Seniors Good Form Continues

28 April 2009

As with all local derbies, this country verses town fixture was a highly anticipated affair within these two North Armagh footballing circles.

The temporary closure of Maghery field due to essential maintenance, forced this Mac Dermott’s home game to be played at St Olivier Plunkett Park, Ballyhegan, on Sunday past.

When play got underway, it was the men in blue and yellow who opened the scoring with a point from a free in the second minute and one from play four minutes later. Aidan Forker stretched Maghery’s early lead to three, with a delightful point from out on the right corner wing. Then it was over to the men in red and white to kick off their scoring tab with a point from play in the eighth minute. However, Maghery replied nicely, with a well worked goal courtesy of the boot of Eamon Robinson, who cleverly side-stepped the keeper to slot the ball to the back of the Portadown net, and the loughsiders found themselves 1 – 3 to 0 – 1 in front.

To concur with a lively attack up-front, corner back Seamie McConville, who had an excellent game over the 60, got in on the scoring action and stepped up to drop the ball in and over the Tir Na nOg crossbar. Portadown pulled one back with a converted free at the end of the first quarter, before Maghery put another on the scoreboard, and the Mac Dermott’s lead by six again.

The town side then went on to score two points from play in as many minutes hence reducing their deficit to four. A scoring lull of ten minutes was ended when Maghery sent over from play approaching the interval. But just before the half time whistle blew, Portadown managed to squeeze in two well taken frees, after their best player Brian Mallon was fouled twice within the 45. And so Tir Na nOg kept in touch with this motivated Maghery side, a goal separating the sides as both teams headed for the changing rooms.

HALF TIME SCORE:  MAGHERY 1 – 6       TIR NA NOG  0 – 6

On resumption of play, it was captain Seamus Forker who launched the Maghery second half scoring campaign. Stefan Forker added another three and Eamon Robinson one, before Michael Mc Conville nipped in for his three-pointer entering the final quarter. With the Mac Dermott’s on form up front, having notched up 1 – 5 unanswered, it must be said a tight Maghery defense contributed immensely to Portadown’s lack of scores in the latter half. Tir Na nOg recorded their 7th point of the game and 1st of the second half, two minutes after Mc Conville netted for the loughshore side, but not before Maghery had registered a point on the board in between.

With the Portadown backs finding great difficulty to contain Forker brothers Stefan and Aidan in the full forward line, the towns men conceded two further frees. Stefan Forker was only too ready and able to punish, his two free kicks sailing effortlessly over the bar on both occasions. It was all Maghery at this stage, and indeed this was reflected in their goalkeeper Chrissy Corr’s penalty save with two minutes remaining on the clock. It was Portadown who sent over the last point of the game, but at that stage it was little consolation for a town side who were well outplayed by their loughshore neighbours on the day.

FULL TIME SCORE:  MAGHERY 2 – 14     TIR NA NOG  0 – 8

Maghery GFC would like to thank Ballyhegan for the use of their field and the Sean Mac Dermott’s are due to make the trip back to Ballyhegan this Saturday evening to play the Davitts in their third league match of the year. Throw-in 6pm.