Jolly green giants: Urris make short work of Naomh Colmcille in Division 3 clash

Urris made short work of Naomh Colmcille in Newtown on Saturday night, turning in their most complete all-round performance in yonks and serving notice to everyone else in Division 3.

Full forward Pearse McCarron hit 3-5, and was one of nine different scorers for Urris who got on top early on and never let up. They hit six two pointers in the first half and led by 2-20 to 0-3 at the break, with Naomh Colmcille unable to match their height, strength and pace in the middle third.

With the exception of the Friel brothers and Hugh O’Donnell, Naomh Colmcille were fielding a team filled with under-21s and they simply couldn’t compete with their tall and physically powerful Urris opponents.

Read more: Letterkenny Gaels beat Moville in Division 3

Luke Doherty, Gavin McDaid, Oisin Hession and Oisin Devlin dominated the Naomh Colmcille kickout throughout, but particularly in the first half, and provided their forwards with a constant supply of possession that they turned into scores.

McCarron opened the scoring early with a point from play, and struck the first of two first half goals in the eighth minute after Conor Bradley intercepted a clearance from the under-pressure Newtown defence. McCarron’s second green flag was raised on the quarter hour after Luke Devlin put him through on the keeper, and he also struck two two pointers before the break.

There were also two pointers from Conor Bradley, Oisin Hession and Joe Doherty (from a free after a Newtown breach) in a first half where almost everything Urris struck was on target.

Naomh Colmcille keeper Kai Brown was the busiest man on the field, and he pulled off a couple of fine saves over the hour. With his long kickouts invariably being won by Urris, he had enough skills and smarts to execute several short kickouts that gave his side a respite from the relentless pressure the visitors were bringing.

Once they got their hands on the ball, Naomh Colmcille showed they could play a bit. Kevin Dolan got their opening score, a fine two pointer into the breeze, in the 20th minute and Paul Friel followed up with a point after Hugh O’Donnell had won the kickout.

Naomh Colmcille might have had a goal five minutes before the break when Caolan Monaghan and Fintan Loughran cut through the heart of the Urris defence to set up O’Donnell, but keeper Sam Coyle made a good save off O’Donnell, and saved another goal attempt from Shay McCole just before the break to preserve his clean sheet.

Luke Doherty (Davy) rises high to win this kickout. Photo: Dylan Coyle

Urris continued to dominate on the scoreboard in the second half, but Naomh Colmcille battled harder for breaking ball off kickouts and reduced the flow of ball into the attacking areas.

Conor Bradley, hard-running wing back Lorcan McGonagle, former county minor Joe Doherty, Gavin McDaid, Oisin Hession and the evergreen Alan Friel all clipped over points for Urris before McCarron completed his hat-trick, chipping a ball into the top corner soccer style after home keeper Kai Brown had saved Gavin McDaid’s initial shot.

Ciaran Kennedy, Michael Friel and substitute Emmet Rogers (2), all struck second half points for Naomh Colmcille who, to their credit, battled to the end.

Naturally, they’ll have been disappointed at the scale of the defeat but there aren’t too many sides in Division 3 who could have lived with Urris in this kind of form.

After a few years in the wilderness, Urris have got several men back in the squad and those experienced players are supplemented by some promising youngsters who are in their first year or two of senior football.

Urris are away to Naomh Ultan next. Manager Sean Paul Doherty will be well aware that his side will face a much stiffer test against a Dunkineely side that scalped Convoy on Saturday to continue their strong start to the season. Naomh Colmcille are home to Robert Emmet’s next weekend.

Naomh Colmcille scorers: Kevin Dolan 0-2 (one 2pt); Emmet Rogers 0-2; Paul Friel 0-1; Ciaran Kennedy 0-1; Michael Friel 0-1

Urris scorers: Pearse McCarron 3-5 (two 2pt); Conor Bradley 0-6 (one 2pt); Joe Doherty 0-5 (one 2pt free, 1 free); Lorcan McGonagle 0-3; Oisin Hession 0-3 (one 2pt); Cormac Dillon 0-2; Luke Doherty 0-1; Gavin McDaid 0-1; Alan Friel 0-1

Naomh Colmcille: Kai Brown; Michael Friel, Jason Fitzpatrick, Riordan Carberry-Coyle; Kevin Dolan, Fabian Flood, Joshua Kildea; Dean Ramsay, Ciaran Kennedy; Eoin Flanagan, Shay McCole, Hugh O’Donnell; Fintan Loughran, Paul Friel, Caolan Monaghan. Subs: Ben Coyle for R Carberry-Coyle; Emmet Rogers for P Friel.

Urris: Sam Coyle; Brendan Doherty, Kieran Doherty, Aaron Morris; Lorcan McGonigle, Mathew Brennan, Cormac Dillon; Gavin McDaid, Oisin Devlin; Oisin Hession, Joe Doherty, Luke Doherty; Pearse McCarron, Luke Devlin, Conor Bradley. Subs: Kieran Friel for S Coyle; Aodhan Harkin for A Morris; Alan Friel for K Doherty; Lee McLaughlin for C Dillon; and Jonathan McDaid for L Doherty.

Referee: Charlie Creevy (Letterkenny Gaels)