Na Rossa 2-05 v 1-09 Lisnaskea
Charlie Collins reports from O’Donnell Park
When the number of cards of various colours handed out almost outscore the scores you know that something is a miss.
It was hard to keep count as six Reds, eight yellows and three blacks were dished out, Na Rossa receiving the bulk of them, going down to twelve players at one stage in the second-half but somehow staying in this game until the very end.
Officials have a tough job but sometimes make it harder than it needs to be and this certainly felt like one of those occasions as cards flew around from a very early stage which of course leads to one thing only, the pressure to dish out more, sometimes not required or justified. Having already won the Micheal Murphy Sports and Leisure Donegal Junior Championship and promotion to Division Two of the All County League this year one could be forgiven in thinking that this Ulster Championship Quarter-Final was real bonus territory for Declan Bonner’s Na Rossa.
Lisnaskea Emmets had impressively won the Fermanagh Junior title with some high scoring performances including their final victory over Aghadrumsee which saw them score 6-10 to 0-09.
Na Rossa were missing both Adam McHugh and Adrian Hanlon from their starting line-up, a big blow in terms of their scoring options. We certainly had a lively start to this game in more ways than one. Four Na Rossa players received yellow cards inside fifteen minutes, Sean Keenan kicked a super point for Lisnaskea but then blasted a penalty wide, and then in their first two attacks Aiden McHugh and Odhran Molloy hammered in two goals for Na Rossa, Sean McGonagle and Oisín Caulfield providing the passes to set up the goalscorers. Christian Bonner and Kai McGoldrick received black cards after a clash as Referee Richie Donoghue gave an early indication how this game would be controlled by him and his officials.
Oisín Caulfield kicked an excellent point and Na Rossa led by 2-01 to 0-01 after fifteen minutes. Lisnaskea responded well with three points in a row, Ethan McCaffrey and Hayden Lynch frees and Joe McDade from play. Cillian Bonner kicked two super points from play to make it 2-03 to 0-04 but Emmets rallied again with an excellent Damian Og Kelly goal after a super build-up to leave just two in it, 2-03 to 1-04 and Na Rossa’s poor finish to the half was further damaged by Denis O Donnell’s straight red card, making in five yellows, one black and one red for the Donegal team in the first half.
The second-half didn’t start too well for them either as before it began team manager Declan Booner also received a straight red card and was sent to the stand.
Cillian Bonner and Paul Mohan exchanged points but scores were proving difficult to get as wides became the order of the day with 45 minutes gone., 2-04 to 1-05. Damian Og Kelly broke the mould with a fine point to leave one in it and then further trouble for Na Rossa as sub Mark Bonner received a black card to reduce them to thirteen men for another ten minute spell.
They were soon down to twelve when Sean McMonagle got a second yellow followed by another red for Physio Mickey McGlynn. We finally got another score in the 57th minute when Damian Og Kelly brought them level again, but Aiden McHugh’s free had NaRossa in front again, 2-05 to 1-07.
What looked a very very harsh call against J P McCready for over-carrying presented Joe McDade with an easy free to level it up and then Conor Clarke kicked a fine point to give Lisnaskea the lead and the win, 1-09 to 2-05.
Christian Bonner received another Na Rossa red card to bring that total to five and Kai McGoldrick received a red after adding a yellow to his earlier black.
Given all that happened losing by only one point was a credit to Na Rossa who played most of the game with less than 15 men but it won’t help the disappointment of the defeat.
Na Rossa ; Aidan McCahill; Sean McMonagle, Daniel Martin Melly, Denis O’Donnell; Oisin Caulfield (0-01), Johnny Bonner, Bryan Breslin, John McDyre, Eugene Molloy, Christian Bonner, Aidan McHugh (1-01), Matthew Smith, Cillian Bonner 0-03/1f), Brian O Donnell, Odhran Molloy(1-00). Subs: John Paul McGready for McCahill (h/t), Mark Bonner for Eugene Molloy (35mins), Adrian Hanlon for Breslin (44mins).
Lisnaskea Emmets ; Ethan McCaffrey (0-1f), Mark Kelly, Conor Clifford, Mark Smyth, Dylan Tierney, Liam Mullarkey, Kai McGoldrick, Conor Clarke (0-01), Damian Og Kelly (1-02), Sean Keenan(0-01), Joe McDade (0-02), Paul Mohan (0-01), Justin McDade, Mark Little, Hayden Lynch(0-01).
Subs ; Kevin Smyth for Keenan (45mins), Rory McCabe for Kelly (60mins). Referee ; Richie Donoghue (Doire ).
Cards fly as Na Rossa beaten by a point was last modified: November 4th, 2023 by