Courage sees Martin’s through.

This afternoon in a packed St. Lachtain’s Park, St. Martin’s and James Stephen’s clashed for the second time this season.  Eoin Larkin started proceedings by putting his Village side up a point from a free.  That was to be their only score for almost 12 minutes.  In the meantime, St. Martin’s went 4 points up courtesy of John Maher been accurate on free’s and John Mulhall pointing from the far sideline, along with Colin McGrath scoring a long range free.  Been 3 points down, James Stephen’s turned the deficit around to a one point advantage with 4 pointed free’s, all from the stick of Eoin Larkin.  The country men were not behind for long as Canice Maher won a puck out and laid a great ball off to Eoin McGrath who finished it over the bar to level the game.  Niall Tyrell got a point from play and Eoin Larkin, once again, pointed from a free to put James Stephen’s 2 up.  Mick Morrissey won a free when he was pulled down and Colin McGrath stepped up to the mark to reduce the deficit once more.  St. Martin’s went ahead shortly before half time when the aforementioned Colin McGrath sent a rasper of a penalty to the back of the net.  Eoin Larkin and John Mulhall exchanged scores leaving the half time score St. Martin’s 1-7 James Stephen’s 0-9.  The second half was every bit as close as the first half with the sides exchanging scores with Eoin Larkin converting free’s for the city side while John Maher, Canice Maher and Colin McGrath kept the men from the hills ahead on the scoreboard.  However, with just two points between the sides, Martin’s suffered a blow when a defender was sent off with a second yellow card.  Eoin Larkin shot over the resulting free and Matthew Ruth levelled the sides with a point from play.  St. Martin’s were rocked when Diarmuid Cody sent the ball to the back of the net to put his side a goal up.  With 7 minutes left on the clock and 14 men, Martin’s did not hang their heads.  Instead they battled and kept fighting.  When St. Martin’s were awarded a 21 yard free, Colin McGrath was once again called upon. He stepped up and blasted the ball to the roof of the net.  With time almost up, the city side had an opportunity to take the spoils when the hard working Bryan Byrne was harshly adjudged to have over-carried but Larkin’s free veered wide.  The steady John Maher finished the game with a pointed free from 75m for St. Martin’s when Thomas Breen was fouled after a magnificent catch.  They now  march on to the County Semi-Finals on a scoreline of St. Martin’s 2-14 to James Stephen’s 1-16.

Team: Colin McGrath (2-3), James Maher, Ollie Walsh, Shane Cadigan, Bryan Byrne, Paddy Nolan, Michael Morrissey, James Dowling, Thomas Breen, Canice Maher (0-1), Eoin McGrath (0-1), David Breen, John Maher (0-7), John Mulhall (0-2), Robert Shore.

Subs: Jason Shore, Niall Moran, Brian Mulhall, Paul Maher, Brendan Maher, Noel D’arcy, Aidan Murphy, Brian Cadigan, Paddy Dowling, Shane Kinsella, Luke Maher Donal Shore, Eugene Maher, Martin Dowling, Jack Dowling, Joe Maher (inj), Ronan Maher (inj).

Team Management: Charlie Carter, Richie McCarthy, Aidan Lawlor.

Referee: Richard Dowling.

29th September 2013.