan and Tomás Gordon and a long ball forward from Ciarán Mc Cartan going wide before Ross converted another free after a foul on the advancing Niall Mc Cartan to even the score in the twenty second minute. Another free from Ross shortly after that put Warrenpoint in the lead by a point. Warrenpoint then had a goal chance but over-elaborated and missed the chance before Conor Doyle scored a fine point for the Reds, when gaol was also a possibility, to even matters once again. Sean Parr put the Reds in front with a fine point and a great score from Ciarán Mc Cartan finished the scoring for the half and left the side even. Rostrevor missed a gilt edge chance just before half time to leave the score Warrenpoint 0-07 Rostrevor 1-04.
The story of the second half was more straightforward it began with an initial Rostrevor flurry and then continued with a prolonged period of Warrenpoint dominance in every sector of the field. Rostrevor opened proceedings with a point from Jordan Fegan. Donagh Mc Aleenen replied with a great point. In the fourth minute of the new half, Ryan Boyle at tremendous speed, made a run toward the Rostrevor goal running out of space and unable to shoot he fist passed the but the incoming Eoin Murdock was unfortunate to deflect the ball into the net. Conor Doyle pulled one back in the eight minute of the half before the decisive moment in the second half when John Boyle fed by Ryan Mallon had the score of the match when he shimmied his way goal ward and landed the ball in the net. Effectively with almost twenty minutes left the match was over and the final result was never in doubt. Sean Cooper replied with a Rostrevor point before Alan Davidson restored the Point’s lead to five points. A number of Warrenpoint substitutions were introduced at this stage with Joe Magee, Alan Davidson and Niall Mc Cartan being replaced by Ruairí Mc Cormack, Eoghan Byrne and Cian Mc Loughlin. Conor Doyle scored again for Rostrevor before Ross Mc Garry converted a free leaving the score 2-10 to 1-08 in favour of the home side their remaining scores came from Eoghan Byrne a point in the twenty fourth minute of the half and with almost the last kick of the game youngster Cian Mc Loughlin scored a fine goal with his left foot to leave Warrenpoint’s tally for the evening at 3-11. For Warrenpoint the last quarter of the match was also peppered with a series of wides, eight in all which only served to underline their dominance in this final quarter. Rostrevor’s scoring finished with a point from Sean Cooper to bring their total to 1-09.
Warrenpoint produced a convincing and morale boosting victory in this local derby match, their last competitive outing before their Championship encounter with neighbours Burren in two weeks time.
Warrenpoint Scores: Ross Mc Garry 0-05 (Frees 0-04), John Boyle 1-00, Ryan Boyle 1-00, Cian Mc Laughlin 1-00, Alan Davidson 0-02, Cormac Nc Cartan 0-01, Caran Mc Cartan 0-01, Donagh Mc Aleenan 0-01, Eoghan Byrne 0-01.
Rostrevor Scores: Conor Doyle 0-05 (Frees 0-03), Sean Cooper 1-02, Jordan Fegan 0-01, Sean Parr 0-01.
