JUNIOR B FOOTBALL: Legion 2-10; Austin Stacks 1-13.
On a splendid summer’s evening (Sat, 13th Sept) at the Derreen pitch in Killarney this pulsating Co. League final ended all square after both sides had provided an exhibition of football with every player out on their feet after giving their all.
We found ourselves a goal down inside the 4th minute after Legion converted a penalty. But we owned the rest of the half – holding the opposition scoreless from play – Legion added one more point from a 13th minute free. Our goal, in the 23rd minute, also came from a penalty which was brilliantly put away by Denis McElligott after Eamon McAllen was brought down in the square with goal on his mind.
Before that, Darren Tiernan had registered our first two points, both from well-taken frees after fouls on Alan Duggan and Eamon McAllen. Our next two points were superb, both from our midfielders, Alan Duggan and Seán Purcell – what a game both had, still going strong after 60 minutes.
Our three remaining points of the half came from inspirational captain, Eoin Colgan, a second for Alan and a 3rd pointed free from Darren to leave us six clear at the break (1-7 to 1-1).
Ten minutes into the second half saw our lead cut to five after Legion put over three to two for us. Our two points came from Seán Purcell and Niall Carroll Cane who had another very good performance.
But this game was turned on its head in a three minute spell (43rd to 46th) . First Legion were lucky to get a goal from play, but they followed this with three good points to put them back in the lead (2-7 to 1-9). However, a minute later we were back on level terms with one of the points of the game by Sean Dukes. The 17 year old was just five minutes on the pitch when he won a ball near the side line. He took on at least three veteran defenders to burrow his way goalwards and from an acute angle put over a beauty.
In the 48th minute Denis McElligott (great to see Denis back again, playing his first Club game in four months after his sojourn abroad) was fouled and Alan Duggan pointed the resultant free. But Legion responded again with two more to put them back in the lead again.
Two minutes of normal time remained when Alan Duggan pointed his 4th of the game, this from his 2nd free after Eamon McAllen was fouled for the umpteenth time. A minute later Seán Purcell put over a beauty from play – his 3rd of the game to put us back in front. But deep in injury time Legion equalized from a free to send the tie to a replay.
This was a tremendous performance by our lads, which will please Tim McMahon, Colm Mangan and John O’Sullivan no end. when you consider that nine who lined out in the game also played the previous evening with the U21 team in Gallarus, also in energy-sapping heat.
Team: Patrick Fitzgibbon, Paul Galvin, Barry Walsh, Nicholas Gogarty, Tom McLoughlin, Denis McElligott (1-0 pen), Seamus Bastible, Alan Duggan (0-4 – 2 frees), Seán Purcell (0-3), Dale Counihan, Darren Tiernan (0-3 – frees), Eoin Colgan (Capt) (0-1), Shane Crowley, David O’Sullivan, Eamon McAllen.
Subs: Niall Carroll Cane (15m) (0-1), Seán Dukes (41m) (0-1), Ciarán Flanagan (48m), Dylan Harnett (52m), Breandán Caball (57m).
U21 FOOTBALL: An Ghaeltacht 5-17; Austin Stacks 4-10.
On an ideal evening for football we travelled to Gallarus last Friday (12th Sept) for the quarter final of the Co. Club Championship and after one of the highest scoring games in memory we came up short against a very good An Ghaeltacht side.
The home side went into an early two points lead before Shane Crowley placed Darragh O’Brien for our first point. Then in the space of six minutes (10th to 16th) the game produced four consecutive goals, The first two went to the West Kerry boys followed in quick succession by two for our lads. The first was simply brilliant. Alan Duggan won the kick-out, passed to Michael O’Donnell who linked with the impressive Niall Carroll Cane and he found David O’Sullivan who placed Shane Crowley for a great goal.
Our next came three minutes later with Niall and Alan Duggan involved again and Eamon McAllen, on this occasion, finishing to the net.
It was now point for point by both sides with Darragh O’Brien pointing our two from a free and from play. After being seven points down after 12 minutes we were now just one adrift after 20 minutes. And it got better a minute later when our third goal by Darragh O’Brien put us in the lead for the first time.
But Gaeltacht powered through in the closing ten minutes to outscore us by 1-3 to 0-1 with Darragh on target for us from a well-taken 45.
This left us adrift by three at half time after playing against a stiffish breeze (3-7 to 3-4).
The second half was just over a minute old when Tom McLoughlin, from his wing-back position, launched a perfect pass to David O’Sullivan and he placed Darragh O’Brien who now brought his tally to 1-5 with a well-taken point. Two more points followed from Eamon McAllen and Conor Jordan and then came one the best goals of the nine when Alan Duggan and Michael O’Donnell found Greg Horan who blasted to the net.
We were now one ahead (4-8 to 3-10) but like the first half Gaeltacht continued with their level of intensity and in the remaining twenty minutes took complete control adding a further 2-7 to 0-2 for us with Darragh O’Brien on target from another 45 and one from play by Greg Horan.
The scoreline does not really do justice to our display which rivaled our opponents for most of the game and on another day could have yielded a different result. One would have to trawl through the record books to find a team with a scoreline of 4-10 on the loosing side (Kerry’s win over Offaly in the 1980 semi final comes to mind 4-15 to 4-10)
Team: Patrick Fitzgibbon, Paul Galvin, Alan Crean, Niall Carroll Cane, Tom McLoughlin, Conor Jordan (0-1), Ciarán O’Connell, Alan Duggan, Greg Horan (1-2), Shane Crowley (1-0), Michael O’Donnell, James Galvin, David O’Sullivan, Darragh O’Brien (Capt) (1-6 – 1 free; 2 forty fives), Eamon McAllen (1-1).
Subs used: Kyle Fitzgibbon (23m), Breandán Caball (47m), Seán Fitzmaurice (52m).
ALL IRL FINAL TIT BITS:
Our Minors will be appearing in their 24th final next Sunday. It will be the 15th time that both Seniors and Minors have appeared in a Final in the same year since first doing it in 1931. And we won the double that year. The last time we won the double in the same year was 1980 and what a contingent from the Rock was on both teams that day. On the Seniors we had Johnno and Ger O’Keeffre, Ger Power and Mikey Sheehy And on the Minor team we had Michael Crowley, Michael Counihan and Liam Kearns.
Let us wish both teams all the best on Sunday and hope they achieve that elusive double again. Best of luck to the Rock contingent involved in both teams – Kieran Donaghy and Mikey Sheehy with the Senior squad as well as Fearghal MacNamara and Shane O’Callaghan who were part of the Training squad all season, and Jack Morgan, Seán Ryan and Michael O’Donnell on the Minor panel.
BEST WISHES: It’s great to see former Club Vice Chairman, Pat Joe McQuinn out and about again after his recent hospitalization. Continued progress Pat Joe from everyone in the Club.
BINGO: continues on this and every Saturday night commencing at 8.30pm.
CLUBHOUSE: As always the Clubhouse is available for all types of Parties. Phone Ian from 7pm at 066 7126942 for bookings.
CARDS: The 45 Card Sessions continue in the Clubhouse every Monday and Thursday nights at 9.30pm.
LOTTO: Last Monday week’s (8th Sept) Jackpot worth €5,000 was not won. The numbers drawn were 6, 8, 10 and 32.
The €20 Prizes went to Mark Teahan, c/o The Club; Bunny Heinrich, c/o Denis O’Connor; Bertie Flynn, c/o The Ladies; Texas Eddy c/o Carmel O’Neill; and Brendan Breen, c/o The Cards.
SYMPATHY:
It was with great sadness that all in the Club and the local community learned of the untimely death of Robert Power last week. Robert was a valued member of our Juvenile teams in the late nineties and early noughties.
He played Minor in three consecutive seasons 2003 -2005, making a total of 24 appearances over the three years and being one of the top scorers in seasons 2004 and 2005 along with fellow players Graham O’Connell, Joey O’Connor, Brían Mangan, Joey Kinsella, Alain Creagh and Neil Goulding.
Sincere sympathy is extended to Robert’s family – his parents Ger & Catherine, brother Gerard, sisters Catriona and Michelle – and to all his extended family and friends.
