Photo: Clonard’s Eoghan Dowdall

Match Report: Junior D Championship Group B Round 1

Clonard 1-11 Bective 4-11

On Sunday last Clonard’s second string took to the field in the first round of the Meath Junior ‘D’ championship. On a bitterly cold morning Clonard had home advantage in a change in format to this year’s Junior C and D which normally requires a neutral venue but in a new initiative of home and away games it gives supporters and organisers an easier option and rightly so.

As in most counties a reserve championship for a club’s second string provides an ideal opportunity for fringe players, young, old, and anybody hungry for first team action another reason to train hard and also a chance of silverware at the end. For a small rural club to try to field thirty plus players for championship action is a great task and credit must be given to those who played a part in the team and organising the necessary numbers for this game.

A mix of youth and experience blended well over the sixty odd minutes and for a lot of the game Clonard were the better team and started brightly with two fine scores from Niall Walsh. Eoghan Dowdall was next on the score sheet with a scorching run at the Bective defence to add another. His marker must have felt it was going to be a long afternoon ahead to try and contain this young man.

But as expected Bective returned fire with fire and on lots of occasions the Clonard full back line, particularly Ray Brennan, mopped up a lot of ball but couldn't keep out a soft goal and point to put Bective right back in the game. Indeed, they would go on to put two more goals past Clonard's reserve keeper Robbie Quirke but huge credit must be given to him for togging out considering he had spent all weekend very ill and was worse for wear on Sunday morning. It was a tough ask to play in goals but his kick outs were a joy to watch as he found his men on several occasions, especially excellent finding of Barry Connolly who's aerial fielding gave Clonard primary possession around the middle. Connolly, Dowdall and Walsh added another each to go in at the break Clonard 0-6 Bective 3-4.

The second half was to be an uphill battle against a swirling wind and Clonard needed to work hard to move the ball into a scoreable position which both Dowdall brothers done on occasion, along with great running from wing back Jack Donlon and former Longford man Philip O’Donnell. Clonard were rewarded with numerous frees as Bective found the going tough, but Clonard failed to capitalise with four wides in that first fifteen-minute period. But with the wind on Bectives’ backs they went on to add another goal and four points while Clonard could only add three. At the end of that twenty-minute period the scoreboard read 4-8 to 0-9 proving that goals win matches.

But credit to the men in blue and amber as they were not finished yet and really rallied for the last ten minutes and again another powerful Eoghan Dowdall run found Stephen Reilly fouled in the square and the penalty was expertly put away. Clonard had three more goal chances by Barry Connolly, Cormac Fitzsimons and Ian Campbell but all were denied and had they gone in would have surely led to nail biting finish.

The Final score-line read Bective 4-11 Clonard 1-11 and a nine-point defeat really didn't reflect the game's competitiveness, but in truth this Clonard side just ran out of steam. A bit more fitness and training will see them improve greatly and like any championship will be within their grasps. As in previous club reports and commentary on weather conditions this was an extremely cold day and credit to all supporters for sticking around, it didn’t go unnoticed 

Team: R.Quirke, J.Campbell, R,Brennan, C.Treacy, C.Fitzsimons, J.McNevin, J.Donlon, J.Dowdall, S.O'Reilly, P.O’Donnell, N.Walsh(0-5), E.Dowdall(1-2), B.Connolly(0-2), I.Campbell(0-1), D.Doyle(0-1)Subs: G.Killeen for D.Doyle. A.Campbell for P.O’Donnell.

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