Burren progress to last four

Burren progress to last four

18 September 2013

CASTLEWELLAN dreams of a first SFC title since the halcyon days of the mid 90s were left in tatters as Burren progressed through courtesy of a five-point margin.

The Town were the better side in the first half, but Burren’s pedigree came to the fore in the second period.

It was Eamon Toner who was on hand to open the game up with the first score.

A fine Cathal Murdock save was followed up by a well-taken free from the ever reliable boot of sharp shooter Donal O’Hare.

Efforts from midfielder Fintan McGreevy and Donal McKibben brought Castlewellan back level.

The Town goalkeeper, Michael Cunningham, was then called into action as he produced a fabulous point blank save.

A second point from Donal McKibben was followed by a Fintan McGreevy free on the quarter hour mark which put Shorty Treanor’s charges into a 0-4 to 0-2 lead.

Burren’s James McGovern exchanged scores with Kevin Duffin before the Town really got into their stride.

Cahal Crilly opened up his account, as did Aidan Brogan, as the St Malachy’s club ventured four points ahead.

However, this lead was very quickly negated. Shay McArdle pounced for a three-pointer and Donal O’Hare equalised as Burren were back on terms.

With half-time approaching O’Hare and McGreevy swapped scores before Sean Dornan glided over to leave Castlewellan one to the good at the half-time whistle.

Fintan McGreevy’s free on the restart only provided to give his team false hope. From this moment on, it was all Burren.

The deadly duo of Shay McArdle and Donal O’Hare had the game level pegging after 37 minutes.

A Ryan McGovern score and two further strikes from O’Hare then catapulted then Burren into a four-point cushion.

With just under ten minutes to go Fintan McGreevy gave the Town faint hope as he pointed a free.

The two goalkeepers were called into action once again as Michael Cunningham produced another fabulous save, while Cathal Murdock pointed a 45’.

Late on, Eamon Toner and Eoin McCartan rounded off the scoring for Burren as Paddy Carr and his outfit advanced through with heightened optimism.

Burren scorers: D. O’Hare (0-7), S. McArdle (1-1), E. Toner (0-2), E. McCartan (0-1), C. Murdock (0-1), R. McGovern (0-1), J. McGovern (0-1).

Castlewellan scorers: F. McGreevy (0-5), D. McKibben (0-2), K. Duffin (0-1), S. Dornan (0-1), C. Crilly (0-1), A. Brogan (0-1).

Burren 1-14

Castlewellan 0-11

DOWN SFC QUARTER-FINAL