Melvin Gaels lay down a big marker

Melvin Gaels' Joseph McGloin fires the ball to the Annaduff net after his first half penalty had been saved by Annaduff keeper Caolan Quigley Picture: Willie Donnellan

placeholder image — Melvin Gaels' Joseph McGloin fires the ball to the Annaduff net after his first half penalty had been saved by Annaduff keeper Caolan Quigley Picture: Willie Donnellan

ANNADUFF 0-8 MELVIN GAELS 2-15

A bang on form Melvin Gaels proved far too strong for previously undefeated Annaduff in the Smith Monumentals IFC fourth round last Saturday at Stanley Cox Park in ideal weather and playing conditions.

It was a relatively even encounter for the first 30 minutes but Melvin Gaels still went into their dressing room at the break with a deserved four point advantage. After the restart Annaduff's challenge completely evaporated and Melvin Gaels dished out more misery for the home side, running out easy 13 point winners.

Annaduff were possibly surprised with the intensity of the upbeat Melvin Gaels performance on the home side's turf. Once Melvin Gaels turned over Annaduff from the beginning of the second half it turned into a no win situation for the home side. The decisive win for Melvin Gaels saw them top the table after the group stages with a place in the semi-finals while Annaduff missed out an automatic semi-final place by virtue of Allen Gaels’ superior scoring difference.

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Melvin Gaels were quickest out of the blocks with Gary Clancy converting an opening minute free after Shane McGloin was fouled. But two minutes later when Darren Cox tapped over an Annaduff placed ball.

Over the following sic minutes it was end-to-end in the exchanges with Melvin Gaels Gary Clancy and Annaduff's Eoin Gill with the Gaels Gary Clancy again and Annaduff's Darren Cox (free) trading points, leaving matters level at 0-3 apiece.

As the first quarter drew to a close Melvin Gaels began to pull clear with Joseph McGloin converting a mark and then driving home a rebound after Annaduff goalkeeper Caolan Quigley made a good save from McGloin's initial spot kick.

Annaduff responded well and closed the gap to the minimum by the 22nd minute with Darren Cox converting a mark and tapping over two frees but the Kinlough men surged again, finishing out the half with Conor Sheridan firing over two points while Gary Clancy (free) and Gero Gilmartin added a point to leave the Gaels 1-7 to 0-6 up at the break.

Melvin Gaels started the second half in top gear as they put together a defence splitting move along the Annaduff's left hand end line three minutes which was finished clinically to the net by Gary Clancy.

This score put Annaduff very much on the back foot. Things got much worse for Annaduff as Melvin Gaels added three points over the next five minutes when Conor Sheridan hit the target twice and Gary Clancy put over a well hit 50 metre free.

Shane Morrison opened Annaduff's second half account when he fired over a 40th minute point. But Gary Clancy replied with a point two minutes later to maintain his side's 13 point advantage.

Near the end of the third quarter, Caolan Quigley made a goal denying save from Melvin Gaels Gero Gilmartin, Gary Clancy converted the resulting fifty. The encounter continued to be a one-way traffic affair with Philip McGowan (2) and Gary Clancy (free) on target for the Gaels.

Annaduff closed the scoring in the game late on when Mattie Cox converted a free, which just provided a consolation score for the home side who only managed to raise a total of two white flags in the second half.

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MELVIN GAELS

Scorers: Gary Clancy 1-8, 4f, '45'; Joseph McGloin 1-1; Conor Sheridan 0-3; Philip McGowan 0-2; Gero Gilmartin 0-1

Team: Kevin McGloin; Jamie Moore, Ciaran Clancy, Peter Connolly; J. J. Lipsett, Cillian McGloin; Shane McGloin; Conor Sheridan, Peter McGowan; Michael Ferguson, Philip McGowan, Declan Clancy; Gary Clancy, Gero Gilmartin, Joseph McGloin. Subs: Declan Roper for Ferguson (51); Mathew San Pedro for G. Clancy (57); Adam Dolan for P. McGowan (58); Paul Simpson for Gilmartin (59).

ANNADUFF

Scorers: Darren Cox 0-5, 4f, 1M; Eoin Gill, Shane Morrison & Mattie Cox (f) 0-1 each

Team: Caolan Quigley; Mattie Cox, Dillon Keane, Keelan Lynch; Shane Morrison, Hugh Morrison, Eoghan Ridge; Liam Taylor, Aaron Duignan; Tommie Taylor, Daniel Bosquette, Eoin Gill; Niall Quigley. Alan Clancy, Darren Cox. Subs: Ray Cox for Taylor (36); Frank Shanley for Duignan (43); Jason Ward for N. Quigley (54)

Referee: Seamus Mulhern