Excellent Evan guides Crettyard to Intermediate final

IFC Semi-Final 

Crettyard 2-11 

Annanough 0-4 

Crettyard have booked their place in the Laois Shopping Centre Intermediate football final with an impressive display against Annanough in Ballyroan on Sunday morning.

Evan O’Carroll once again proved the difference with another brilliant display scoring 2-5 with Annanough had no answer to his brilliance.

It was a close first half, as Annanough battled well throughout and probably played the better football, only for a fortunate goal near the break from O’Carroll gave Crettyard the advantage at half time and they never looked back.

The victors kicked on in the second half and ran out deserving winners with Annanough only mustering up a single point in the second half.

Crettyard nearly got off to a dream start with their first attack, but Sean Hennessy denied Jonah Kelly a certain goal with a brilliant save.

Kelly would open the scoring for Crettyard with a brilliant effort, O’Carroll added one soon after to double their lead.

Kevin Fennelly opened up Annanough’s account with a fine effort before O’Carroll landed his second point of the game.

Annanough then took over the game with Killian Horgan reducing the deficit to a single point before a controversial moment happened in the game.

Damien McCaul went on a brilliant run and found the net but only to be denied by the whistle of Des Cooney who adjudged McCaul to take too many steps.

McCaul then equalised through a point and the game was right in the balance as the game headed for half time.

But O’Carroll hit a killer blow after a long-range effort for a point deceived Sean Hennessy and hit the back of the net to leave the scores at 1-3 to 0-3 at the break in favour of Crettyard.

Crettyard came out a different animal after half time and moved the ball much quicker and played with a lot more intensity and blew Annanough away.

O’Carroll opened up with a score with a fine point before Alex Whelan got in on the act to double Crettyard’s lead

Midfielder Cormac Murphy then got the two scorers of the game with two absolute monstrous points with the game now getting away from Annanough.

Crettyard now put their foot on the gas and went up through the gears and were very impressive. O’Carroll got another two points from play and the game was over as a contest.

Finally, Annanough got a score in the second half which came in the 51st minute through the boot of McCaul but it was too little too late.

Murphy grabbed his third with his midfield partner Patrick O’Reilly also getting his first of the day.

Annanough needed a miracle and goals, and they failed in doing so with a few balls launched into the Crettyard area, but it came to nothing.

As Annanough pushed on for scores leaving no one at the back, Crettyard broke free and launched a long ball into O’Carroll who rounded the keeper to net his second goal and secured a well deserving win for his side.

SCORERS:

Crettyard: Evan O’Carroll 2-5 (0-1f), Cormac Murphy 0-3, Jonah Kelly 0-1, Patrick O’Reilly 0-1, Alex Whelan 0-1.

Annanough: Damien McCaul 0-2 (0-1f), Killian Horgan 0-1, Kevin Fennelly 0-1.

CRETTYARD: Eoin O’Shea; Brian O’Sullivan, James Kelly, Dara Kelly; Adam Kavanagh, Pierce Nash, John Brennan; Patrick O’Reilly, Cormac Murphy; Michael Nash, Evan O’Carroll, Alex Whelan; Brian Brennan, Jonah Kelly, Jimmy Brennan.

Subs: Mark Delaney for Nash, Patrick Brennan for Kelly, Barry Doyle for Whelan, Padraig Lawlor for Brian Brennan.

ANNANOUGH: Sean Hennessy; Ronan Stapleton, Rory Stapleton, David Miller; Jake Darcy, Shane Stapleton, Kevin Fennelly; Conor Donlon, Fergal Scully; Johnny Fennelly, Damien McCaul, Martin Stapleton; John Scully, Killian Horgan, Aaron Foley.

Subs Cathal Kelleher for Foley, Ciaran Hennessy for M. Stapleton, Ronan Donlon for J. Fennelly.

Referee: Des Cooney (St Joseph’s).