Seán MacCumhaills cruise to opening day victory over St Michael’s

Seán MacCumhaills opened their All-County Football League Division 1 campaign with a well-deserved win at home over St Michael’s on Saturday evening. 

The first half was void of any real spark as both sides battled the heavy rainfall and wind with conditions slippery underfoot. The home side opened the scoring after five minutes when wing-back Jack Duffy neatly arced over a fine point.

Jamie Keegan, who had an excellent outing all over the field for his team, got his first point shortly after.St. Michael’s registered their first score on six minutes when full-forward Michael McGinley pointed from play. 

Corner-forward Kevin McCormack registered on 13 minutes for the home side with a well-taken point from play and Keegan adding another five minutes later finishing a great run of play where he weaved in among the tackles and got his shot away.

For St. Michael’s, Michael Cannon got his side’s second and final point of the half on 19 minutes. The final ten minutes of the half saw a deluge of rainfall making general play difficult and sending the spectators for cover.

MacCumhaills had a goal chance five minutes from half-time when Joel Bradley Walsh expertly won the long ball in and found himself one-on-one with Mark Anthony McGinley in the St. Michael’s goals. 

Unfortunately for the home support, with the slippery conditions, Bradley Walsh couldn’t get the touch he wanted and it blazed narrowly wide.

But it was MacCumhaills that would go in two points ahead at half time at 0-4 to 0-2. MacCumhaills shifted up through the gears and dominated the second half from the throw-in. 

Chad McSorley then seized the initiative and went for his score, his effort deceived McGinley and squeezed in under the crossbar for a goal.

Max Roarty replied shortly after for St. Michael’s who had their chances to claw back the deficit from placed balls but just lacked the accuracy needed to convert. 

Keegan pounced on 43 minutes to stretch his team’s lead out to six points and Kevin McCormack added another on 49 minutes.

MacCumhaills surged through the gears for the final ten minutes of the game and extended their lead and dominant hold on the game. 

Bradley Walsh excellently converted a free off the ground and Noah Griffin Reid followed up shortly after from play. 

The away side got their final score two minutes from full time via an Eoin Kelly free but McCormack, who had caused issues all game, was on hand to point over his third of the match.

Séan MacCumhaills scorers: Kevin McCormack 0-3; Jamie Keegan 0-3; Chad McSorley 1-0; Joel Bradley Walsh 0-2, 2f; Jack Duffy 0-1; Noah Griffin Reid 0-1.
St Michael’s scorers: Michael McGinley 0-1; Michael Cannon 0-1; Max Roarty 0-1; Eoghan Kelly 0-1,1f.

Seán MacCumhaills: Eoin Gallen; Cian Mulligan, Conor Griffin, Andrew McCloskey; Sean Breen, Aaron Gillooley, Jack Duffy; Joe Boyle, Chad McSorley; Noah Griffin Reid, Jamie Keegan, Fintan Griffin; Kevin McCormack, Steven O’Reilly, Joel Bradley Walsh. Subs: Adam Lynch for Sean Breen, Darragh Boyle for Jack Duffy, Aaron Kelly for Noah Griffin Reid, Alex McGeehan for Steven O’Reilly, Andy Murray for Jamie Keegan.
St Michael’s: Mark Anthony McGinley; Paddy McGinley, Kyle McGarvey, Chris McElhinney; Ethan Ferry, Michael Cannon, Eoghan Kelly; Ciaran Kelly, Colin McFadden; Andy Ward, Martin McElhinney, Ethan Doherty; Max Roarty, Michael McGinley, Calvin Murray. Subs: Jamie Hunter for Andy Ward, Packie O’Neill for Ethan Ferry.
Referee: Connie Doherty (Naomh Conaill).