Shercock show ?true grit? against Denn

Shercock   2-13

Denn   2-9

By: Kevin Carney

True grit allied to a superior will-to-win served Shercock's under 16s well as they embellished their club's burgeoning underage record with a deserved U-16 Division Three Championship title win at Kingspan/Breffni Park, Cavan on Sunday afternoon last.

  In what turned out to be an archetypal game of 'survival of the fittest', the town team proved the more resilient and determined and their collective efforts duly reaped the ultimate dividend.

  For their part, Denn will bemoan their habit of playing in fits and starts over the hour and their sheer inability to get the bit between their teeth when it mattered most.

Better team

  Shercock were the better team in the opening 15 minutes in particular and, even at that juncture, it was patently obvious that Denn would have to make the most from sporadic counter-attacks to de-rail Shercock's vaunted ambition.

  For all that, Denn, defending the town end of the pitch, looked the more creative and sharper side in the opening ten minutes and when Dean Hyland sneaked in behind the Shercock full-back line to find the net in the 8th minute, it suggested that Denn had at least got the forwards to keep them in the game 'till the death.

  However while well-engineered and clinical in its execution, young Hyland's goal served to put a slant on the scoreboard which was scarcely reflective of the balance of play at that stage.

Outgunned

  Denn were clearly outgunned in the possesion stakes in the opening quarter but their efficiency in going forward bore some promise and Shercock were forced to play with some caution as a consequence.

  The would-be winners trailed by 0-0 to 0-2 after three minutes before their first concerted attack saw Stephen Donnery fist wide from in front of goal in the 5th minute.

  Hyland's goal gave Denn a suitable leg-up but the maroon and white brigade failed badly to build on their early good fortune.

  Instead, it was Shercock who proceeded to create a further two goal chances but sadly for them both went abegging within a ten minutes spell.

  In the 11th minute, Philip Gillick dribbled through soccer-style but just as he pulled the trigger, Denn defender Thomas Jordan effected a great block on the ground.

  Three minutes later, Killian Brady performed heroics in the Denn defence by denying Lee Clarke a certain goal.

  Denn operated mostly via the direct route in the first half and they proved themselves pretty adept at it too for the most part.

  In that regard, the likes of Sean Lawless and Alan Tierney showed they needed little time or space to damage although the quality and volume of deliveries directed their way left a lot to be desired.

  Shercock's defence were certainly far from under-employed and it took some timely blocks from Shane Clarke to prevent Denn from adding to Shane Tierney's fine 20th minute point.

Hit the jackpot

  Nevertheless, Denn held a 1-5 to 0-5 advantage entering the final five minutes of the half before Shercock managed to hit the jackpot with Lee Clarke netting after he reacted quickest to Philip Gillick's powerful shot which richocheted off the underside of the Denn crossbar in the 26th minute.

  Shercock showed their inexperience and naievte though in the minutes running up to the interval by allowing their opponents to regain the initiative and engineer a 1-7 to 1-5 half-time lead thanks, in part, to a fine Sean Lawless point.

  The second-half was a more free-flowing, less tentative affair with Ciaran McDermott's 34th minute goal for Shercock really throwing the cats among the pidgeons.

  McDermott's major propelled Shercock into the lead for the first time in the match (2-6 to 1-7) and it was a position they were never subsequently to relinquish.

  Indeed, such was the grip Shercock exerted on the match in the second-half that Denn went from the 36th minute to the 54th minute without adding to their tally.

  Dean Hyland's point just after Shercock's second goal had left just a single point between the sides but by the time Cian McCann pointed six minutes from time, Shercock's lead was a handsome seven points, 2-12 to 1-8.

Pulling the strings

  With Damien McIntyre pulling the strings for Shercock around the middle and sub. Colin Clerkin added further pace up front for the leaders, Denn's cause became increasingly grave as the second half progressed.

No-nonsense mode

  The Shercock defence was in no-nonsense mode while Denn also simply failed to gartner enough 'breaks' in the vital diamond area of the field to craft a rejuvenation of their hopes.

  The chasing team refused to throw in the towel though and Fergal Farrelly's classy overhead fisted effort rattled the Shercock goal on the hour mark.

  It was to prove too little too late though for the Crosskeys-based side.

  Shercock's absolute ascendancy was not to be over-turned and, appropriately, thier top man Damien McIntyre had the last say by tapping over yet another sure-fire free.

Teams and scorers

  Shercock – Christopher Ward; Shane Clarke, Greg Eakins; Paul Crosby (0-1), Killian Clarke, Brian Sankey; Ciaran McDermott (1-2), Philip Gillick (0-1); Stephen Donnery, Damien McIntyre (0-8, five frees), Dean O'Reilly; Lee Clarke (1-0), Paul McIntyre.

  Subs –  Colin Clerkin (0-1) for Stephen Donnery; David Harper for Paul McIntyre.

  Denn – David Smith; Harry Thompson, Killian Brady; Christopher Cahill, Shane McGinnell, Thomas Jordan; Shaun Conaty (0-1), Fergal Farrelly (1-0); Noel Crowe, Sean Lawless (0-2), Alan Tierney (0-2); Cian McCann (0-3, one free), Dean Hyland (1-1).

Sub; Brian McGivney for Christopher Cahill.

  Referee –  Thomas Doonan (Templeport).