We don’t we
YOU’D have got long odds on The Curragh of Kildare ringing out around O’moore Park and Moorefield being crowned champions as the clock hit the red zone in yesterday’s Leinster club final.
Blue and white ribbons had already been attached to the trophy in anticipation of a St Loman’s victory as they pushed six points clear with Ronan O’toole’s goal with six minutes of normal time remaining.
They still led comfortably in injury time and there appeared to be no immediate danger, although there were signs St Loman’s were losing their composure and discipline.
Ken Casey, who scored their first goal in the 37th minute, was black-carded for a trip on Aaron Mullins, resulting in a point to pare it back to five but when James Murray placed Ronan Sweeney for a goal two minutes into injury time alarm bells started sounding.
Five minutes of additional minutes had been allotted by referee Barry Tiernan, who then sent off Paul Sharry on a second bookable offence, with Eanna O’connor slotting the free, and Loman’s were sinking fast.
O’connor then slotted the equaliser and yet more Loman’s indiscipline caused a subsequent free to be moved forward to a more scoreable position for the Kerry native. He skewed his shot but Sweeney kept it in play to allow Kevin Murnaghan to sensationally kick the winning score in the seventh minute of injury time.
“It looked dead and buried, let’s call a spade a spade,” said Moorefield manager Ross Glavin. “But one thing that the group of players have is a belief and a never-say-die attitude. I know it’s easy saying that now but it’s no coincidence.
“It’s not the first time we’ve won games like this. The Portlaoise game, even though it was a lot tighter, it still kind of looked like maybe a step too far but, again, they never gave up and momentum swung and it looked like we weren’t going to do anything other than win the game so it was a great performance in the end.”
Moorefield had the better of the first half after absorbing early Loman’s pressure and they led 0-7 to 0-4 at the break.
The game was turned on its head on the restart as the Westmeath champions quickly drew level before Casey struck for the game’s opening goal in the 37th minute. When he fed O’toole for the second 17 minutes later it looked all over.
However, Loman’s wore the look of a team that was home and dry from there and ultimately paid a heavy price for their complacency.
“The players inside are shellshocked,” said Loman’s boss Luke Dempsey, himself a former Moorefield manager. “I suppose I’m shellshocked too.
“It was the last few minutes of the match, like any sporting occasion, you have no control from the sideline – we had players coming off and being sent off.
“We ran in subs as we thought but ultimately it was probably James Murray, who had a magnificent game all day, he nipped in to a wayward pass and that set up Ronan Sweeney, who was also magnificent.
“As in any sport, if you get a goal that late you have the momentum.”
From looking forward to an All-ireland semifinal in February, a bleak winter now beckons.
Dempsey added: “Some players in there are in their mid30s. They have to make their minds up as to what they want to do. They’re great lads.
“It’s beyond our expectations to get to a Leinster final. We had it won and we didn’t win.” RONAN SWEENEY drew comparisons with his first Leinster title 17 years ago, but even that didn’t stand up against yesterday’s smash and grab victory for Moorefield.
Now 37, the former Kildare star and current county selector played a huge role in his side’s victory over St Loman’s, scoring 1-1 and setting up Kevin Murnaghan’s late, late winner after punching the ball back into play on the endline.
“I just got it clean,” he said. “I didn’t aim for anywhere, I just got lucky there, it just happened to land to Kevin.”
Sweeney has featured in the last three Leinster senior titles that have