Broadford stage strong finish to seal victory

Broadford 2-15   Smith O’Brien’s 1-14

NINE points down early in the second half, a spirited rally from Smith O’Brien’s brought them level with 11 minutes to go but a strong finish from Broadford got them a deserved two points.
The losers were at a disadvantage before a ball was struck, as Shane O’Brien couldn’t start, his flight from England having been delayed. O’Brien had actually been home for training recently but on Saturday, he only made the closing minutes.
The winners settled the better, taking a lead of 0-5 to 0-1 by the 11th minute and they were looking far more comfortable.
However, Smith O’Brien’s came into it a little, Dwayne Sheedy, who started instead of Shane O’Brien, doubling their tally, while Broadford keeper Cian O’Brien was forced to make two smart saves in the 13th minute.
The outstanding Micheál Ryan pointed a sideline for Smith O’Brien’s to reduce the deficit to two.  Two pointed frees by Pádraig Hickey stretched the Broadford lead, before Kevin Walsh again went close to raising a green flag for Smith O’Brien’s. Although they still couldn’t get a goal, Ryan cut the gap again, with points from frees in the 18th and 20th minutes.
After the second of those scores, Smith O’Brien’s were just two behind but two goals in the next seven minutes changed the complexion of the game. They both came from Mark Moloney who was adept at exploiting indecision in the losers’ rearguard.
Those scores, along with another point from Hickey, made the score 2-8 to 0-5 but two Smith O’Brien’s points from Ryan and Mark O’Halloran left it at 2-8 to 0-7 at the break.
While Smith O’Brien’s had their moments in the first half, Broadford were definitely looking stronger and weren’t really flattered by their lead.
Indeed, points from Stephen McCarthy and Anthony Sullivan after the resumption gave them a nine-point cushion but Smith O’Brien’s would soon come back into it.
They had three unanswered points in the next four minutes, cutting the deficit to six. Broadford got back on track with a controversial Niall Moloney point in the 10th minute. As the ball went out of play, one of the officials waved it wide, while his colleague was raising the white flag. After consulting both referees, Damien Fox decided to allow the score.
That left the deficit at seven but in the 42nd minute, the Killaloe side had a lifeline, when Ryan drove a 21m free to the net. That cut the Broadford advantage to four, 2-11 to 1-10 but the momentum was with Smith O’Brien’s.
They were really beginning to use the ball well and they struck four unanswered points, two from Ryan and one each from Willie Neary and Kevin Walsh, to tie it up, 2-11 to 1-14 with 11 minutes left.
But Broadford would put in by the far the stronger finish. A Pádraig Hickey free put them back in front with eight minutes left, while a disastrous puckout in the 53rd minute went to Mark Moloney who put two between the sides.
Shortly after, Kevin Walsh squandered a goal chance for the Killaloe side, while they finally got Shane O’Brien on the field but unfortunately for his side, the introduction didn’t spark any revival.
Instead, Hickey tapped over another free for Broadford and in injury time, Alan Kilcoyne sent a sideline ball over the bar, leaving the final score at 2-15 to 1-14, with Broadford merited winners.

Broadford: Cian O’Brien; John Corcoran, Aidan O’Brien, Stephen Gunning; Peter O’Brien, James Gunning, Cathal Chaplin; Craig Chaplin, Alan Kilcoyne; Pádraig Taylor, Aonghus O’Brien, Declan Teefy; Mark Moloney, Niall Moloney, Pádraig Hickey.
Subs: Kieran O’Connell for Craig Chaplin, Donal Whelan for Teefy.
Scorers: Mark Moloney (2-1), Pádraig Hickey (0-7,6f), Declan Teefy (0-2), Alan Kilcoyne (0-1) (line ball), James Gunning 0-1 (1f) Pádraig Taylor (0-1), Niall Moloney (0-1), Kieran O’Connell (0-1).
Frees for: 12; wides: 7.
Yellow cards: 0
Red cards: 0
“We always knew that Smith O’Brien’s would come back at us but we got the breaks and qualification is in our own hands,” Mike O’Brien, selector.

Smith O’Brien’s: Jonathan Hayes; Michael Culhane, Seamus Gleeson, Trevor Howard;  Brian McInerney, Pat Vaughan, Shane Tuohy; Micheál Ryan, John Cusack; Kevin Walsh, William Neary, Mark O’Halloran; Anthony Sullivan, Dwane Sheedy, Stephen McCarthy.
Subs: Mark Stritch for Tuohy, David Gough for Stephen McCarthy, Shane O’Brien for Sheedy.
Scorers: Micheál Ryan (1-8, 1-6f, 0-1 line ball), Kevin Walsh, Dwayne Sheedy, Mark O’Halloran, John Cusack, William Neary (0-1 each).
Frees for: 11; wides: 8;
Yellow cards: Pat Vaughan, Trevor Howard.
Red cards: 0
“The two soft goals killed us, but we fought hard all the way,” Christy Rosney.

Referee: Damien Fox.