Reck the late hero
Craanford rocked by last-gasp goal
O’GATE-GLENBRIEN CRAANFORD 1-18 2-13 JAMIE RECK celebrated victory with a cracking goal in additional time as Oylegate-Glenbrien grasped a late, late victory over a stunned Craanford side in this cracking The Courtyard Ferns Intermediate hurling championship Group B game at St. Patrick’s Park, Enniscorthy, on Saturday.
Three minutes from the end of normal time, Craanford seemed to be cruising towards victory when they led by three points. Even a Conor Heffernan point one minute into additional time did not cause any waves, but one minute later the opposition worked the ball along the right flank, with Jamie Reck getting on the end of the move.
He still had a considerable amount of work to do, but some- how managed to create space before unleashing a low shot that beat ’keeper Derek Finn at his near post to give his side a stunning one-point lead.
And they still continued to attack on the puck-out, with Ciarán Hourihane firing over the insurance point three minutes into additional time.
Having conceded 1-2 in the three minutes of additional time, Craanford were left shell-shocked. They seemed to be cruising but were caught flat-footed with their opponents’ late surge.
The dropping of both points leaves their championship prospects in tatters, when really they should have been looking towards the knockout stages.
Oylegate-Glenbrien, without the injured Podge Doran, who was urging his colleagues on from the sideline, started in stunning fashion to lead by 0-8 to 0-2 after 26 minutes, with Marty Kelly, prior to his injury, Seamus Casey, Jamie Reck and Eoin O’Mahoney all on target, while Kevin Poole frees accounted for his side’s opening scores.
The introduction of Ollie Doran brought a new urgency to the Craanford attack as he inspired his side with a point followed by a 29th-minute goal.
And along with two fine Kevin Poole points from play, the sides went in level at the interval (0-9 to 1-6).
Points from Matthew Nolan and Des Kavanagh helped Craanford into an early tw-point second-half lead, but the Oylegate-Glenbrien response was positive with Seamus Casey striking back for three points, two from frees, along with a Conor Heffernan effort, to leave them leading by 0-13 to 1-8 after 43 minutes.
Ten minutes from the end, Matthew Nolan gathered a long clearance out of defence and caught the defence for speed before unleashing a low shot across ’keeper John Foley into the opposite corner of the net, bringing his side level (2-9 to 0-15).
With Kevin Poole sending over some delightful points, they led by 2-13 to 0-16 as the game moved into additional time. Then came that dramatic late Oylegate-Glenbrien surge that produced one of the most amazing victories of the current campaign.
Oylegate-Glenbrien: John Foley; Robert O’Connor, Bryan McCormack, Shane Reck (0-1); Fergal Doran, Michael Heffernan, Jim White; Seamus Casey (0-6, 4 frees), Damien Reck (0-1); Eoin O’Mahoney (0-4), Fergus Heffernan, Pa Cullen; Ciarán Hourihane (0-1), Marty Kelly (0-1), Jamie Reck (1-2). Sub. - Conor Heffernan (0-2) for Kelly, inj.
Craanford: Derek Finn; Pat Kenny, Stevie Greene, James Byrne; Michael O’Loughlin, Michael Lyons, Joe Berney; Pat Murphy, Niall Berney; Kevin Poole (0-8, 2 frees), John Fleming, Matthew Nolan (1-1); John Lancaster (0-1), Des Kavanagh (0-2), Tony Kavanagh. Sub. - Ollie Doran (1-1) for Fleming.
Referee: David O’Leary (Rathnure).