Carey let it slip against Gort na Mona

Carey started on the attack but their first effort after just 15 seconds sailed wide.

A free just 30 seconds later was also sent wide by the visitors but Gort na Mona matched this with a wide of their own. Carey got their scoring off the mark when Martin McAuley converted a 50m free after 4mins of play. Carey doubled their lead a minute and a half later with a great long range point by wing half back Sean McLoughlin. Less than 30secs later Martin McAuley converted free number 2 from about 60m to lead 3 points to nil. Midfielder James Black made it point number 4 for the visitors after 7mins while Gort na Mona still couldn’t find the target with wide number 2 approaching 8mins. A free in Carey’s own half was brilliantly converted by Christopher Butler for point number 5 approaching 11 minutes. Wide number 3 for Gort na Mona was followed by 2 points from the midfield pairing of James Black and John McBride to give the visitors a 7 point cushion with 13mins played. The home side eventually got on the scoreboard after 14 minutes but Carey replied a minute later with a converted 60m free by Martin McAuley. This proved to be Carey’s last score of this half as the home side settled and upped the pressure. A 25m free for the home side was hit low and saved by Steven McGinn approaching 18 and a half minutes but Carey couldn’t capitalise and their 2 follow-up efforts went wide.

Gort na Mona converted a free after 21mins and another converted free at the 24 minute mark left 5 between the sides. The Gort na Mona pressure continued but their next effort didn’t find the target. As the pressure increased Carey gave away another close range free which the home side easily converted after 26mins.

The visitors were let off the hook slightly as Gort na Mona’s next 2 frees didn’t find the target. However, Carey also added another wide before Gort na Mona ended the half with a converted 45m free to leave just 3 between the sides going into the break. 
Half time score: Gort na Mona 0.5 Carey 0.8

Gort na Mona started the second half as they ended the first and Steven was called into action to catch a high dropping ball and clear within seconds of the throw in. Play went up the other end of the pitch but the Carey pressure was also cleared. A Gort na Mona wide was followed quickly by a converted Carey free by Martin McAuley after just a minute and a half. Carey had a wide before Steven was called into action again as he blocked down a Gort shot. Disaster struck for the vistors after 5mins as a Gort na Mona free in their own half dropped down for Steven to catch but he dropped it into the back of the net to leave just 1 between the sides. This rallied the home side as they got a point less than a minute later to leave things all square. Carey weren’t going to lie down as Kevin Murphy blocked down a ball to the on running James Black who sent the ball up the line to Ciaran McCaughan who ran at the Gort defence and hit the back of the net approaching 7 and a half minutes. Martin McAuley got a point a minute later and then a Carey free in their own half was sent up as far as Ciaran McCaughan who set up Patrick Butler for a point to give the visitors a 5 point cushion.

Approaching 12 minutes Martin McAuley converted a free to leave 6 between the sides. Over the following minutes Gort hit 2 wides while Carey had 1 too before Gort na Mona got a point and ended their 10 minute spell without a score. Nearing 16mins of play Gort found the back of the net again to reduce the gap to 2 and the pressure continued as goal number 3 hit the back of the net for the home side after 18mins 20secs and they took the lead for the first time in the match. A Gort point at the 20 minute mark left 2 between the sides but Carey replied quickly with a converted 60m free by Martin Hunter. Gort na Mona hit a wide but followed it up with a point and a Carey wide was also followed by another Gort point to leave 3 between them approaching 25 minutes.

Gort na Mona rattled the back of the net after 25 and a half minutes to lead by 6 points and added a further point a minute later to lead by 7 with time slipping away on the clock. John McBride hit wide while Gort na Mona added a further point before Martin McAuley went low with a 21m free but it was blocked and helped over the bar just before the final whistle.

The visitors threw away a good lead and the chance of the points with a couple of soft goals and the Gort lads kept plugging away despite a poor start and earned themselves the victory.

Carey Team:
(1) Steven McGinn; (2) Fintan McCarry; (3) Michael Hegarty; (4) Gerard McBride; (5) Michael McVeigh; (6) Christopher Butler; (7) Sean McLoughlin; (8) James Black; (9) John McBride; (10) Patrick Butler; (11) Colin Smyth; (12) Kevin Murphy; (13) Martin McAuley; (14) Martin Hunter; (15) Ciaran McCaughan.
Subs:
(16) James McCouaig;
(17) Christopher Duncan;
(18) Leon McVeigh on for (11) Colin Smyth (47min 55sec);

(19) Sean Gillan on for (4) Gerard McBride (44min 50sec);

(20) Darren McVeigh;

(21) Daniel Hill;

(22) Conleth McVeigh.
Scorers:

James Black: 0.2

Christopher Butler: 0.1

Patrick Butler: 0.1

Martin Hunter: 0.1 (free)

Martin McAuley: 0.7 (0.5 from frees)

John McBride: 0.1

Ciaran McCaughan: 1.0

Sean McLoughlin: 0.1