St. Nicks Teams

4th Round Report

St Nicholas 1-11 Aghada 1-8

A TOUGH, physical encounter but no doubt that St Nick's were deserving winners of this Evening Echo Senior Football Championship fourth round clash yesterday. Over the hour they played some great football, moving the ball at pace from defence to attack and the late goal for Aghada only made it a few heart-in-the-mouth minutes for the victors.

This was an impressive display for the winners and no doubt they are looking forward to their meeting with Carrigdhoun again next weekend in the quarter-final. They looked solid all over the pitch and the backline, led by full-back Donal Óg O'Donovan, made it tough for Aghada to set up any scoring chances. With the Brosnans, Robert and David, controlling midfield they set up the platform for their forwards and at times in the first half it looked like they were playing with the wind and not their opponents. This saw them hit a purple patch in that half as they notched up 1-4 without reply and set up their win. Credit must also go to Aghada who never let their heads drop and like their opponents played better against the wind.

The second half saw their Cork star, Pearse O'Neill, much more prominent as he did all he could to drag his team back into this game. Fielding some great ball at centre-field he was involved in all their good moves as they reduced the deficit to two points at one stage. But St Nick's never panicked and regained control of midfield to drive on to victory to set up a mouth-watering tie next weekend. For all those who may have forgotten it took three games to separate St Nick's and Carrigdhoun last year. O'Neill put Aghada in front with Robert Brosnan equalising for his side. Two points from frees by Stephen O'Keeffe lead 0-3 to 0-1 after 12 minutes, but this was to be their last score of the half. A great run by David Brosnan saw only one between them before St Nick's took the lead when Niall Harte goaled after 17 minutes, a lead they were never to lose.

The goal started right back in their own full-back line when Donal Og O'Donovan dispossessed Paul Kilbane and played the ball into attack. John Kearney picked it up on the wing and beat a number of players before playing it to Graham Callanan. His shot was well stopped by Aghada keeper Evan Kennedy but Harte was quickest to the rebound to blast to the back of the net to put them two points clear. Gavin Moylan pointed and they should have had a second goal as Graham Callanan beared down on goal but he was taken down for a penalty. Kearney opted to put the ball over the bar to see them 1-4 to 0-3 to the good as the first half drew to a close.

Aghada were unlucky not to goal when Vincent Morrissey played John Connolly through but his shot came back off the crossbar and St Nick's cleared the danger. Robert Brosnan got the last score of the half to see them lead 1-5 to 0-3 at the break and looking well in control of this tie. Aghada started the second-half brightly but Melvin and O'Keeffe both shot wide when they should have pointed. Tom O'Neill pulled a point back for them with Kearney responding at the other end. Points from Colm Power, Paul Kilbane and Stephen O'Keeffe in a five minute spell had Aghada back in the game as they trailed by two and it was game on. But again St Nick's responded and a great move involving Robert Brosnan, David Busteed and Paul O'Brien saw the latter score to keep three between them, 1-7 to 0-7. O'Keeffe was on target again for Aghada but scores from Callanan, Kearney and Robert Brosnan made it 1-10 to 0-8 as the game headed towards injury time. There was a least four minutes as midway through the second-half Aghada lost Alan Morrissey to a knee injury and he had to be stretchered off. With nothing to lose Aghada piled forward and a free from O'Keeffe was punched back across the goal by Eoin O'Neill with Vincent Morrissey goaling to put only two between the sides again. But St Nick's worked the ball up the pitch and Robert Brosnan pointed from a free to see them run out deserving winners and advance to the quarter-final next weekend.

Scorers for St Nick's: N Harte, 1-0; R Brosnan, 0-4; J Kearney, 0-3; D Brosnan, G Moylan, P O'Brien, G Callanan, 0-1 each. Aghada: V Morrissey, 1-0; S O'Keeffe, 0-4; P O'Neill, T O'Neill, P Kilbane, C Power, 0-1 each. ST NICHOLAS: P Cuthbert, C Spain, D Og Donovan, S O'Donoghue; L Leahy, N Horgan, D Cunningham; R Brosnan, D Brosnan; P O'Brien, D Busteed, G Callanan; N Harte, J Kearney, G Moylan. Subs: D Deasy for S O'Donoghue and D Cronin for D Brosnan. AGHADA: E Kennedy, A Morrissey, B Hennessy, B Crowley; J Connolly, JP O'Connor, K O'Connor; P O'Neill, R Dewane; T O'Neill, S O'Keeffe, A Kelleher; G Melvin, P Kilbane, V Morrissey. Subs: P Wall for A Morrissey; E O'Neill for T O'Neill; C Power for A Kelleher and T O'Keeffe for G Melvin. Referee: J Geaney, (Kilshannig).



				*2007 Senior Championship*

	*4th Round Report* St Nicholas 1-11 Aghada 1-8 A TOUGH, physical encounter but no doubt that St Nick's were deserving winners of this Evening Echo Senior Football Championship fourth round clash yesterday. Over the hour they played some great football, moving the ball at pace from defence to attack and the late goal for Aghada only made it a few heart-in-the-mouth minutes for the victors. This was an impressive display for the winners and no doubt they are looking forward to their meeting with Carrigdhoun again next weekend in the quarter-final. They looked solid all over the pitch and the backline, led by full-back Donal Óg O'Donovan, made it tough for Aghada to set up any scoring chances. With the Brosnans, Robert and David, controlling midfield they set up the platform for their forwards and at times in the first half it looked like they were playing with the wind and not their opponents. This saw them hit a purple patch in that half as they notched up 1-4 without reply and set up their win. Credit must also go to Aghada who never let their heads drop and like their opponents played better against the wind. The second half saw their Cork star, Pearse O'Neill, much more prominent as he did all he could to drag his team back into this game. Fielding some great ball at centre-field he was involved in all their good moves as they reduced the deficit to two points at one stage. But St Nick's never panicked and regained control of midfield to drive on to victory to set up a mouth-watering tie next weekend. For all those who may have forgotten it took three games to separate St Nick's and Carrigdhoun last year. O'Neill put Aghada in front with Robert Brosnan equalising for his side. Two points from frees by Stephen O'Keeffe lead 0-3 to 0-1 after 12 minutes, but this was to be their last score of the half. A great run by David Brosnan saw only one between them before St Nick's took the lead when Niall Harte goaled after 17 minutes, a lead they were never to lose. The goal started right back in their own full-back line when Donal Og O'Donovan dispossessed Paul Kilbane and played the ball into attack. John Kearney picked it up on the wing and beat a number of players before playing it to Graham Callanan. His shot was well stopped by Aghada keeper Evan Kennedy but Harte was quickest to the rebound to blast to the back of the net to put them two points clear. Gavin Moylan pointed and they should have had a second goal as Graham Callanan beared down on goal but he was taken down for a penalty. Kearney opted to put the ball over the bar to see them 1-4 to 0-3 to the good as the first half drew to a close. Aghada were unlucky not to goal when Vincent Morrissey played John Connolly through but his shot came back off the crossbar and St Nick's cleared the danger. Robert Brosnan got the last score of the half to see them lead 1-5 to 0-3 at the break and looking well in control of this tie. Aghada started the second-half brightly but Melvin and O'Keeffe both shot wide when they should have pointed. Tom O'Neill pulled a point back for them with Kearney responding at the other end. Points from Colm Power, Paul Kilbane and Stephen O'Keeffe in a five minute spell had Aghada back in the game as they trailed by two and it was game on. But again St Nick's responded and a great move involving Robert Brosnan, David Busteed and Paul O'Brien saw the latter score to keep three between them, 1-7 to 0-7. O'Keeffe was on target again for Aghada but scores from Callanan, Kearney and Robert Brosnan made it 1-10 to 0-8 as the game headed towards injury time. There was a least four minutes as midway through the second-half Aghada lost Alan Morrissey to a knee injury and he had to be stretchered off. With nothing to lose Aghada piled forward and a free from O'Keeffe was punched back across the goal by Eoin O'Neill with Vincent Morrissey goaling to put only two between the sides again. But St Nick's worked the ball up the pitch and Robert Brosnan pointed from a free to see them run out deserving winners and advance to the quarter-final next weekend. Scorers for St Nick's: N Harte, 1-0; R Brosnan, 0-4; J Kearney, 0-3; D Brosnan, G Moylan, P O'Brien, G Callanan, 0-1 each. Aghada: V Morrissey, 1-0; S O'Keeffe, 0-4; P O'Neill, T O'Neill, P Kilbane, C Power, 0-1 each. ST NICHOLAS: P Cuthbert, C Spain, D Og Donovan, S O'Donoghue; L Leahy, N Horgan, D Cunningham; R Brosnan, D Brosnan; P O'Brien, D Busteed, G Callanan; N Harte, J Kearney, G Moylan. Subs: D Deasy for S O'Donoghue and D Cronin for D Brosnan. AGHADA: E Kennedy, A Morrissey, B Hennessy, B Crowley; J Connolly, JP O'Connor, K O'Connor; P O'Neill, R Dewane; T O'Neill, S O'Keeffe, A Kelleher; G Melvin, P Kilbane, V Morrissey. Subs: P Wall for A Morrissey; E O'Neill for T O'Neill; C Power for A Kelleher and T O'Keeffe for G Melvin. Referee: J Geaney, (Kilshannig).