St Flannan’s pay price for profligacy

St Brendan’s, Killarney 0-9   St Flannan’s, Ennis 0-5

It was the same old story for Clare football this week, so near and yet so far.

 

 

Individually and in terms of possession, St. Flannan’s more than matched their more fancied opponents, Killarney’s St Brendan’s in a quarter-final tie in the Corn Ui Mhuiri, Munster Colleges Senior A Football Championship but when it came to finishing, the Clare side came off second best.

St Flannan’s spurned three excellent goal-scoring opportunities in a game in which they forced no less than seven 45s, which indicates that they had plenty of possession. However, the old failing of putting scores on the board proved to be their downfall.

The game was played on Charleville GAA’s training pitch, hardly a suitable venue for such an important fixture, but recent weather conditions dictated as the fixture was switched from Rathkeale.

St Flannan’s played with the advantage of a fairly steep incline in the opening half but, from an early stage, they struggled to convert good possession. They forced two early 45s that Conor Galvin kicked. The first drifted narrowly wide while the second was well caught by the St Brendan’s goalie.

In their first attack, St Brendan’s scored through Kelvin Teehan and they quickly followed with another point from Micheál Burns. At the mid-point of the half Eimhin Courtney burst past a number of defenders but his left footed effort went across the goal and narrowly wide.

The winners extended their advantage with a pointed free before St Flannan’s recorded their only score of the half when outstanding centre-back Aidan McGuane burst forward to score a fine point.

In the closing minutes of the half the winners added three points to leave the half time score at 0-6 to 0-1.

On the resumption, St Flannan’s, with Martin O’Leary now at centre-forward where he was much more influential, took control and the Kilmihil teenager reduced the deficit when he converted a 30m free. They piled on the pressure and forced four 45s in quick succession. Goalkeeper Killian Normoyle came up to kick two of these, one of which hit the upright.

They won a penalty eight minutes into the half when Eimhin Courtney was fouled but the Éire Óg player saw his effort well-saved by St Brendan’s goalie Andrew O’Connor. The winners’ lead was cut to three points when O’Leary took a return pass from McGuane and found the target.

Mid-way through the half, St Brendan’s hit back and points from Rory O’Riordan and Tony Brosnan restored their five-point advantage.

St Flannan’s made a number of changes at this stage, two of which were enforced as Kieran Malone and Killian Normoyle had to retire injured.

Substitute Jordan Kiely pushed the winners six points clear with five minutes remaining but to the Ennis side’s credit, they battled to the finish and two O’Leary points left four between them at the final whistle.
Corner-backs Kieran Malone and Eoin Clancy were outstanding throughout for St Flannan’s as was Aidan McGuane at centre back. Up front Conor Galvin won a lot of good possession while Martin O’Leary did well in the second half when he was at centre-forward.

St Brendan’s: Andrew O’Connor; Diarmuid Galvin, Brian Lynch, Philip Casey; Damian Lyne, James McCarrick, Damian Rice (0-1); Kieran Murphy (capt), Jack O’Neill; Micheál Burns (0-2), Tony Brosnan (0-2), Kelvin  Teehan (0-1); Laurence Byrnes, Rory O’Riordan (0-1), Conor Keane (0-1).
Subs: Gavin Kelly for O’Riordan; Jonathon Kiely (0-1) for Brosnan; Alan Moriarty for Burns.
St Flannan’s: Killian Normoyle (Lissycasey); Kieran Malone (Miltown St Joseph’s), Conor O’Brien (Doora-Barefield), Eoin Clancy (Corofin); James Woods (Éire Óg), Aidan McGuane (Miltown St Joseph’s, 0-1), Oisin Hanrahan (Lissycasey); Eoin Hanrahan (Doora-Barefield), Fergus Killeen (Corofin); Barry Lynch (Lissycasey), David Conroy (Doora-Barefield), Tadhg Lynch (Clondegad, captain); Martin O’Leary (Kilmihil, 0-4, 2f); Conor Galvin (Clarecastle), Eimhin Courtney (Éire Óg);
Subs: Dara Walsh (Éire Óg) for O Hanrahan; Brian Cahill (Lissycasey) for Killeen; Dean D’Auria (Éire Óg) for E Hanrahan; Niall Lynch (Clondegad) for Malone (inj); Liam Corbett (Corofin) for Normoyle (inj).
Referee: Shane Hourigan, Limerick.