St Breckan’s strong finish just falls short

Ennistymon 1-9
St Breckan’s  1-8

 

 

Despite wasting a lot of chances during the third quarter, Ennistymon managed a one-point win over St Breckan’s in this North Clare first round championship game played at Corofin on Sunday evening.

They had to withstand a strong finish from St Breckan’s who could be considered a little unlucky not to have forced extra time. Ennistymon looked to be on the way to a comfortable win when they held a five-point lead with three minutes remaining but a John Stack goal for the Lisdoonvarna outfit a minute later ensured an exciting finish.

“We felt we had chances during the game to put them away and it’s something we are going to have to look at. Maybe it’s part due to us and part to them as they fought to the end and they really threw the kitchen sink at us near the end. We had parts of the second half when we should have driven on but we took wrong options at times. There is something to work on. We created the chances but we are going to have to be a bit more clinical,” Ennistymon manager Mark Shanahan explained after the game.

“We seemed to have the legs on them but yet we only won by a point. For the amount of ball and the threat we had, we didn’t put it on the scoreboard. The relegation monkey is off the back which is a plus and we are happy to have that out of the way,” he added.

St Breckan’s trainer Neil Hawes felt his side missed chances. “We are disappointed. We gave away a number of scoreable frees. We played good football and kept coming at them and I thought we might have got a chance to draw it at the end. Over the hour a draw might have been a fair result. We have got to re-group now for next week.”

The former Clare player feels the time is short between the first and second rounds.

“For the club player, they are waiting the whole summer and now they have to play two games within six or seven days and, in fairness it’s not an ideal scenario. Most clubs are struggling to have a panel.”
The sides were level three times in the opening 17 minutes with the winners levelling each time. Two points in as many minutes gave Ennistymon a lead they would hold to the end. They stretched their advantage to five a minute from the break when Sean

McConigley made no mistake from the penalty spot to help his side to lead at the break on a score of 1-5 to 0-4.
Early in the second quarter Ennistymon lost the experienced Joe Dowling with a shoulder injury and this led to the introduction of Jamesie McConigley, who joined his brothers Sean and Cathal in the attack.

St Breckan’s came out for the second half with Maccon Byrne in their line-up in place of Conor Howley and Byrne quickly made an impression when he converted a 45’. Pat Nagle added a point and the lead was back to two.

Over the next ten minutes the winners were guilty of some bad misses before a brace from David Davenport left them four clear with 10 minutes remaining. Padraig Brennan in the Ennistymon goal then made a fine save from John Stack before Ennistymon extended their advantage to five with the final whistle fast approaching.

John Stack’s goal two minutes from the end ensured a lively finish but, despite their best efforts, they could only manage a pointed free from Pat Nagle. Ennistymon held on for a one-point win they just about deserved.

Ennistymon: Padraig Brennan; Michael O’Dwyer, Lawrence Healy, Michael Devitt; Michael Houlihan, Enda Ralph, Michael O’Loughlin; John McInerney, Alan Horan; Willie Murphy, Joey Rouine, Joe Dowling; Sean McConigley, Cathal McConigley, David Davenport.
Subs: Jamesie McConigley for Dowling (inj 14 minutes); Ciarán Devitt for J McInerney (39 minutes); Gerry Coote for O’Loughlin (51 minutes); Brian Conway for Rouine (57 minutes); Kevin Scales for Murphy (58 minutes).
Scorers: David Davenport (0-5, 2f); Sean McConigley (1-0, penalty); Joe Dowling, Alan Horan, Lawrence Healy, Joey Rouine (0-1 each).
Frees: 22   wides: 10   45s: 2.
Bookings: Willie Murphy (3 minutes), Joey Rouine (22 minutes).

St Breckan’s: Declan Hawes; Daniel Carey, Conor Howley, Stephen Nagle; Liam Tierney, Greg O’Leary, Cathal Blood; Sean Cormican, John McDonagh; Denis O’Driscoll, Pat Nagle, Dale Masterson; Aidan Davidson, John Stack, Conor Cormican.
Subs: Maccon Byrne for Howley (half-time), Declan Stack for Nagle (40 minutes).
Scorers: Pat Nagle (0-4, 2f); John Stack (1-1); Dale Masterson (0-2), Maccon Byrne (0-1, 45’).
Frees: 28   wides: 5   45s: 3.
Bookings: John McDonagh (12 minutes); Declan Hawes (28 minutes).

Referee: John Brew, Kilmurry-Ibrickane.