Championship Junior 6 - Semi Final - Whitehall V St Margarets - Sun @ 3pm!

All support welcome and NEEDED!

After a stirring Div 11 North league campaign in which these Junior Bs beat everything in front of them - this team have bumped their way through a tough championship August league stage against Fingal Ravens, Erins Isle & Man-O-War - before showing some sort of League form against O'Dwyers in the Quarter Final. Can this team continue on that upward trajectory?

Throw in - 3pm Sunday Oct 2nd - that's THIS SUNDAY @ Collins Avenue

 

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by Administrator

St Margarets 7-13 (34) Whitehall Colmcille 7-08 (29)

The Trilla in Strahilla!

7th heaven for Magnificent Maggies in 14 goal epic!

Unbeaten in 15 league games, Maggies end regular season with dramatic victory on a sweltering evening in Ballystrahan!

Div 11 North came to a close this evening with spectacular drama at HQ. What can you say about this particular game? What can you say about this Whitehall Colmcille team who came to thrill!

This was a nothing game in terms of being anything meaningful so the adventure shown by the visitors was immense - Cilles came at Margarets with venom from the throw in. There was no respect shown to their hosts - Cilles threw everything they had at the Margarets goals in the early stages.

It might have been forgiven for Margarets to feel this game was nothing - and that's how the team defended early doors - as streams and streams of Cilles attacks threatened to spoil the party - Cilles making the Goalie Richie Cantwell work hard to keep goals off the score board - Cantwell making 3 early saves including a penalty!

Margarets however are a team who can easily move through the gears once they feel threatened and notched up 2 early goals with the excellent Neil Mc Guirk and Philly McCarthy lobbing the Cilles goalkeeper. The Margarets forwards were also keeping the scoreboard ticking over with I Smith, Jay Shanahan, Thomas flood and Paul Lumley all getting in on the act early doors.

St Margarets 2-04 (10) Whitehall Colmcille 0-04

I Smith in particular was in scintillating form in the early stages - this man looks in the shape of his life - his movement and razor harp accuracy a huge boost to this Margarets front line.

Due to the extreme heat, we had water breaks in these halves and the 1st water break seemed to help Cilles come to grips with their collage of early chances. At the restart, Cilles once more laid into this Margarets defence and runner after runner piled through missed tackle after missed tackle resulting in 3 first goals - Cilles excellent forwards relentlessly making space for the half forward runners to get one on one chances which they finished with considerable style! Cilles were in no mood for points!

St Margarets 2-04 (10) Whitehall Colmcille 3-04 (16)

Margarets pulled a goal back with the sensational Drew Barnwell and 4 further points from Shanahan, Nugent, Barnwell and McGuirk steadied the ship a little -

We witnessed a special moment in the this half - when I Smith - a natural left footer - had the audacity to not only score with his left but scored a beauty with his right! Smith also added a goal to his days contribution - the potential of this man in the upcoming championship!

This was a half akin to 2 heavy weights slugging punches at one another - the half time whistle put an end to a frantic first half!

Half time finished  St Margarets 4-06 (18) Whitehall Colmcille 4-04 (16)

You might have expected Margarets to react to the first half scare but that is not what unfolded - Cilles once again found a source of boundless energy from somewhere. The roll in / roll off sub mechanism for this came was possibly the reason - Cilles having a superb bench and using it to full effectiveness !

Cilles half backs and midfield pounded the Margarets defence phase after phase with frantic running, accurate short passing and killer instinct in front of goal - Cilles scoring 2 goals and 2 points in this 5 minute spell directly after half time! Margarets were rattled!

St Margarets 4-06 (18) Whitehall Colmcille 4-06 (18)

Margarets could hardly get out of their own half - but they have leaders in all positions - and midfielders Gearoid Farrell and Philly McCarthy super fielding kept Margarets ticking over and moving up the field - these midfield beasts (all season) vital to dampening Cilles momentum!

Margarets kept the score board ticking over and 4 unanswered points from Lumley, Nugent, Shanahan, Nugent and a super goal from McGuirk steadied the ship!

St Margarets 4-10 (22) Whitehall Colmcille 4-06 (18)

Both teams were praying for the 2nd half water break - and so it came! Coach Robert Byrne using this chance to unload his bench! The warrior Martin Lumley stepping into Goals - great to see this man back in action after several weeks out!

The final 15 minutes of this game were incredible - both teams realising that there was realistically nothing at stake and just went at one another punch for punch! It's hard to understand where Cilles energy came from but they kept it up until the final minutes - scoring 2 goals directly after the water break!

St Margarets 4-10 (22) Whitehall Colmcille 6-06 (24)

Margarets fought back with 2 super goals from intricate moves and well taken goals from C Nugent and P Lumley

St Margarets 6-10 (28) Whitehall Colmcille 6-06 (24)

It was all Cilles in the final 10 minutes - and a goal and 2 points momentarily put Cilles in the lead with 8 minutes remaining!

St Margarets 6-10 (28) Whitehall Colmcille 7-08 (29)

But as has been the case in all 15 games this year, the beast when threatened - knows when to react - and a goal from S Kennedy and 2 super cool points from J Nugent and P Lumley saw this fixture out!

The Trilla in Strahilla had come to a close - what a breathless 60 minutes of football!

Final score St Margarets 7-13 (34) Whitehall Colmcille 7-08 (29)

Scorers

P. Lumley 1-02
J Byrne 0-01
J. Shanahan 0-01
Thomas Flood 1-01
Ciaran Nugent 0-02
D. Barnwell 1-01
N. McGuirk 2-02
P McCarthy 1-0
J Nugent 0-1
I Smyth 1-02

Team

R Cantwell (M Lumley)
R Lumley | T Kennedy | B Conaty
S Flood | J Kennedy | C Bruton (I Smyth)
G Farrell | P McCarthy
D Barnwell (S Kennedy) | N McGuirk (A Lenehan) | J Shanahan (J Nugent)
P Lumley | T Flood (J Byrne) | A Conaty (D Cowley)

Well done to everyone on this squad this year - and it can't be emphasised enough - but a squad contributed to this effort!

Na Fianna 1-6 St Margaret’s 4-10
Garristown 0-12 St Margaret’s 3-5
St Margaret’s 1-8 Ballymun 1-8
Na Gaeil Aeracha 0-1 St Margaret’s 3-13
St Margaret’s 2-10 Man O War 3-7
St Pats (Donabate) [W/O - Margarets] St Margaret’s
St Maurs 0-9 St Margaret’s 3-12
St Margaret’s 2-12 Naomh Mearnog 0-12
St Margaret’s 4-16 Scoil Ui Chonaill 2-4
St Margaret’s 4-15 St Monica’s 1-3
St Margaret’s 2-16 Erin’s Isle 1-13
St Peregrines 3-8 St Margaret’s 2-19
St Margaret’s 3-9 Round Towers (Lusk) 3-6
St Oliver Plunketts 0-2 St Margaret’s 6-16
St Margaret’s 7-13 Whitehall Colmcilles 7-08

Total - 76 goals, 189 points

Every single player can look at moments they've contributed to - and that was the key! There were loads of hairy moments along the way - the battles against Garristown, Ballymun, Man O War, Mearnog, Isles, St Peregrines, Lusk and tonights came against this thrilling Cilles side - could have gone either way - but they always found a way through somehow!

Next up for this team is a Div 11 playoff against St Judes following in August by the championship! Has this side peaked? Has their season ended last night? Or can they regroup, take stock, refocus - and make a great season a historic one? Only time will tell - but there's one thing for sure - coach Robert Byrne and his management team of Micheal Kennedy, James Fitzgerald will have this squad well prepared!

Good luck to Nigel Kennedy and his team in tomorrows promotion play-off against St Marys in Saggart 11am - all support welcome!

Chatter

Div 11 North on Reservoir Dubs

Results

Live results here

Table

Live table here

Photos

Above photos & videos at https://photos.app.goo.gl/cys7a5yKGScAeMhT7

Thanks to Eamonn Smyth for taking the official photos of the evening - photos by Eamonn below

All official photos by Eamonn Smyth at https://eamonnsmythphotography.pixieset.com/stmargaretsgaa/ (enter YOUR email address to access, enter PIN 5359 to download)

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by Administrator

St Oliver Plunkett 0-2 St Margarets 6-15 (33)

Magnificent Margarets win Div 11 North!!

Unbeaten in 14 league games, Maggies clinch title with win over Plunketts

Well it wasn't going to end any other way was it? On the day when the narrative was to keep calm, play the game in front of them, focus and concentrate on the next 60 minutes - it ended up being precisely that!

This team are a team that have slowly learned from Game 1 against Na Fianna that every game is taken with the same gravity as the previous one and their leaders don't allow anyone to play otherwise!

St Margarets played this game with style - a first half wind and downhill advantage - they blew Plunketts out of the sky with thrilling running, amazing interplay, missile accurate passing, and unbelievable finishing! Margarets were up 2-04 within the first 5 minutes!

It's a fine day for any team when their star forward is on fire - and this was one of those days - Paul Lumley take a bow son! This lad is thrilling in this form - scoring 3-05 in total but setting up the team early on to be able to win this match!

At half time, Margarets were missing their inspirational coach - Robert Byrne - but management - Micheal Kennedy, Declin Cowley, Jamie Nugent made sure that everyone knew that this game wasn't over and that they were to win the half - period.

In the 2nd half, Margarets just oozed class and really showed why they've won this division. No matter what's put up in front of them, they just figure it out - and this was exactly that - they figured out a way - against a hurt opponent to plunge the dagger.

Against a fierce uphill and wind against them - they ran, passed, talked - and scored at short distance whilst their magnificent defence - led by the magnificent Pat Daly - controlled every movement of the ball when it came into their territory.

We even seen a collectors item in this half - a Maradona type mazy run and clinical goal from Thomas Kennedy! This defender - compared to Virgil Van Dyke in Gaelic Football circles - has the eye of an eagle when it comes to sneaky goals!

Well done to everyone on this squad this year - and it can't be emphasised enough - but a squad contributed to this effort!

Na Fianna 1-6 St Margaret’s 4-10
Garristown 0-12 St Margaret’s 3-5
St Margaret’s 1-8 Ballymun 1-8
Na Gaeil Aeracha 0-1 St Margaret’s 3-13
St Margaret’s 2-10 Man O War 3-7
St Pats (Donabate) [W/O - Margarets] St Margaret’s
St Maurs 0-9 St Margaret’s 3-12
St Margaret’s 2-12 Naomh Mearnog 0-12
St Margaret’s 4-16 Scoil Ui Chonaill 2-4
St Margaret’s 4-15 St Monica’s 1-3
St Margaret’s 2-16 Erin’s Isle 1-13
St Peregrines 3-8 St Margaret’s 2-19
St Margaret’s 3-9 Round Towers (Lusk) 3-6
St Oliver Plunketts 0-2 St Margaret’s 6-16

Total - 69 goals, 176 points

Every single player can look at moments they've contributed to - and that was the key! There were loads of hairy moments along the way - the battles against Garristown, Ballymun, Man O War, Mearnog, Isles, St Peregrines & Lusk could have gone either way - but they always found a way through somehow!

Final score St Oliver Plunkett 0-2 St Margarets 6-15 (33)

Scorers

P. Lumley 3-05
J. Shanahan 0-01
David Rielly 0-02
Thomas Flood 0-01
Ciaran Nugent 1-02
B. Conaty 0-03
D. Barnwell 0-01
T Kennedy 1-0 (yes you read correctly)

Team

R Cantwell
R Lumley | T Kennedy | P Daly
S Flood | J Kennedy | D X
J Nugent (G Farrell) | B Conaty
C Bruton | XX | J Shanahan (G Murtagh)
P Lumley | T Flood | D Barnwell (Alan X)

Chatter

Div 11 North on Reservoir Dubs

Results

Live results here

Table

Live table here

Photos

All photos at https://photos.app.goo.gl/5NYuGDkSCrZz3kSL8

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by Administrator

St Margarets 3-09 (18) Round Towers Lusk 3-06 (15)

Top of the Table clash doesn't disappoint

2 heavy weights of this division went head to head this evening

As many commentators expressed - this isn't the lower devisions of old - this is a generation of fit, highly motivated players who give everything for their club and team mates.

This was end to end like you wouldn't believe in this sport. Round Towers Lusk coming to knock their challengers off their perch!

Looking at the league table, Round Towers hadn't lost a single game in this campaign (an unfortunate COVID ridden W/O  against Naomh Mearnóg) and wow did they bring to this clash - a young, fit, mobile, intelligent pack of ultra hungry ANIMALS! There was no doubt before this clash - looking at this highly motivated squad - that Margarets were ripe for the picking!

Margarets have bet teams in this division with a huge mixture of experience and youth - a few teams complaining about several of the squad being too young - but this evenings clash brought to the fore, 2 clubs and teams that were genuinely focused on bringing through youth under the guidance of experience!

A clash of the titans ensued

Round Towers chose to play downhill in the first half and started brightly - their mobile, fast team passing with great accuracy and pace scoring 0-2 within the first 5 minutes.

SM 0-0 | RT 0-1
SM 0-0 | RT 0-2

St Margarets as seems to be the norm in this league felt their opposition out and more quickly than more recent outings got into the game more quickly - Dave Martin & Tommy Flood scoring long range points - 02-02 after 9 minutes

SM 0-1 | RT 0-2 - Dave Martin
SM 0-2 | RT 0-2 - Thomas Flood

There is nothing to excite the hard core of Gaelic Football than seeing a mobile team like this Round Tower side combine accurate passing and intelligent movement to conjure opportunities - but this is the state of play in Lusk - all of their teams are full of talent now - this is a club truly destined for the stars!

Having said that - Lusk in the opening 15 - could have been another 5 points up was it not for some really narrow wides! They're inaccuracies more to do with the feverish defensive unit of Tucker Daly, Robbie Lumley and Thomas Kennedy putting in last minutes tackles!

Margarets were still feeling out this opponent and it was hard to understand whether they were intimidated by the challenge! Round Towers were swaggering with confidence and seemingly destined to take over at the top!

But this side have had many challenge this year - and this side have been behind many times - against more physical teams - where there could have been no way back (Mearnog, Erin Isles) - and they slowly started to work the ball up the park and settle

But mid way through the first half - the unthinkable occurred - St Margarets had a man sent off with a straight red! As occurred in the previous encounter with Peregrines, star midfielder - Philly Mc Carthy received a straight red for an awkward tackle! It was late and it could have been nothing - but the ref decided that it was overly aggressive and Margarets were down to 14 with 15 minutes played!

What ensued for the next 7 minutes is how every team reacts to having a numerical advantage - hold the ball and let the side line figure it out in time! Round Towers moved the Margarets half backs and half forwards around with the ultimate ease and calm. Shell shocked - Margarets tried to cover spaces and man mark - but the ultimate punishment came a few moments later when Round Towers inflicted the first hammer blow of the game - a goal from a well worked passage of play by the Lusk forwards!

SM 0-2 | RT 1-2 (5)

At this point earthly teams might have lost their heads (as seen by Monicas) - and this is not saying St Margarets didn't initially as they tried to manoeuvre from the storm - players arguing, the sideline being warned, the referee being berated - but eventually the leaders took control - Declin Cowley, Pat Daly, David Martin - calmly figuring out positions and talking to younger players - Margarets gradually came to terms with the Lusk bombardment - limiting this relentless team to a single point! actually extraordinary! - every man out on their feet covering for each other!

SM 0-3 | RT 1-3 (6)

Lusk seemed to tire! they couldn't figure out the chaos! They had 6-7 minutes where they battered their opposition but they seemed to run out of ideas due to the tight, aggressive marking that Margarets had to switch to - it was like Margarets had the extra man!  The Margarets men were working over time for each other - everyone moving, everyone supporting one another - it was enthralling to see this collective movement of lads refuse to give this season up without the biggest of fights!

The previous week - Margarets (v Peregrines) had been spooked with the ease at which a 14 man unit can cause the right sort of chaos to win any game - and on this occasion they realised just that - firmly taking the wind out of Round Towers sails and putting doubt in the minds of this whirl wind side!

Margarets sensed blood - and conjured up 10-15 passes for Paul Lumley to eventually be fouled in the corner! After the referee deemed Lumley to have retaliated, the hop ball was won furiously, the ball quickly passed to Jason Shanahan who scored a wonderful long range point to make it clear - Margarets were going to fight for everything!

SM 0-3 | RT 1-2 (5) - Jason Shanahan
SM 0-3 | RT 1-3 (6)

Margarets had their tails up and the sudden realisation from the Shanahan point that this game was alive energised everyone - lads now on their toes - and what culminated next was a flowing move straight from the kick out! A wonderful catch from the kick out by the extraordinary David Martin started a 25 pass move and ended with the astonishingly talented Scott Kennedy bursting the net! Unreal drama!

SM 1-3 (6) | RT 1-3 (6) - Scott Kennedy

If Shanahan's point energised initially, Kennedys goal was the catalyst that really made them believe that 14 men could cope with the certain onslaught in the second half!

SM 1-3 (6) | RT 1-4 (7)

The drama wasn't over!

Having pulled a point back, Lusk thought they were in again on the cusp of half time! They moved the ball brilliantly down the park, always passing to a free man then suddenly down their right, their corner forward broke free and was barrelling down on goals - the only option was for Thomas Kennedy to attempt a last gasp tackle and leave his full forward - but keeper Richie Cantwell saw the pass and managed to safe from point blank and clear! It was going to be one of these games - the ebb and flow unbearable - Margarets got in at half time with the smallest of damage from the sending off!

The low scoring nature of this encounter reflecting the gravity of this tie - essentially a winners take all encounter!

SM 1-3 (6) | RT 1-4 (7)

There was a sense of huge relief at the break with lads sprawled around the place trying to recover from a gruelling encounter. Management met in a huddle with coach Robert Byrne plotting out the 2nd half and how his team were going to deal with a free man. Eventually management relayed that information.

What strikes this author about this team is that there doesn't have to be shouting to get information across - Byrne explained what was going wrong and how to fix it - and his players listened and understood how they were to set up and play. There are also major leaders in this team - Declin Cowley, Thomas Flood, Pat Daly, David Martin, John Kennedy who just work everything out!

Tactically Byrne and his management team moved Ciaran Bruton and Scott Kennedy to the half back positions where they were given instructions to mark loosely and break when they could!

The final words from Byrne said it all - leave nothing out there!

Lusk were playing uphill in the 2nd half and started as you'd expect - fast with strong runners everywhere. They tried to play accurate long alls up the wings and had runners through the center - Margarets half forwards had no choice sometimes to track back and stick with the runners.

SM 1-4 (7) | RT 1-4 (7) Paul Lumley

SM 1-5 (8) | RT 1-4 (7) Thomas Flood

SM 1-6 (9) | RT 1-4 (7) Breffni Conaty

Tommy Flood goal

SM 2-6 (12) | RT 1-4 (7) Thomas Flood (assist John Kennedy)

SM 2-6 (12) | RT 1-5 (8)

SM 2-7 (13) | RT 1-5 (8) XX

SM 2-7 (13) | RT 1-6 (9)

Drew Barnwell goal

SM 3-9 (18) | RT 1-6 (9)

Penalty

SM 3-9 (18) | RT 2-6 (12)

Last minute goal - error by keeper

SM 3-9 (18) | RT 3-6 (15)

Final Score

SM 3-9 (18) | RT 3-6 (15)

Final score St Margarets 3-09 (18) Round Towers Lusk 3-06 (15)

Great to see Gearoid Farrell back playing in this game - no damage done! Warrior!

Next up for this (Club) unbeaten team is an away game against Plunkets this Sunday (03/06/2022) @ 3pm

All welcome!

Team

Richie Cantwell

Robert Lumley | Thomas Kennedy | Pat Daly

Breffni Conaty| John Kennedy | | Sean Flood

Philly McCarthy | David Martin

Ciaran Bruton | Declin Cowley | Scott Kennedy

Paul Lumley | Thomas Flood | Jason Shanahan

Chatter

Div 11 North on Reservoir Dubs

Results

as of 01:05 01/07/2022

With Garristown and Mearnog drawing - Margarets just need to win 1 of their remaining 2 fixtures t0 secure top spot.

Live results here

Table

as of 01:05 01/07/2022

as of 13:28 22/06/2022

Live table here

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by Administrator