Craanford advance after extra-time
STRONG-FINISHING Craanford progressed to the Greenstar Under-20 football Gorey District Roinn 1 championship final with an extra-time 4-11 to 2-12 victory over Réalt na Mara at a wind-battered Ballygarrett on Saturday.
The hosts appeared to be in a position of relative strength at half-time when they had created a 2-8 to 1-3 lead, and despite only adding two more points to their tally against the stiff breeze after the break, they still held control by 2-10 to 1-6 with nine minutes remaining.
However, the game was flipped on its head on 54 minutes when a powerful run from Joseph Conroy saw the influential midfielder find a gap in the Réalt na Mara defence, and he eventually fired across Barry Adamson and to the net to pare the gap down to four points.
Livewire forward Aodhán Whitty tagged on a point immediately afterwards, although it seemed that the home side’s defence were holding firm against a flurry of activity as the game ticked towards a conclusion, with Adamson alert to smother Whitty when he was played through on goal on 60 minutes.
However, one last punt towards the square from substitute Aodhán Doyle deep into injury-time was met by the fist of Jim Kenny, who got to the ball just ahead of Adamson to force extra-time (3-7 to 2-10).
And Craanford set up a District final on home soil versus neighbours Kilrush as they outscored Réalt na Mara by 1-4 to 0-2 in the additional period.
Aidan Kavanagh rounded Adamson to goal from close-range for the first score of extra-time, and points followed from Stuart Byrne (two, including a penalty which was tipped over by Adamson), Eamonn Doran and Whitty.
Craanford enjoyed an electric start to the game as Whitty was released to find the net after only 28 seconds.
Réalt na Mara replied through a Jordan Redmond point, and when Jordan Goff’s cross eluded Kyle Moore, the nifty Redmond was on hand to palm to the empty net to make it 1-1 to 1-0 after five minutes.
Réalt na Mara started to open up some daylight midway through the half with a run of 1-5 without reply, including 1-3 from captain James Fleming, whose goal was of the fortunate variety when his point attempt dipped into the net on twelve minutes.
And they added three more points before the break through Aaron Hall, Moore and Goff to hold that eight-point lead at the interval that was ultimately reeled in by Craanford.
Craanford: Paddy Doyle; Ciarán McLoughlin, Páraic Redmond (capt.), Jack Keogh; Patrick Kavanagh, Jim Kenny (1-0), Pat Doyle; Eoin Doyle (0-1), Joseph Conroy (1-1); Luke Byrne, Eamonn Doran (0-1), Stuart Byrne (0-5, 2 frees, 1 pen.); Pádraig Tobin, Aidan Kavanagh (1-0), Aodhán Whitty (1-3). Subs. - Aodhán Doyle for Tobin (44), Tobin for A. Doyle (61).
Réalt na Mara: Barry Adamson; Gearóid Redmond, Ciarán Dunne, Joe Woods; Tom Hobbs, Adam Fleming, Billy Dunne; Aaron Hall (0-1), James Fleming (capt., 1-6, 0-6 frees); Killian Doyle, Johnny Sinnott, Kyle Moore (0-2); Conor O’Toole, Jordan Goff (0-1), Jordan Redmond (1-2, 0-1 free). Subs. - Martin O’Loughlin for J. Fleming, temp. (38-39), O’Loughlin for Woods (51), Cian Herbage for Goff, inj. (57).
Referee: Pádraig Byrne (Kilanerin).