Universal Graphics Junior Football Championship Preliminary Round

Aghabog 1-12 Oram 1-12                              29/5/11

Aghabog came from nine points down to salvage a draw against 13-man Oram in this JFC preliminary-round game in Ballybay on Sunday. Aghabog trailed by 1-12 to 0-6 going into the final quarter, but they hit the last 1-6 of the game to draw level, including three points in injury-time. Pauric and Seán Graham, Cathal Crowe and Johnny McGuinness were to the fore for Oram, but second bookings for Rory Murphy and McGuinness in the second half cost them dearly and Aghabog came back, led by Seán O’Brien, Francis Dolan, Pauric McPhillips and Shane Brady.

A point from play by Francie Dolan gave Aghabog an early lead, but Oram seized the advantage on three minutes when Seán Graham broke through to fire home the opening goal. Dolan replied with a point, but two points from Pauric Graham (one from a free) increased Oram’s lead. Dermot Smyth and Seán O’Brien converted frees for Aghabog, but Gareth Mone replied for Oram. O’Brien and Pauric Graham swapped points from frees, before Ryan McGuinness tapped over a close-range free for a foul on Johnny McGuinness to give Oram a 1-5 to 0-5 lead at half-time.

Cathal Crowe got Oram off to a bright start in the second half and Pauric Graham won and scored a 20-metre free to open up a double-scores lead. Graham fisted over after taking a pass from Johnny McGuinness, but Oram were reduced to 14 men with 25 minutes left when Rory Murphy was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Shane O’Brien. Oram recovered from that setback with pointed frees by Pauric Graham and Ryan McGuinness, following fouls on Crowe and Seán Graham, who added a point from play after he was well-placed by Gareth Mone. Seán O’Brien converted a 20-metre free for a foul on Shane O’Brien to close the gap slightly, but it looked like it wasn’t going to be Aghabog’s day when they failed to take advantage of a penalty. Seán O’Brien won and took the spot-kick, but his shot was saved by Oram keeper Berat Turker, as was his rebound effort. Ryan McGuinness booted over a long-range free to restore Oram’s lead midway through the second half, but amazingly that proved to be their last score even though they were playing with the wind at their backs. Seán O’Brien tapped a 13-metre free over, after a foul on Damien Smyth, before Oram had Johnny McGuinness sent off on a second booking ten minutes from time. Aghabog kick-started their revival when Dolan punched to the net after a Paddy O’Brien ’45 dropped short. A free by Gary McBride closed the gap to three points, but they still trailed by that margin going into injury-time and it looked like they would need a goal. Aghabog remained patient, though, as Seán O’Brien kicked a point from play before winning and scoring a 30-metre free to make it a one-point game. In the third added minute, they got their reward when a Gary McBride shot fell kindly for substitute Ciarán Logue, who hit the equalising point to force a replay.

Aghabog: S McBride; S Greenan, P McPhillips, S Brady; P McCabe, G McBride (0-1f), M Fox; A Brady, P O’Brien; S McPhillips, Seán O’Brien (Capt., 0-5f), Shane O’Brien; Dermot Smyth (0-1f), F Dolan (1-2), Damien Smyth (0-1).

Subs: C Logue (0-1) for P O’Brien (34 mins), M McBride for Greenan (38), D Kelly for Shane O’Brien (49).

Oram: B Turker; L Keenan, Justin Mone (Capt.), S Mone; R Murphy, C Crowe (0-1), G Fox; J McGuinness, S McBride; G Mone (0-1), S Graham (1-1), P Graham (0-6, 4f); R McGuinness (0-3f), C McGuinness, N Bishop.

Subs: D Sheehy for G Mone (45), D Forde for Bishop (51).

Referee: N McKenna (Emyvale).