Clarke fires Shercock to opening round win

ACFL

Shercock 2-12

Belturbet 1-10

Shercock got off to a winning start in the Division 2 League when they had five points to spare over Belturbet when the two sides locked horns on Saturday evening last in Rory O’Moore Park.

Key to Shercock's win was the performance of young attacker Sean Clarke, who finished with a personal tally of 1-5, 1-4 of which came from play.

Down a few bodies, the Shercock men delivered an excellent away performance which will give them great confidence as the season gets underway.

Ryan Clerkin got the visitors off the mark four minutes in, which was cancelled out by Belturbet wing back Shane Fitzpatrick, with eight minutes gone. Niall Clerkin split the posts after good Shercock approach play a minute later to nudge them back into the lead.

The hosts engineered a well taken goal in the 14th minute, when Donal McDonald played a good pass up the right hand wing which found Fionan Donohoe. The young forward laid the ball off to Enda Henry, with the Rorys’ star forward skipping past a few challenges before burying the ball low and hard past Aaron Smith.

Shercock responded well, kicking the next two points through the boot of Sean Clarke and Damien McIntyre respectively, to ensure the teams were level at the water break at 1-1 to 0-4. Henry converted a free to again put Belturbet back in front with 23 minutes gone.

Shercock carved the home defence open in the 25th minute, with Aaron Clerkin using his speed to feed the ball across the square, for Sean Clarke to fist the ball to the back of the net.

Jack O’Callaghan strode forward from midfield to kick a fine point to leave Shercock holding a narrow 1-4 to 1-3 advantage. Shercock were finding their scores easier to come by, with a very high turnover rate and a fast transition from defence to attack key to their attacking play.

Philip Clerkin and Eoin Morissey each kicked a point to open up a three-point lead. Henry lofted over a free after Sean Og Lawlor had been fouled in stoppage time to leave the half time scoreboard 1-6 to 1-4 in Sherock’s favour.

Shercock bolted for the winning post early in the second half, increasing their half time lead of two points to seven with 1-2 without reply. Niall Clerkin hammered in a goal in the 35th minute finishing another slick Shercock attack and after he was fouled in the 38th minute the impressive Sean Clarke kicked the resultant free.

Clarke added to his tally with a 40th minute point and Henry got a badly needed point for the Rorys with a 43rd minute free to leave the away side holding a 2-8 to 1-5 lead. Clarke was proving an elusive attacker to contain and he again fired over an excellent point for Shercock. Belturbet staged a mini revival with Jason O’Reilly, Donal McDonald and an Enda Henry free narrowing their arrears down to 2-9 to 1-8 with 49 minutes gone.

Aaron Smith kicked a sublime 45 which was contentious as the ball appeared to have sailed wide to steady the Shercock ship in the 51st minute. But Sean Clarke closed out his personal haul of 1-5 when he kicked a 52nd minute free as Shercock now held a 2-11 to 1-8 advantage.

Belturbet’s Enda Henry who also finished with a 1-5 tally hammered over another free which was cancelled out quickly by Damien McIntyre, who wore no 13 but lined out as a sweeper, for Shercock in the 57th minute.

Jason O’Reilly tapped over a free late on for the Rorys for a consolation score.

Shercock were more economical with their attacking play and managed to work their scores easier than Belturbet who ran into masses of Shercock defenders on numerous occasions. The Rorys will also rue several missed chances both for points and a couple of goal chances that went begging with Shercock’s ruthlessness in front of goal proving ultimately what lead to their victory.

Belturbet: Danny Anscombe; Mark Lawlor, Peter Shannon, Killian Murray, Shane Fitzpatrick (0-1), Kevin McConnell, Donal McDonald (0-1), Cian Vaughan, Jack O’Callaghan (0-1), Brendan Vesey, Stuart Dunne, Sean Og Lawlor, Fionan Donohoe, Enda Henry (1-5, 5f), Conal McGinley

Subs: Jason O’Reilly (0-2, 1f), Andrew Dunne, Brian Wallace.

Shercock: Aaron Smith (0-1, 45), Paul McIntyre, Colin Clerkin, Daniel Clarke, Dwayne Eakins, Michael O’Reilly, Aistis Paskevicius, Brian Sankey, Philip Clerkin (0-1), Andrew Culleton, Ryan Clerkin (0-1), Darren O’Reilly, Damien McIntytre (0-2), Niall Clerkin (1-1), Sean Clarke (1-5, 1f)

Subs: Eoin Morrissey (0-1), Lee Clarke, Stephen Donnery.

Referee: Harry Conaty.