Morgan Fuels Down SFC semi-final: Burren 2-12 Glenn 0-8
BURREN flexed their muscles against Glenn on Friday night to seal a Down championship final date with the winners of Sunday’s clash between Clonduff and county kingpins Kilcoo.
Goals late in the second half from substitute Paudie Poland and Liam Kerr added a flourish to the final scoreline as Glenn’s gutsy challenge wilted beneath the Newry floodlights – with midfielder Odhran Murdock once again the jewel in the crown on the way to a convincing win.
The 20-year-old is one of a number of players who have caught the eye of Aussie Rules scouts and, with an AFL combine beginning next week, it is understood the powerhouse midfielder will leave for Australia on Sunday, returning days before the October 15 Down decider.
And Burren boss Jim McCorry has no doubt Murdock will be ready and raring to go by the time the final rolls around.
“Well, if I have to ball and chain him,” smiled McCorry, “look, as far as I’m concerned Odhran Murdock will be playing championship football for Burren as long as Burren’s in the championship.
“That’s the bottom line. That’s all I can say on it. He’s a tremendous player and an absolute gentleman to deal with, he works so hard – he is one of the great potentials for the future, not just for Burren but for Down.
“If he ends up going to Australia he’ll be a fantastic success over there. He’s just that kind of a player.”
Friday night provided another opportunity to showcase his immense talent, Murdock dominating after a cagey start, at times making it look so easy as Burren turned the screw.
Yet, in the early stages, Glenn frustrated McCorry’s men, who passed back and forth across a wall of black, unable to find the gaps that might unlock an opening. Without the injured Donal O’Hare, the St Mary’s lacked that bit of guile the former Down forward offers.
At the other end, Jack McCartan got the early jump on Armagh defender Paddy Burns with the opening score of the night, before a super point from Murtagh left it level, 0-2 apiece, on the quarter hour.
The Division One versus Division Three narrative before the game suddenly seemed badly misjudged. Bit by bit, though, Burren began to make inroads as the first half wore on.
A black card was shown to Glenn forward Declan Carville 17 minutes in, and Burren started to hit their stride despite Glenn attempts to slow the game during that 10 minute spell.
Kerr pounced when Brooks ran into trouble, bursting forward from midfield before combining brilliantly with Cunningham, leaving David McEntee to slot over. The warning lights were really flashing when Kerr and Magill started to bounce off each other, Glenn struggling to handle their electric pace as Cunningham finished off another move.
Trap laid, Burren were ready to pounce now. Paddy McCarthy was next to profit, turning inside Joe Sands before slotting over like he had played corner-forward all his life.
And when another Kerr burst ended with full-back Ardan McAvoy rumbling up the field to bag the last score of the half, making it 0-7 to 0-3, one foot was firmly planted in the Down final.
Complacency had no home here as Burren came out and finished the job in style after the break, taking advantage of tiring legs as Glenn were forced to go for broke.
The last thing an exposed defence needs is speedsters like Kerr, Magill and Cunningham heading their direction - Magill finishing a move he started when winning a Glenn kick-out to slot over and make it 0-11 to 0-6 heading towards the final 10.
Paudie Poland palmed to net with four minutes left after Kerr capitalised on a Glenn mix-up, before Kerr was left with a similarly straightforward finish deep into added time, left in acres of space after neat inter-play from Poland and Magill.
Job done, no messing. Now for the big one.
Burren: K McKernan; G McGovern, A McAvoy (0-1); R Magill; P McCarthy (0-1), P Burns, P Fegan; D McEntee (0-1), O Murdock; D Mussen (0-1, mark), R Cunningham (0-1), L Kerr (1-3, 0-2 frees), D Magill (0-2); C McGovern (0-1), D Murdock. Subs: R McGrath for D Murdock (40), P Poland (1-1) for C McGovern (47), S Fegan for Cunningham (53), S McArdle for Mussen (53), M McAvoy for R Magill (58)
Yellow card: D Magill (26)
Glenn: J O’Hare (0-1, 45); R Byrne, D McParland; K Rice; P Brooks, C Cranney, N McParland, M Turley; G McParland, C Lyons; S Millar, D Murtagh (0-1), J Sands; J McCartan (0-4, 0-2 frees), D Carville (0-1). Subs: T O’Brien (0-1) for Rice (38), R McLoughlin for J Sands (43), E Sands for Turley (51), N Rodgers for Lyons (54)
Black card: D Carville (17-27)
Yellow card: G McParland (1)
Referee: B Higgins (Annaclone)
