NEFL | All’s well that ends Well as Billy bags Muirhevnamor a precious point
NEFL Premier Division | Muirhevnamor 1–1 Newfoundwell
The NEFL Premier Division title race remains wide open after Muirhevnamor and Newfoundwell played out a narky 1–1 draw in front of a decent crowd on Friday night.
There has been no love lost between these two sides in recent years and it was no surprise that the full compliment of 22 players failed to see the game out.
Newfoundwell midfielder Robert Cashman was the one that got gate for a second bookable offence after Tiarnan Mulvenna was sent flying late on. Referee Paul McGeown, however, could have easily dismissed a number of players as things simmered along with more than a bit of bite attached.
With cup runs in Leinster and the FAI Junior Cup eating into their schedule, the Drogheda outfit arrived north of the county for just their seventh league game of the season sitting nine points adrift of the hosts.
Managed by former Dundalk FC midfielder, Paul Crowley, they took the lead against the run of play in the 27th minute when John Kermode made the most of an uncharacteristic mistake by Chris Caulfield to fire Ryan Connor’s left-wing cross past the helpless David Cooney.
At that stage, Muirhevnamor were in the ascendancy with Tiarnan Mulvenna’s pace and movement causing a backline that had only conceded four goals in their previous six games more than its fair share of trouble. The striker also had the Mor’s best effort in the opening half, a second-minute header from a Nathan Murphy corner that just evaded the target.
Sean Maguire’s side needed to up things after the break and they did so to considerable effect just past the hour mark, conjuring up a fine equaliser. The evergreen Mickey O’Kane was heavily involved, collecting a Niall Hearty pass to wipe out two defenders with a back heel and Smith, who looked more comfortable in a central role, made no mistake.
O’Kane could, and probably should, have made it 2–1 when he sized up the target on the inside left but his effort was well saved by Ronan Brown. And from the incident that led to Cashman’s dismissal, Murphy went agonisingly close with a curling free-kick that just whistled past Brown’s right-hand post with the ‘keeper a mere spectator.
Things could have went either way in the dying stages with Cooney standing tall to deny Dean Carolan after a counter attack caught Muirhevnamor on the hop.
And the visitors were left fuming when referee McGeown waved away their appeals for a penalty just prior to that when the same player went down under a suspect challenge from Adrian Rafferty.
With Boyne Harps dropping drawing 4–4 against Bellurgan United on Thursday night, the real winners from this weekend could be third placed Trim Celtic, who host Quay Celtic on Sunday. Otherwise, it’s all to play for and very much a case of as you were!
MUIRHEVNAMOR: David Cooney; Niall Hearty, Chris Caulfield, Adrian Rafferty (Paul Mallon 87), Nathan Murphy; Stephen Fisher (Brendan Hughes 67), Colin Hoey, Philip Duffy (Padraig Hearty 61), Billy Smith; Mickey O’Kane, Tiarnan Mulvenna. Subs not used: Conal Mulvenna, Wayne Robinson, Conor Gorman, Craig Dixon.
NEWFOUNDWELL: Ronan Brown; Daryl McDonagh, Kevin Bull, Stephen Murphy, Adam O’Connor; Brian Kermode, Dean Carolan, Rob Cashman, Ryan Connor (Craig O’Connor 67); John Kermode (Cormac Reid 83), Ian Devine (Anto Burke 64). Subs not used: Alan Murphy, Kenny Hurley.
REFEREE: Paul McGeown.
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