It was the local derby with a little bit everything, some excellent passages of play, many exceptional individual contributions, missed chances, a strong wind and a little dash of controversy at the end. The game was keenly competitive but played in a sporting manner and ended in a draw, some would say fortuitous for the home team others would say well deserved.
The game opened with each side making speculative forays into each other’s half. Warrenpoint playing with a strong breeze hit a long ball forward which went straight to the Burren back line and in the resulting attack Malachi Mc Evoy was fouled and Donal O’Hare, who was in tremendous kicking form all night, had no trouble slotting it over the bar from 30 yards out for the opening score in the 3rd minute. Following a good turnover from the ‘Point defence the ball was moved swiftly forward and Ross Mc Garry shot only to go a little to the left and wide. In the 5th minute Ross running up the right wing took a shot which hit off he upright, Davidson got the ball out to Jamie Grant who made space for himself and sent a powerful shot to the top right hand corner of the net. A foul on Liam Kerr gave Donal O Hare another point. Burren’s Cathal Foye had to retire from the match with an injury. In the 10th minute Warrrenpoint replied with a free from Niall Mc Govern following a foul on Ryan Boyle. Shortly after that following a side line kick for the Point Ryan Magee was through in a good forward position but his shot went wide. Following from the kick out newly introduced Ryan Cunningham scored from about 40 yards out to put just one point between the sides. Warrenpoint restored their two point lead on the kick out with an excellent score from Alan Davidson but this was short lived when Donal O’Hare converted another free leaving the score 1-02 to 0-4 in Warrenpoint’s favour half way through the first half.
The next five minutes saw good play from Warrenpoint but also two wides , one from Jamie Grant and the other from Ryan Mallon during this time Burren had their own misses with two balls landing in the Point goalie’s hands when maybe other options were on. Another Alan Davidson point from play and a Ross Mc Garry point following a great catch put Warrenpoint a goal up with 10 minutes of the half remaining. However it was to be their last score of the half and in the remaining ten minutes they had three further wides, one from a free hit by Ross Mc Garry, one from Ryan Mallon who did excellent work in the middle of the field throughout but his shooting was wayward and one from Alan Davidson. Burren used the remaining minutes well with points from Donal O Hare from a free and Connor Cox from play to leave just one point between the teams at half time.
Half Time score Burren 0-6 Warrenpoint 1-04.
From the throw in Warrenpoint gained possession but a Ryan Boyle shot resulted in another wide. This was followed by a wide from Donagh Mc Aleenan. Peter Fagen scored for Burren to take the sides level and when Liam Kerr scored again in the 36th minute Burren were ahead by a point their first time in the lead since the 3rd minute. The next few minutes were good for Warrenpoint with an excellent point from Ross Mc Garry taken from the right hand side about 50 yards out, the first of three such points he got in the second half. On the kick out Warrenpoint gained possession and a long ball was despatched to Jamie Grant on the edge of the square, he caught it gloriously and fed the incoming Davey Walker who efficiently planted the ball in the back of the Burren net. Warrenpoint were ahead by a goal, 2-05 to 0-08. Points were exchanged with a Donal O’ Hare free and a fine individual point from Donagh Mc Aleenen fisting the ball over the bar. Another Donal O’ Hare free following a foul on Malachi Mc Evoy and a wide from the Point’s Alan Davidson left two points between the sides on the 42nd minute. Ross Mc Garry took the second of his super shots to restore the Warrenpoint lead to a goal, but in the next five minutes scores from Liam Kerr, who was increasingly influential on the game and a fine point from Kevin Mc Kernan left only one point between the sides on the 48th minute. We then had a wide from Davey Walker and capitalising on a wayward Burren pass Mc Garry scored his third.
The next five or six minutes were Burren’s best of the match when they scored four unanswered points from Ryan Cunningham, Liam Kerr, Ardal Mc Evoy and Kevin Mc Kernan. During this spell they pressed up on the Warrenpoint kick out and dominated possession. Mc Kernen injured himself and was replaced by No 23. At this stage Burren were two points ahead and looked confident of victory. With five minutes of ordinary time left Ruairí Mc Cormack restored Warrenpoint’s scoring momentum with a fine point from play. Now one point separated the two teams. Mc Garry shot wide a minute later and when Donal O Hare converted another free things did not look good for Warrenpoint. The Blues gained possession from a turnover on their own 20 metre line and advanced up the field with intent. Following good work from Niall Mc Govern, Ruairí Mc Cormack and Alan Davidson who passed to the advancing Ryan Boyle, he launched a super shot that gave the Burren goalie no chance and the Blues were ahead by a point. The next Burren attack ended in the hands of Gary Boyle, Warrenpoint goalie he passed to Niall Mc Govern who seemed to be set upon by the Burren forwards but he was penalised for over holding and a free was awarded to Burren. Donal O Hare took the match to a draw with his final free.
Burren Scores
D O Hare 0-8, L Kerr 0-3, R Cunninghm 0-2, K Mc Kernan 0-2, C Cox 0-1, P Fagen 0-1, A Mc Evoy 0-1
Warrenpoint Scores
R Mc Garry 0-5, J Grant 1-0, D Walker 1-0, R Boyle 1-0, A Davidson 0-2, N Mc Govern 0-1,
R Mc Cormack 0-1.
