Shannon Gaels and O’Curry’s must meet again

Shannon Gaels 1-12
O’Curry’s 1-12

AFTER 80 minutes of tight, tense football O’Curry’s and Shannon Gaels could not be separated in Doonbeg last Sunday evening. In a game which featured 25 combined wides and two O’Curry’s penalties both teams had clear opportunities to close out the result.

 

 

Shannon Gaels led 1-6 to 0-6, eight minutes from the end of normal time and in fact hit the post twice, with point scoring efforts, at that juncture. Seven minutes into extra-time the Gaels again led by three points, 1-9 to 0-9, following a lovely John Paul O’Neill point.

On both occasions O’Curry’s clawed their way back, however. In normal time, late points from Michael Carmody, Ger Quinlan and Seán Haugh brought the game to extra time, while Haugh was unlucky not to score a goal, when his shot hammered off the post.
In fact, O’Curry’s could have won it in normal time but James Troy’s 21 yard free, from a difficult angle, dropped short, two minutes into injury time.

With the Gaels three points up in extra time, O’Curry’s rallied again and in fact established a 1-11 to 1-9 lead, early in the second half of extra time. Eoin Troy took both of their penalties. His first went over the bar, while the second was hit low and hard into the Gaels net.

At that stage O’Curry’s were the likeliest winners but a superb pressure free from Brian Bermingham brought the Gaels back into the game, while Padraig Neylon equalised from play two minutes later.
Four minutes from time, Ger Quinlan pointed his fourth free, leaving O’Curry’s defending a slender lead. Two minutes later a foul on John Bermingham resulted in a free from where the ball landed, which was pointed by Brian Bermingham.

The same player also scored the Gaels goal, which was their first score. It came from a 15th minute free, which dropped short but was fumbled on the line by Tom Downes before landing in the net.
Playing with the breeze in the first half, O’Curry’s kicked seven wides and dropped three shots into Keith Ryan’s hands while Jack Scanlan hit the side netting with a reasonable goal chance.

David Neylon kicked two excellent points from distance for the Gaels in the second half, while Bermingham’s free taking kept his side in the game.
John Neylon, Noel Kennedy, Brian Bermingham, Micheál and Diarmuid Lorigan played well for Shannon Gaels, while Ollie Quinlan, Seán Haugh, Michael Carmody, Michael O’Shea and Eoin Troy did well for O’Curry’s, who will feel that they should have capitalised on their first half possession more clinically.

“We were delighted to get the result. Our lads showed great heart and determination and we will need to show that again for the replay. Both teams gave it everything and either of us could have won it,” O’Curry’s manager, Dinny McMahon said.

“Particularly in extra time, when we went three points up and gave away two penalties, we were lucky to get away with a draw. The replay will be equally tight but we showed great character to get a draw out of it and we’ll be trying to show more of that in the replay,” Shannon Gaels manager, Paudie Neylon commented.

The winners of this weeks replay will meet Ennistymon with the losers down to play Lissycasey.

Shannon Gaels: Keith Ryan; Cathal O’Neill, John Neylon, Fergal Kenny; Tomás Cleary, John Bermingham, Frank Cleary; Noel Kennedy, David Neylon; Diarmuid Lorigan, Eugene Flanagan, Michael Coughlan; Micheál Lorigan, Brian Bermingham, John Paul O’Neill.
Subs: Mike O’Shea for Cathal O’Neill (40), Padraig Neylon for Eugene Flanagan (49), Brian O’Shea for David Neylon (55), Eugene Flanagan for Fergal Kenny (61), Stephen O’Shea for Tomás Cleary (70).
Scorers: Brian Berminghan (1-6f), David Neylon, Padraig Neylon (0-2 each), Michael Coughlan, John Paul O’Neill (0-1 each).
Wides: 13   Frees: 39.
Yellow cards: Frank Cleary, Micheál Lorigan, Michael Coughlan, Tomás Cleary, Keith Ryan.

O’Curry’s: PJ Greene; Declan Walsh, Michael O’Shea, Paul Roche; Tom Downes, Brian Troy, Eoin Brew; Ger Quinlan, Ollie Quinlan; Damien Clohessy, Eoin Troy, Damien Carmody; Michael Carmody, Seán Haugh, Jack Scanlan.
Subs: Jim Downes for Damien Clohessy, James Troy for Damien Carmody, Seán Murphy for Michael Carmody.
Scorers: Eoin Troy (1-3, 1-0 pen, 0-1 pen, 0-1f), Ger Quinlan (0-4f), Michael Carmody (0-2), Ollie Quinlan, Jack Scanlan (f), Seán Haugh (0-1 each).
Wides: 12   Frees won: 36
Yellow cards: Seán Haugh, Damien Clohessy. 

Referee: Michael Talty (Kilmurry Ibrickane).