Courtney Brothers ‘C’ Off Senans

Junior Co. League Div. 5:
Austin Stacks (C) 4-8; St. Senans 1-6.

This game 2 (of 5) in the Co. League, played in Connolly Park last evening (18th May), could be described (from a scoring point of view at any rate) as the Courtney Brothers Show with younger brother David outscoring older brother Martin by 2-3 to 2-1.  For those of us good at maths, that’s 4-4 in total of a final score of 4-8. The first of those goals came after just seventeen seconds when David found Martin who netted. Then just over a minute later Padraig Breen sent over a beauty followed by two more inside the 8th minute by David Courtney.

David then was on target for our 2nd goal in the 18th minute following a good penetrative run by wing back, Maurice Kelter. We scored one more point before the break and that came from midfielder, Sean Purcell to leave us ahead at half time by 2-4 to 0-2.

St. Senans, who were hampered with some first choice players missing through duty with their Senior team and with the Crotta Hurlers, never gave up the ghost and played some good football in the second half scoring 1-4 in all to 2-4 for us (exactly what we scored in the first half).

Like the first half only twenty seven seconds had elapsed when Martin Courtney pointed from a free after a foul on Sean Purcell who was goal bound. Senans then added two points before David Courtney added his second goal and the game’s 3rd with a beautiful chipped effort. This was made by great work by David O’Sullivan and Pecker Doyle. Crotta pointed again a minute later and at that stage (ten minutes into the second half) we lead by 3-5 to 0-5.

We scored three points then in the next ten minutes by David Courtney, Michael O’Leary and Sean King sneaking up from defence.

Mike O’Leary’s point was arguably the score of the game. It came when David Courtney, soccor style, laid it into his path and his left-footed volley sailed between the posts.

Senans goal came in the 52nd minute. First Brian Horgan made a brilliant save only for the rebound to fall kindly for the incoming forward who netted. Three minutes later Brian brought off another stunning save when he was the most alert man on the field to save a quickly taken close-in free.

Our final score came a minute from time when Martin Courtney added our 4th and his own 2nd and not to be outdone by younger brother David, his was also from a beautiful chipped effort.

Team: Brian Horgan, Bertie O’Brien, Padraig Lynch, Richie Conway, Dean O’Sullivan, Anthony Shanahan (Capt)), Maurice Kelter, David Hannafin, Sean Purcell (0-1), Pecker Doyle, , Martin Courtney (2-1 – 1 free), Michael O’Leary (0-1), Padraig Breen (0-1), Nicky O’Connell, David Courtney (2-3).

Subs: used: Eoin Galvin (ht), David O’Sullivan (36m), Sean King (42m) (0-1).

We have another home game on next Friday (25th May) at 7.30pm against Moyvane who themselves had a good win against a very useful Tarbert side last evening (2-7 to 0-9).