Coolmeen fight back to earn a second chance

Meelick 1-5   Coolmeen 0-8

COOLMEEN staged a strong second-half fight back to earn a share of the spoils in the Division 4 football league final played at Clareabbey on Saturday evening.
It was a game, which produced a lot of talking points not least the fact that Coolmeen played much of the tie with 14 men following the sending off of defender, Kevin McMahon early in the game.
Another talking point, concerned the melee after the final whistle, while there were claims that Coolmeen had an extra man for a period in the second half, when it was claimed they made a substitution and failed to withdraw the player being replaced.
Meelick, playing with the aid of the breeze in the first half, dominated the exchanges and raced into a 1-3 to 0-0 lead, the points coming from Kevin Hartnett and the goal from Brian O’Neill shortly before the end of the first quarter. They had chances to score more goals in this half when they had a penalty effort from Paul Flannery, which was well saved by Coolmeen’s Pa McMahon. 
Ciarán Neenan opened Coolmeen’s account just before half-time. The West Clare side had the assistance of the wind in the second half and they showed better form. Points from Nenan and Cathal O’Connor brought the teams level early in the final quarter.
Meelick replied with a brace of points from frees by Hartnett to go two clear with 10 minutes remaining but Coolmeen weren’t finished and full-back, Kevin (Val) McMahon came to his side’s rescue with two superb points to tie up the game for a second time. His first point came from a long-range free and he then moved forward to five over the equaliser from play.

Coolmeen: Pa McMahon; Noel McMahon, Kevin (Val) McMahon (0-2), Kevin McMahon; Michael Kirrane, Noel Meaney Brian Markham; Cathal O’Connor (0-3) and Sean McMahon; Martin McMahon, David Neenan, Dermot McMahon; Enda Haugh, Donal Houlihan, Ciarán Neenan (0-3).
Subs: Joe Corry for M McMahon; Martin McMahon for N McMahon; Kevin Corry for C Neenan; Shane McMahon for S McMahon.
Meelick: Ger Markham; Peter Reidy, Sean Cooney, Mikey Kelly; Brian Barrett, Niall Mullen, Eanna Mulvihill; Stephen Hayes Kevin Hartnett (0-5); Dara Quinn, Patrick Finnucane, William O’Shaughnessy; Paul Flannery, Brian O’Neill (1-0), Gary Moloney.
Subs: Jamie O’Sullivan for Flannery; Michael Russell for O’Shaughnessy.
Referee: Flan O’Reilly, Cratloe.