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The Irish News Archive - Aug 15 1998: Ross Carr drives Clonduff into last four of Down SFC

Down and Clonduff ace Ross Carr
Down and Clonduff ace Ross Carr Down and Clonduff ace Ross Carr

Down SFC: Clonduff 1-14 Downpatrick 1-8

A STRONG first-half in which they dominated the play saw Clonduff reach the Guinness Down SFC semi-final with a merited victory over Downpatrick in St Patrick’s Park, Newcastle.

A goal by Jamie Farrell 10 minutes from half-time finished a Clonduff move that saw the Downpatrick defence block the ball on four occasions only to see it run to Farrell whose speculative shot went into the net.

Ross Carr was pulling the strings for the winners and he set up numerous chances with Eugene Brannigan and Shane Ward being outstanding and Clonduff led by 1-4 to 0-3 at half-time.

Gregory Deegan had Downpatrick’s third point just before half-time following a blistering solo run of almost 50yds through the Clonduff defence.

With the breeze behind them Clonduff more or less wrapped up the game in the five minutes following the break with two points from Eugene Brannigan and one each from Shane Ward and Jamie Farrell.

It was the 10th minute before Gerard Deegan pointed a Downpatrick free and although the winners came back with points from Damian Smyth and Paul McShane Downpatrick staged a brilliant final quarter rally.

This coincided with the switching of Paul Evans from fullback to midfield and he immediately had an effect cancelling out John Morgan and Plunkett McConville. Points from Mark Quinn, Carl Oakes and Kyran Smyth gave Downpatrick some hope but two Eugene Brannigan points eased Clonduff further ahead.

The game ended in a welter of excitement when a Kyran Smyth lob was punched to the Clonduff net by Donal McCartan but this score came too late to really make any difference on the result.

Clonduff: J McAleavey, Paul McConville, P Shields, F Quinn, E O’Hagan, P Matthews, M McAvoy, Plunkett McConville, J Morgan, J Farrell (1-2), R Carr (0-1), P McShane (0-2), E Brannigan (0-5), D Smyth (0-1), S Ward (0-3).

Downpatrick: P McAlinden, M Trainor, P Evans, S Caher, Gregory Deegan (0-1), R Starkey, P Oakes, D McCartan (1-0), P Close, H Rice, K Smyth (0-2), D Carville, K Oakes (0-2), K Donnelly, Gerard Deegan (0- 1).

Subs M Quinn (0-1) for D Carville, J Clarke (0-1) for P Oakes.

Referee: D Moore (Banbridge)

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DERMOT Donnelly’s exclusion from the European Championships caused more earache for British Athletics Federation chief executive Dave Moorcroft than the omission of Roger Black.

Moorcroft told Donnelly earlier this week that he had received more telephone complaints over the west Belfast man’s treatment than over the controversial dropping of the Olympic 400m silver medalist.

Donnelly, 28 next month, is pondering his future in the British set-up after the bitter disappointment of being overlooked for the trip to Hungary.

His omission for the Europeans came five months after he was harshly left out of the British CrossCountry squad for the World Championships in Morocco.

The athlete has the option of declaring for Ireland after next month’s Commonwealth Games, where he will pull on the Northern Ireland vest.

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WATERFORD corner-forward Paul Flynn, inside line free-taker, is top marksman on 1-27.

He is a five-to-seven points source this weekend against Kilkenny in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship semi-final if his strike rate is maintained again.

A first meeting between the counties since the 1963 All-Ireland final, Kilkenny have the All-Ireland pedigree, the experience of performing on this stage.

But factor in Waterford’s drive, passion, the burning desire for victory, to reach the All-Ireland final and ability to deliver on promise, potential, on sheer hunger.

Add in the prospect of perhaps meeting Clare and there is enough going for Waterford to think they can win through.

Very clearly seen against Galway was that a tremendous driving force now exists within this confident, charged-up Waterford team.

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A COUNTY Armagh U15 panel travelled to Dublin recently to participate in a six-team tournament. Today they will be joined by players from the North and South Armagh divisional boards for a coaching session at the Athletic Grounds in Armagh.

The players are: John McBride (An Port Mor), Mark McGivern (Clady), Paul Mone (Derrynoose), Kevin Morris, Peter Quigley, Patrick Morrison and Gareth Richards (Harps). J Burke, Benny Burke (Keady), Chris Woods (Madden), J McClatchey (Middletown), Paul Duffy, Andy Mallon Gregory Loughran, Conor Mallon, Conor Clarke, Jamie McTague, Sean Ward, Paudie McManus, Gavin McArdle, Killian O’Connor(all Pearse Og).

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SHELBOURNE gained the upper hand for the forthcoming season on their rivals St Patrick’s Athletic thanks to a 91st minute Dessie Baker goal to give them a 1-0 win at Tolka Park in Group F of this year’s League Cup.

Shels had the lion’s share of the play in the first half, but St Pat’s came more into it in the second half. Paul Osam and Thomas Morgan saw their efforts go narrowly over.

Both sides had penalty appeals waved away and just as the game appeared to be heading for a draw and a point apiece,

Baker popped up to head home Pat Morley’s deep cross at the far post to give Shels the victory and all three points.

Shelbourne: Gough, Flood, McCarthy, Scully, D Geoghan, Baker, Fitzgerald, Fenlon, Rutherford, Sheridan, Morley Sub: Kelly for Fitzgerald

St Patrick’s Athletic: Wood, Croly, Lynch, Moody, Doyle, Russell, Gormley, Osam, Reilly, Gilzean, Molloy Subs: Morgan for Gormely, O’Connor for Gilzean, Long for Molloy

Ref: H Byrne (Dublin)