Crust & Crumb Senior Football League Division 2
Coa 0-14 Derrylin 3-15
EVEN though Derrylin were well deserving of their winning tally, the game’s standout individual scoring accolade goes to Coa’s Caoilte Farry whose marvellous place kicking expertise shone through the murky conditions.
Having landed two first half superbly judged sideline frees with wind assistance from the 20 metres mark, Farry then converted a trio of two point frees into the strengthening second half wind.
He also slotted a pair of close range placed balls to bring his tally to ten. However, Derrylin were overall the more dominant side and but for wasteful finishing the O’Connell’s, having faced the wind, could have been more than three up at half time.
After a quickfire Farry restart trio had cut it to the minium, Derrylin hit a lengthy purple patch, reeling off 2-7 without reply to secure their first league points.
In blustery rain, Coa were quick off the mark, Darragh Murphy shooting a second minute two pointer but points apiece by Cathair Leonard and Fearghal McGovern soon levelled.
Another home two pointer, Niall Quinn on target, was likewise cancelled by Jake Smith (free) and Michal Prusakiewicz scores.
Coa edged back in front when Farry floated over his first sideline free only for Derrylin to hit back with a Josh Smith goal, blasted home on the turn from 20 metres after fielding a Padraic Owens delivery.
The visitors lead was quickly extended by a Jake Smith fisted effort and Kian Prior, before a duplicate Farry 30th minute sideline conversion closed the first half scoring, 0-6 to 1-6.
Coa reopened with a two pointer, Farry steering over a well judged 33rd minute free. When he swiftly added a close in conversion from the kickout, it seemed as if Coa were really going to put it up to the visitors.
Instead, a 36th minute Jake Smith pointed free triggered a sustained and decisive O’Connell’s surge. Over the following 15 minutes, they hit a straight points quintet through Diarmuid Owens, Leonard and McGovern singles bookended by a Luke Flanagan brace.
A quick burst of goals then put the issue beyond doubt. First sub Eoin Maguire, making an immediate impact, finished to the net from close in at the end of a sweeping 54th minute move, while Leonard then pointed direct from kickout.
A third goal soon followed, Joe Lunney reacting alertly to intercept an attempted short kickout to race in unchallenged and coolly net.
Coa, for whom Peter Dolan, Ronan Farry and Damien Wardman were a leading trio throughout, did respond with a strong finish, Farry driving over a further two point free brace.
Derrylin did notch singles apiece in between by Maguire and Owens to round off an impressive display in which half back trio, Prusakiewicz, Flanagan and McGovern, were particularly influential.