Daniel the Shels star late on
Last-gasp goals steal title from under Na Laochra’s noses
DANIEL ORMONDE flashed home an injury-time winning goal as Shelmaliers took the Wexford People Minor football Premier shield in St. Patrick’s Park on Wednesday.
The Hollymount club trailed by 3-7 to 2-7 after the superb Mylie Connors pointed in the 58th minute to give Na Laochra a little breathing space.
However, the HWH-Bunclody and Réalt na Mara duo had been playing with 14 men since the first-half and it was tough sledding.
Shelmaliers built down the right, before Dylan O’Neill cut inside and flashed his shot past Mark Sweeney with just a minute of normal time remaining to level the contest.
With the game on a knife-edge, a long Paul Hearne free was caught by Ormonde and he sent the ball to the net to win the game.
The dramatic end bore a stark contrast to what went before. In truth, the game was played in a poor spirit, with fighting and accusations of unacceptable language directed at certain players.
It was bad enough for referee Damien Donovan to stop the contest in the 47th minute, advising both sides that the game would be abandoned if it continued.
This show may leave Coiste na nÓg to question whether there is still a place for shield competitions at Minor level going forward.
Shelmaliers were 1-3 to nil ahead after eight minutes on the back of an Aodhán Byrne goal.
However, a James Black goal and two Robert Black points in just 80 seconds dragged Na Laochra right back into the game.
Eoin McCarthy made a couple of solid stops to deny the amalgamated team more joy as Shelmaliers built a 2-5 to 1-3 lead on the back of a looping Barry Clarke goal.
Despite losing Tommy Atkinson to a red card, Na Laochra responded to get level at the break thanks to Connors’ first goal.
Another Connors major helped Na Laochra edge four ahead by the 35th minute. Shelmaliers managed to pull back points from O’Neill and Hearne before the dramatic last few minutes saw the Wexford District side snatch victory.
Shelmaliers: Eoin McCarthy; Seán Cullen, Conor Roche, Mark Scallan; Seán Óg Ó Flannagáin, Adam O’Leary (capt.), Davy Doyle; Paul Hearne (0-2), Aodhán Byrne (1-1); Barry Clarke (1-0), Dylan O’Neill (1-4, 0-3 frees), Corey Lawlor; Aaron Kinsella, Oisín Furlong, Ryan Kielthy. Subs. - Daniel Ormonde (1-0) for Doyle (31), Luke Roche for Kinsella (49), Cian Doyle for Clarke (50), Cathal Harding for Fulong (55), Clarke for O’Leary, black card (56), also Ryan Corrigan, Darren O’Leary, Tiarnan Malone.
Na Laochra: Mark Sweeney; Thomas Fitzgerald, Oisín Ó Ceallaigh, Joe Woods;
Tommy Atkinson, Pádraic Nolan (0-1), Derry Mahon; Thomas Jeffers, Eoin McDonnell; Kyle Moore-Kavanagh (0-1), Ciarán Regan (0-1), Cian Whiting; Mylie Connors (2-1), James Black (capt., 1-1), Robert Black (0-2). Subs. - Rory Raleigh for Whiting (19), Whiting for Raleiigh, inj. (60), also Cian Herbage, Mick Cash, Adam Jeffers, Liam Carton, Darragh Farrell, Pádraic Neary, Gerry Connors, Ben Martin.
Referee: Damien Donovan (Volunteers).