Banville bags clinching goal
Shels see off St. Anne’s to reach fifth semi in six years
SHELMALIERS ST. ANNE’S 2-10 0-11
THE TIMING of Ross Banville’s second goal was perfect as far as Shelmaliers were concerned in Innovate Wexford Park on Sunday as it halted a St. Anne’s revival and ultimately earned a fifth Tom Doyle Supplies Senior football championship semi-final appearance in six years.
Although they trailed from as early as 24 seconds when Banville waltzed through unchallenged for his first major, the Rathangan side hit four points without reply between the 37th and 51st minutes to narrow the gap to the minimum (1-8 to 0-10).
Shelmaliers needed something special to stem the tide, and it duly arrived when Banville got the slightest of touches on a Brian Malone feed to direct the ball into the corner of Paul Brennan’s net at the Clonard end.
That goal was enough to kill off the St. Anne’s challenge as they lost a quarter-final for the third time in four years, with a late consolation point from a Redmond Barry free sandwiched between similar scores at the other end from Craig McCabe (free) and Simon Donohoe.
There was a lively start when Banville lost his would-be marker and ghosted in from the left wing to plant the ball high in the top corner of the net.
He was one of four Shelmaliers forwards to contribute more than one score on an afternoon when the inside trio of A.J. Lehane, McCabe and Conor Hearne all registered a brace of points apiece from play.
They were the more threatening side when in offensive mode throughout, with better options than their District rivals who relied on placed balls for six of their eleven points.
Free-taker Seán Kelly did respond to that Banville goal with a quick brace, but St. Anne’s had luck on their side in the ninth minute when Brian Malone set up county colleague Eoghan Nolan for a powerful shot which rebounded off the crossbar.
Lehane and Simon Donohoe made it 1-2 to 0-2 before Kelly (free) and Diarmuid O’Keeffe brought it back to a one-point game, but a black card for Michael Fogarty after he blocked a Nolan run didn’t help the losers’ cause.
A little nudge on Lehane as he kicked in the 20th minute meant that a goal chance went right and wide, but he added a point on their next attack before James Gordon parried a head-high Seán Kelly drive from a tight angle at the other end.
A good turn and point by Craig McCabe led to a profitable short spell when the Shels dominated the St. Anne’s kick-out, and it yielded another two points.
James Cash claimed a mark and fed Ross Banville to make it 1-5 to 0-4, while Conor Hearne stretched their advantage to five after Eoin Doyle won the break from the next re-start.
A late Seán Kelly free left St. Anne’s trailing by 1-6 to 0-5 at half-time, with Shels captain Eoin Doyle sending an effort on goal wide on a day when his shooting radar wasn’t working.
St. Anne’s had the wind on the re-start and, after Craig McCabe and Mark Furlong exchanged early points, Eoin Doyle’s tackle on Jonathan Fogarty was enough to ensure he missed a goal attempt that would have made it really interesting.
All the same, the Shels didn’t score for 16 minutes after Conor Hearne made it 1-8 to 0-6, and in that time St. Anne’s whittled their lead down point by point.
Seán Kelly (free), Diarmuid O’Keeffe, Kelly and Redmond Barry grabbed the scores that gave them momentum, with Kelly’s strike from play coming on the rebound after he had rattled the crossbar with his initial attempt in the 46th minute.
It was the only time in the game that Shelmaliers looked in any way vulnerable, but all fears of a defeat for the favourites faded after the lively Ross Banville timed his run to perfection to tip Brian Malone’s pass to the net with just under eight minutes left. It was plain sailing from that point onwards.
Shelmaliers: James Gordon; Andre O’Brien, James Cash, Ciarán O’Shaughnessy; Simon Donohoe (0-2), Graham Staples, Glen Malone; Brian Malone, Eoghan Nolan; Jody Donohoe, Eoin Doyle (capt.), Ross Banville (2-1); A.J. Lehane (0-2), Craig McCabe (0-3, 1 free), Conor Hearne (0-2). Subs. - Seán Keane-Carroll for J. Donohoe (HT), Páraic O’Leary for Doyle (52), Cian Manley for Hearne (57).
St. Anne’s: Paul Brennan; Páraic O’Keeffe, Tomás Cullen (capt.), Kenny Cloney; Michael O’Brien, Seán Gaul, Finn O’Driscoll; David O’Connor, Michael Fogarty; Liam Og McGovern, Diarmuid O’Keeffe (0-2), Liam Rochford; Redmond Barry (0-2, 1 free), Seán Kelly (0-6, 5 frees), Mark Furlong (0-1). Subs. - Jonathan Fogarty for M. Fogarty, black card (18), Jack Murphy for Rochford (50), Philip Rawson for Furlong (50).
Referee: Seán Whelan (St. Martin’s).