Minor Matters Louth Minor Final 2012

Background


In years to come this will be known as the minor final that was held up, delayed and played in a bitterly cold November Sunday. However, the game itself was well worth the wait.

Majority of the delay was focused on the combination side, who won the Semi final but the Clan's weren't satisfied it was a legitimate win.

So after numerous appeal failures the O'Connells, St Joesphs and Stabannon Parnells side eventially got the green light and you feel the added pressure and distraction got to the favourites a little.

Like a penalty taker who has too much time to think about scoring and becomes unnerved and inevitably misses.

Nerves


The Combination side started the game well, an early Score from Craig Doherty and numerous attacks in the Plunkett's half you would think see them settle. But, their frustrations and missed chances seemed to panic them even further.

The Plunketts on the other-hand grew in confidence as a counter attacking team by nature. They were well able to soak up the pressure and use the pace of Hurley on the Forty and roaming corner forward Aaron Kirwan to mount their attacks. 

But, Luke Haggans was the key to their attacks, The full forward introduced himself to the game and the county with a sweetly struck left footed free kick on the right hand side that sailed over with ease like the motion in which he kicked it. 

After the opening Quarter, the Plunketts were surprisingly leading 0-2 to 0-1 

Momentum 


Craig Doherty again Popped up for the Combo Side to level but that was a good as it got for the trilogy in the first half.

As the tide well and truly turned, the Plunketts began to believe in themselves bit by bit and Haggans injected their confidence further by finishing a long dangerous ball across the goal, Soccer Style. 

Its not as if the Combination side weren't feeling flat enough already!!

The supreme poacher he is, He read the ball brilliantly and forced himself to get on the end of it before anybody else, to side foot the ball, on the volley, to the roof of the net.

The busy Aaron Kirwan then tagged on a point soon after, finishing a well worked move from the back before Haggins had the final say on the half. Booming over a long range free.

The Plunketts did not want the half to end.


Half Time 1-4 to 0-2


Panic
 
The Combination men came out after the stern half time words and dominated the opening Quarter. However, instead of taking their points, They went for goal after goal and it was after 14 heated minutes into the half before they got the opening score, the inevitable goal. 


The Combination sides main men Cian Doyle and Robert Quigley swapped at half time.
Doyle going full forward and Quigley playing out the field. They were frustrated greatly by their markers Tadhg O'Brien and Podge McHugh just when you think they were going to take over they were harried into taking the wrong option and forced into unusual mistakes.

These Key battles typified the game.

As Doyle Kicked a free to leave one between the sides.  

You now felt the favourites would now kick on and win the game. But they didn't. they weren't let.

As it was Haggans again and the Plunketts who fought back in the game in similar counter attacking fashion.

Collecting a long ball with two men around him, he drove at the Drogheda united end goal and was forced wide and actually dispossessed but it did not matter. As he struck the spilled ball across the goalie and their only score for the entire half.

Grandstand

The goal was badly needed for the men from Mell as they were becoming more and more under siege but for the O'Connells/Joe's/Stabannon side it meant they had to work even more harder with time rapidly running out.

After two Cian Doyle free's left two in it, time eventually did run out on them.

Expectancy can make you play flat and make you stick in a lower gear and the more you try, the more nothing will go for you. 

This was the case for many of the talented players on the combination side.

The Plunketts on the otherhand were worthy Larry Murray Cup winners. 

They defended bravely. Countered intelligently. and in Man of the Match 
Goal Goal Haggans finished clinically. 



Just shows with finals, they are all on the day and even if it is a delayed day.


Full Time
Oliver Plunketts 2-4 
O'Connells/St Joesph's/Stabannon Parnells 1-5 


  Frank "Snag" Taaffe R.I.P.