Carnaross 1-7 Ballivor 2-16
Intermediate Championship (Round 1)
Played in Páirc Tailteann – 12/4/2014
The opening round of the Intermediate Championship ended in a disappointing defeat for Carnaross against worthy winners Ballivor.
The Ballivor men played with the strong breeze in the opening period and took full advantage to open up a 0-5 to 0-0 lead after just ten minutes. John L McGee got the opening point for Carnaross after twelve minutes and repeated the act a minute later to reduce the margin to three points. However, Ballivor continued their good form and added two more points before netting the games first goal ten minutes before the break, giving them an eight point lead. Carnaross replied with a much needed goal from the boot of Dermot McGee who also added a point shortly afterwards. Two Ballivor points left them with a six point half-time lead, 1-9 to 1-3.
Carnaross got the good start they needed with a point each from Patrick Nugent and John L McGee in the early stages of the second-half. However, they were dealt a blow after Ballivor took advantage of a rebound of the upright to get their second goal of the game. Another Ballivor point extended their lead once more but Carnaross continued to battle back on and reduced the margin with further points from John L McGee and Niall McDonnell. Carnaross were then awarded a huge opportunity to get right back into the game when John L McGee was taken down for a penalty with fifteen minutes to go. However, luck was not on his side as the Ballivor keeper did very well with a double save from McGee. Ballivor added a point straight away and instead of a three point game, Carnaross found themselves seven points behind. This proved to be the deciding moment of the game as Ballivor went on to add six more points without reply before the final whistle for a fully deserved victory.
Carnaross: Shane McNiffe; Tomás Plunkett, Ian Donoghue, Peter Carpenter; Eamonn Comaskey; Patrick Nugent (0-1), Liam Brogan; Charles Brogan, Brian Comaskey; Peter Mullan, John L McGee (0-4), Stephen Flattery; Shane Casserly, Thomas Nugent, Dermot McGee (1-1); Subs: John Carpenter for Shane Casserly; Niall McDonnell (0-1) for Liam Brogan; Pierce Fleming for Eamonn Comaskey;
Carnaross 1-8 Donaghmore/Ashbourne 0-15
Intermediate Championship (Round 2)
Played in Trim – 26/4/2014
Carnaross suffered their second championship defeat to a well deserving Don/Ashbourne team who led from start to finish.
Despite playing with the strong breeze in the first-half, it was Don/Ashbourne who made the better start with three points in the first eight minutes. It took Carnaross fifteen minutes to get off the mark with a point from John L McGee. Dermot McGee reduced the margin to a point moments later but Don/Ashbourne hit back with three unanswered points to take a four point advantage. Carnaross did finish the half strong and were rewarded with three converted frees from John L McGee in the space of four minutes to leave them trailing 0-6 to 0-5 at half-time.
Don/Ashbourne, now playing with the wind, made a very impressive start to the second-half scoring four points in as many minutes. John L McGee pointed for Carnaross but this proved to be the last score they would get for twenty minutes, during which time Don/Ashbourne continued their dominance adding five more points in a row to take a nine point advantage with five minutes remaining. Going into the closing stages, John L McGee added two more points and Charles Brogan netted from the penalty spot in stoppage time, but these were merely consolation scores as Don/Ashbourne still had a four point cushion when the final whistle sounded.
Carnaross: Shane McNiffe; Tomás Plunkett, Ian Donoghue, Eamonn Comaskey; Peter Carpenter, Patrick Nugent, Liam Brogan; Charles Brogan (1-0), Brian Comaskey; Peter Mullan, Thomas Nugent, Pierce Fleming; Dermot McGee (0-1), John L McGee (0-7), Niall McDonnell; Subs: Stephen Flattery for Peter Mullan; John Carpenter for Liam Brogan; Michael Brogan for Pierce Fleming; Shane Casserly for Niall McDonnell; Paul Donoghue for Stephen Flattery (BC); Pierce Fleming for Tomás Plunkett (BC);
Carnaross 1-9 Clann na nGael 0-8
Intermediate Championship (Round 3)
Played in Kells – 24/5/2014
Carnaross brought their recent good League form into the Championship with a fully deserved victory over unbeaten Clann na nGael.
After two below-par performances in the opening two games Carnaross produced a much improved display to grab their first win of the campaign. It was the Athboy men who opened the scoring with a point in the first minute but a pointed free from John L McGee levelled matters two minutes later. Clann na nGael took the lead once again but two more pointed frees from McGee put Carnaross in front after a lively opening ten minutes. Three unanswered points from Clann na nGael put them two points in front midway through the half. However, the game then became a very tight affair and this was evident on the scoreboard as there was only one more point scored before the break, a point from John L McGee which left Clann na nGael leading 0-5 to 0-4.
After the restart, the game remained close and both sides exchanged two points each in the opening ten minutes with Brian Comaskey and Dermot McGee registering a point each. Carnaross were now beginning to win most of the individual battles and they were rewarded when Dermot McGee raced through to fire low to the back of the net to put his side two points in front. Carnaross built on this boost and went on to outscore Clann na nGael by 0-3 to 0-1 in the closing quarter with points from John L McGee, Niall McDonnell and Dermot McGee to close out the game. While Carnaross took their chances well up front, a lot of credit goes to their defensive unit who held strong in the closing stages to see off every Clann na nGael attack.
Carnaross: Shane McNiffe; Tomás Plunkett, Eamonn Comaskey, Ian Donoghue; Peter Carpenter, Thomas Nugent, Pierce Fleming; Patrick Nugent, Michael Brogan; John Carpenter, Cillian Comaskey, Shane Casserly; Paul Donoghue, Brian Comaskey (0-1), John L McGee (0-5); Subs: Charles Brogan for John Carpenter; Dermot McGee (1-2) for Patrick Nugent (BC); Niall McDonnell (0-1) for Paul Donoghue; Stephen Flattery for Michael Brogan;
Carnaross 1-9 Ratoath 2-14
Intermediate Championship (Round 4)
Played in Trim – 17/8/2014
Carnaross suffered a third defeat in the IFC after a late surge from Ratoath seen them pull away in the closing stages.
Ratoath enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges and had 1-3 on the board after just six minutes. Dermot McGee pointed a free for Carnaross and followed up with a well taken goal after ten minutes to close the gap to two points. Ratoath doubled their advantage with two converted frees but Carnaross kept in touch with two more points from McGee. Two more Ratoath points gave them a four point interval lead, 1-7 to 1-4.
Cillian Comaskey opened the second-half scoring with a free for Carnaross but Ratoath replied with two points in a row. Carnaross were battling hard and a point apiece from Dermot McGee and Cillian Comaskey kept them in touch midway through the half. Both sides exchanged two points each with Dermot McGee and Cillian Comaskey hitting the target for Carnaross to leave three between the sides with ten minutes remaining. With the game still there for both teams, it was Ratoath who grabbed the initiative scoring 1-2 without reply in the last ten minutes. Carnaross got another point from Dermot McGee on the stroke of full time, but two more points from Ratoath in added time gave them a nine point victory.
Carnaross: Shane McNiffe; Tomás Plunkett, Eamonn Comaskey, Ian Donoghue; Peter Carpenter, Thomas Nugent, Pierce Fleming; Patrick Nugent, Michael Brogan; Shane Casserly, Charles Brogan, Cillian Comaskey (0-3); Dermot McGee (1-6), Brian Comaskey, Cian Gillic; Subs: Peter S Farrelly for Cian Gillic; Liam Brogan for Shane Casserly;
Carnaross 1-7 St. Ultans 1-10
Intermediate Championship (Round 5)
Played in Kilmainham – 31/8/2014
Carnaross went into this game with a slim chance of advancing, but even though results elsewhere went their way it made no difference as they failed to secure a victory and now face into the relegation playoffs.
The game could not have started any better for Carnaross after they were awarded a penalty in the first attack after a foul on Dermot McGee. Charles Brogan stepped up and made no mistake from the spot. However, Carnaross failed to build on this early lead and only seven minutes later St Ultans brought the sides level with their third point in a row. Carnaross edged in front with a free from Cillian Comaskey and Pierce Fleming doubled their advantage midway through the half. St Ultans responded well and went on to hit 1-4 without reply with the goal coming on the stroke of half-time. This period of domination proved crucial on the outcome of the game and gave St Ultans a 1-7 to 1-2 lead at the break.
After the restart, Carnaross were very lively early on and reduced the margin to two points five minutes in with points from Dermot McGee (2) and Cillian Comaskey. St. Ultans replied with two points of their own but another point from Dermot McGee kept the pressure on for Carnaross. Both sides exchanged a point each with Patrick Nugent hitting the target for Carnaross. Amazingly, with quarter of the game remaining this proved to be the final score of the game. With both sides battling hard the pressure on both sets of forwards resulted in missed opportunities at both ends and St. Ultans ultimately held on for the win.
Carnaross: Shane McNiffe; Tomás Plunkett, Thomas Nugent, Ian Donoghue; Peter Carpenter, Charles Brogan (1-0), Pierce Fleming (0-1); Patrick Nugent (0-1), Michael Brogan; Shane Casserly, Cillian Comaskey (0-2), Liam Brogan; Dermot McGee (0-3), Brian Comaskey, John Plunkett; Subs: John L McGee for Michael Brogan; Peter S Farrelly for Liam Brogan;
* Prior to the game a minute’s silence was observed in memory of Laura Yore who passed away suddenly during the week. Laura played underage for Carnaross and won an U14 medal alongside many of the current players and later went on to play for St. Michaels Ladies. Carnaross GFC extend their deepest sympathy to the Yore family following the untimely passing of Laura. Ar dheis dé go raibh a anam.
Carnaross 0-13 Nobber 0-14
Intermediate Championship (Relegation Playoff)
Played in Drumbaragh – 14/9/2014
Carnaross now find themselves with one last shot at Intermediate survival after Nobber edged an exciting clash by a single point late in stoppage time.
This was the first meeting between sides since the 2010 Intermediate Final, a game which Nobber won convincingly by a fourteen point margin. However, this was a much tighter affair played in perfect conditions in front of a large crowd in Drumbaragh.
Nobber, who had to avoid defeat to stay up, started well and took an early lead with two points in the opening five minutes. Carnaross got their opening point from Dermot McGee and pushed on to take the lead with points from Patrick Nugent and McGee again in the ninth minute. Two points in a row had Nobber back in front three minutes later but another point from Dermot McGee levelled matters midway through the half. Over the next ten minutes Carnaross dominated and opened up a four point lead with unanswered points from Peter Carpenter, Dermot McGee (2) and Liam Brogan. Nobber responded well and three points reduced the margin before a point from Patrick Nugent was the last score of an entertaining opening half, leaving Carnaross two points in front, 0-9 to 0-7.
Nobber reduced the margin to one with the first score of the second-half but two points from Dermot McGee left Carnaross three points to the good six minutes in. Carnaross were dealt a blow when they lost midfielder Brian Comaskey to injury and this resulted in Nobber gaining a foothold in this area. They went on to score four points in a row to take a one point lead with ten minutes remaining. A point from Liam Brogan left the sides level again and with both sides giving everything we were in for a tight finish. Nobber edged in front once more but a point from Patrick Nugent with one minute remaining left the sides level once again. However, it was Nobber who had the final say with the winning score two minutes into stoppage time to claim the vital two points. Carnaross now have to face neighbours Kilmainham in the final round.
Carnaross: Shane McNiffe; Tomás Plunkett, Eamonn Comaskey, Ian Donoghue; Liam Brogan (0-2), Thomas Nugent, Pierce Fleming; Brian Comaskey, Charles Brogan; Peter Carpenter (0-1), Patrick Nugent (0-3), Shane Casserly; Dermot McGee (0-7), John L McGee, John Plunkett; Subs: Peter S. Farrelly for Eamonn Comaskey (BC); Ollie Murphy for Brian Comaskey; Cian Gillic for Ollie Murphy (BC); Niall McDonnell for Peter S Farrelly; Cillian Comaskey for Charles Brogan;
Carnaross 0-9 Kilmainham 1-13
Intermediate Championship (Relegation Playoff)
Played in Páirc Tailteann – 20/9/2014
There was disappointment for Carnaross who failed to retain their Intermediate status following a seven point defeat to neighbours Kilmainham and they now return to the Junior grade after 23 years.
Going into the game Carnaross needed a win following a one point defeat to Nobber a week earlier. Kilmainham opened the scoring in the third minute but a point apiece from John L and Dermot McGee put Carnaross in front two minutes later. Kilmainham enjoyed the better of the next fifteen minutes and this was reflected on the scoreboard as they outscored Carnaross 0-4 to 0-1 with Dermot McGee pointing for Carnaross. Things got worse for Carnaross when Kilmainham found the net after twenty minutes to open up a five point lead. Carnaross hit two more points through John L McGee but another point for Kilmainham gave them a 1-6 to 0-5 half-time lead.
After the restart Kilmainham increased their lead with an early point. Both sides exchanged two points each with Patrick Nugent and John L McGee hitting the target for Carnaross. Two more points for Kilmainham put them seven points ahead going into the last ten minutes and left Carnaross needing goals to have any chance. However, the Kilmainham defence held strong and denied Carnaross any chance of getting back into the game. Both sides hit two points each in the closing stages with both Carnaross scores coming from John L McGee. A late red card for Dermot McGee added to a disappointing evening for Carnaross.
Carnaross: Shane McNiffe; Tomás Plunkett, Eamonn Comaskey, Ian Donoghue; Liam Brogan, Thomas Nugent, Pierce Fleming; Brian Comaskey, Patrick Nugent (0-1); Peter Carpenter, Cillian Comaskey, Shane Casserly; Dermot McGee (0-2), John L McGee (0-6), John Plunkett; Subs: Cian Gillic for Cillian Comaskey; Ollie Murphy for Peter Carpenter; Peter T. Farrelly for Shane Casserly; Peter S Farrelly for Brian Comaskey;
