Buggy hat-trick sees St Joseph's take significant step towards league title
St. Joseph’s Mark Buggy bagged himself a hat-trick in his side's win over St. Fiacc’s. Photos: Michael O'Rourke.
St. Josephs took a huge step towards winning the Youths Division 1 title as they came out on the right side of this must-win game against their nearest rivals St. Fiacc’s thanks to a hat-trick from Mark Buggy on the right wing.
Going into the game, both sides knew that the winner would have a huge advantage heading into the final few games of the season. Joeys’ win sees them go seven points clear at the top of the table with four games remaining, albeit Fiacc’s have a game in hand, as the Tinryland side have now put themselves in pole position to win the crown.
Fiacc’s were dominant in the first half and played better but Joeys had the best of the chances. Four minutes in, Brian Ferreira Dos Santos had a free from the right palmed away by Joeys goalkeeper Ryan Gordon. Three minutes later, Joeys went close through a Walter Webb effort from the right that was cleared.
Joeys started to push as they fired an effort at the ‘keeper and an effort was hit wide on the left. Midway through the half, a Thomas Lawler corner from the left was cleared. Shane Gurhy hit an effort over the bar for Joeys. Just after the half hour mark, a Walter Webb effort from distance was saved.
A Ciaran Scully free from the left was headed wide on the far side by Thomas Lawler. With seven minutes to go until half-time, a Seanie McMahon effort from the edge of the box was hit into the top left hand corner to give Joeys the lead. A minute later, a Luke Dooley free from the right was hit into Brian Ferreira Dos Santos who headed wide on the far side.
With two minutes to go until the break, Mark Buggy made it 2-0. Dos Santos headed in a Jacob Curran corner from the right with a minute to go to pull a goal back and leave it at 2-1 going into half-time. Joeys came out fighting after the break and within eight minutes into the second half they had restored their two goal cushion as a Buggy effort from the left from distance ricocheted into the net.
Five minutes later, it was game over when Joeys were awarded a penalty and Buggy dispatched it to the top right hand corner to make it 4-1.
Just shy of the hour mark, Alan Fitzgerald’s corner from the right was cleared. On the hour mark, a John Hendricken effort was saved with the rebound from Fizgerald going in. Seven minutes later, a Dos Santos free from the left on the edge of the box was palmed away.
With 20 minutes to go, a Webb free from the left was hit off the wall.
11 minutes later, Luke Byrne hit an effort straight at Dooley in the Fiacc’s goal. With eight minutes to go, a Shane Gurhy corner from the right bounced about in the Fiacc’s box before an effort from distance was hit well wide on the right.
In the final minute, a Zach Nolan effort from the edge of the box from the right was hit just wide on the far side.
Luke Dooley, Ryan Doody, Eoghan Kavanagh, Darragh McEvoy Hutton, Michael Whelan, Ciaran Scully, Brian Ferreira Dos Santos, Thomas Lawler, Warith Oyeniyi, Alex Donnelly-Finn, Ronan Ryan.
Kian Scully Keightley, Ryan Nolan, Kyle Hutton Haughney, Brandon McCormack Murnane.
Ryan Gordon, Zach Nolan, McDara Deane, David McDonald, Jacob Curran, Seanie McMahon, Walter Webb, Shane Gurhy, Alan FitzGerald, John Hendricken, Mark Buggy.
Ronan Kelly, Cein McNamara, Luke Byrne, Charlie Keogh, Cathal Purcell, Liam Ryan, Liam McAteer.
Mick Monaghan
