Journalist Write-Off

[haranguerer]

Just seen this on county page of Hoganstand, it has to go in the write off. Looked everywhere but couldnt see a name (or an age), so we'll just call it 'anon'. Btw, my eyes started to bleed so I couldn't finish it, but the first paragraph was enough to demonstrate its quality...


Ulster Senior Hurling Championship - 2008
Round 1
Fermanagh, 2 gls. 7 pts; Tyrone, 1 gl. 11 pts.
Played at Emmett Park, Lisnaskea,
Sunday 11 May, 2008.

In a gross error of refereeing misjudgement in this games eighteenth minute by the Cavan whistleblower Brendan Sweeney enabled this matches visitors Tyrone to increase their modest lead by a further point from 1 goal 2 points to 1 goal 3 points to Fermanagh's 1 goal 1 point. The far from muted protests didn't come from the expected Fermanagh players or side line management but from the Tyrone manager and his mentors.  Though this games hosts Fermanagh brought the match to draw shortly before half time it was always an uphill battle for the Ernesiders who never gained the scoring initiative for the rest of the match. With the red carding of Tyrone left half back Leigh Moore in the games twenty ninth minute the Fermanagh lads were handed a gift wrapped opportunity to go ahead on scores but however this was not availed off and the Ernesiders spurned the history making opportunity to compete and win since 1945, when Fermanagh last took part in an Ulster Senior Hurling Championship. 

For most the Ernesiders team and subs have two days to sort out their  bruised limbs and heads for this coming Tuesday 13 May, 2008 both Lisbellaw and Lisnaskea senior hurlers return to play in the Armagh Senior Hurling League of 2008 Round 5, Round 5 of these prestigious competition. Both fixtures are away, with St Patrick's being hosted by Naomh Moninna's, Dundalk.  Fermanagh's other senior hurling club the Emmett's have also an away fixture, they are travelling to Killeavey St Moninna's grounds in south Armagh on the same evening.

The Match - the first half.

Barely had this history making Ulster Senior Ulster Hurling Champion clash between the games hosts Fermanagh and their near neighbouring visitors Tyrone got under way when they Red Hands left full forward Paddy Devine fired in a perfect passed for full forward John Kerr banged his and his sides only goal of this game. A few minutes later Tyrone went further ahead with when the Red Hands were awarded a close in free, which their centre half back Peader McMahon tipped the slithor over the hosts cross to register his, Tyrone's and the games first point.  The Fermanagh hurling hosts then went into a period of absorbing prolonged and well coordinated Red Hand attacks.  Suddenly the Ernesiders busts out of this stranglehold and flew downfield man and ball.  Then a tactically delivered pucked was grabbed by the Fermanagh Sean Corrigan unselfishly who finding a rare gap in the Tyrone defence fed Erneside right half forward Andrew Breslin, who banged home his sides first score a brilliant taken first goal.  This relatively low scoring points game witnessed a second white flag raising exercise, when left full forward Paddy Devine clipped over second Tyrone point and from play.  Due Fermanagh's renewed  pressure, which first the Red Hand's into conceding a close in free, which was majestically by their free taking scoring icon Ryan Bogue, who effortlessly and accurately fired over his and sides first point to bring the games end of first quarter as Fermanagh, 1 goal 1 pt, Tyrone, 1 goal 3 points. However a few minutes later the tenacious Tyrone attack struck back and registered their third point, When their right half forward David Lavery pucked over for the Red Hand's fourth point.  With less ten minutes to the games interval Fermanagh suddenly came alight and stepped up a gears, when we witnessed them forcing their visitors into conceding three score able frees.  First up to the scoring plate came the effervescent Ryan Bogue, who drove over a might puck from closed to mid-field to narrow the scoring difference with their near neighbours.  Two minutes the latter player pucked over his second and his side's third point and again from a free.  With less then two minutes to half time and the Ernesiders being award yet another free but from mid-filed, which nevertheless was clinically despatched over the Red Hand crossbar to create the games only draw of 1 goal 4 points for each team.  Fermanagh then had seemly more good fortune when Tyrone's Leigh Moore was flashed a second yellow card and the all important red variety to have his side reduced to fourteen men.  However the more ambitious Tyrone had this games last score of the first half, when Peader McMahon pucked over his second and his side's fifth point from play. 

Half time scores.
Fermanagh, 1gls. 4 pts; Tyrone, 1 gl. 5  pts.

Tyrone Stick to Tasks

Duffy On Fermanagh.

When the game resumed Fermanagh had made one important personal change on John Duffy and off went Barry Smyth.  Time would tell whether that was great move or otherwise.  As in this opening half it was the more ambitious who struck first with two quick from firstly Paddy Devine who clipped over a well taken point from play. Two minutes later his team mate Connor Gallagher in almost carbon pucked his side's seventh point from play. However the far from weakened Fermanagh attack renewed serious interest in scoring, and then on the second half's thirteenth minute were awarded a mid-field free, which their iconic talisman Jason McManus unhesitatingly drove over for Fermanagh's seventh score and sixth point.   With the games fourth and final quarter closely looming on the scoring horizon and the matches score board now reading Fermanagh, 1 goal 6 points to Tyrone's 1 goal 7 points it was looking that not alone would the Ernesiders catch up with their Red Hand opponents but perhaps overwhelming in the scoring stakes.  However the omens were not favouring the hosts for the Tyrone side on the closing half's twenty and twenty first minutes now  fired over two points from their soon to be man of the match Connor Gallagher.  Recognising the importance of the accassion the Fermanagh side massively stepped up their attacks on their opposition defences and were instantly rewarded when they Ernesiders were awarded a close in free, which was again allocated to their scoring free taking genius Ryan Bogue with that important point brought the games very late score line to 1 goal 7 points for Fermanagh to 1 goal 9 points for the marginally I n front Tyrone side.  There was despite less than five minutes to full there was all to play. But yet again it was the Red Hands that raced up to the scoring plate, when Connor Gallagher fired over his side's tenth point.  In response to this the Fermanagh team management brought on substitute Dermott Curran, who no sooner was he on the field of play and went and score a goal.  Fermanagh players, management and supporters were ecstatic were joy.  But alas the Cavan referee disallowed the scores as a square ball.  The Breffini whistler was not doing as any favours large or small. The games second last score a well taken eleventh point by Connor Gallagher was fortunate for the scorer was  ot disallowed or disputed by their Erne side opponents.  For it brought the games scoreboard to flash up Fermanagh, 1 goal 7 points to 1 goal 11 points for the Tyrone visitors.  However it was blooded but unbowed Fermanagh lads who struck last, when their left full forward Sean Corrigan disposed Red Hand full back Mark Winters to then bang the slithor into the latter's net.  Though the last score had an immediate morale boosting effort on players, team management and spectators it was too little to late.  For a minute later whilst the determined Fermanagh side were attacking the games referee blew full time on a game which had both agony and ecstasy and Ernesiders hurling history pages could be begin to written.

Final Scores

Fermanagh, 2 gls. 7 pts; Tyrone, 1 gl. 11 pts.

[feetofflames]

I know this guys style of writing - he also writes the Moy notes.

[THEREALGRASSROOTS]

I'd love to post a couple of articles by crap local journos in Derry but I can't be arsed to rewrite them and they aren't on the net

Edit - found one opening paragraph from a match report, what is this about?

Walking down the Lonemoor Road, through Free Derry Corner, beneath the murals and back on to Foyle Street, I knew how it felt to be certifiably mad.  But I could take some comfort at least in the fact that there were around 30 other Derry folk out there who felt the same after taking a beating from the arctic conditions and a beating from Down. 

[ONeill]

Sean Moran

ORIGINALITY 7 - Relatively unique
ENTERTAINMENT 6 - A little laboured at times
INFORMATIVE 7 - Somewhat new-ground
QUALITY  7 - Consistant. Perhaps not sure Moran is totally convinced by his own assertions.

[Louth Exile]

ORIGINALITY 7
ENTERTAINMENT 7
INFORMATIVE 4
QUALITY  4

Yes it was an enjoyable article to read, I would agree with the point that Moran may not be totally convinced by his own assertions.


Given that you were the only one to rate Humphries soccer article do you not think you should add an article from another Times journalist to see if it attracts more response?

[ONeill]

I was planning on this week being a 'Times' week, so expect a couple more before Sunday.

[ExiledGael]

Excellent GAA pull-out in the Times today. Could use a few articles from that.
Humphries will run away with it though, fantastic style of writing and storytelling. Can anyone access his interview with Paul Galvin and post it?

[Billys Boots]

Humphries will run away with it though

Humphries himself will claim that Keith Duggan is the best sports journalist at the Times.

[corn02]

Duggan is first rate.

[Our Nail Loney]

Never egt those big papers! Is that just the Times or is it the Iirish Times?

PS I know I sound like a spa here but hurry up and reply so I can get to a shop and get it

[ExiledGael]

Irish Times.

[Our Nail Loney]

Cheers EG, gonna run over and get that now.

Some reading ffor tonight and the weekend, have Gaelic Life and that Irish News supplement to get thru already...

[Our Nail Loney]

You are class.

I'm gonna carry my Times one about for weeks. If people think I read the Times they'll really respect me.

[ExiledGael]

You guys are cool!

[Our Nail Loney]

Thats exactly the reaction I was looking for with all my supplements!!

Cheers EG!