Clongeen finish shocks Harriers
Nine-point deficit overturned
CLONGEEN FAYTHE HARRIERS
TRAILING BY nine points at the intervfal and six points with ten minutes remaining, Clongeen ran riot in the closing minutes to emege with a dramatic one-point victory over Faythe Harriers in their Junior hurling championship Group B game in Páirc Charman on Thursday.
Faythe Harriers looked comfortable having dominated the opening 30 minutes, and when they consolidated their position to still lead by 2-14 to 2-8 with ten minutes remaining they looked in control.
Clongeen closed out the game with two goals in a two-minute spell though to leave the home side shell-shocked.
Faythe Harriers opened impressively with three Daniel Lynch points in the space of as many minutes, with Clongeen had to wait until the sixth minute for their opening score, a Shane Cahill pointed free.
Faythe Harriers still led by 0-6 to 0-4 after 20 minutes before Eoin Roche collected a high Jack Murphy delivery to finish to the net from close range.
And when Daniel Lynch goaled just on the break, they led by 2-8 to 0-5 at the interval, the remaining Clongeen scores coming through Cahill frees and a Martin Delaney effort.
After Shane Cahill (free) and Conor Halligan (‘65 and free) exchanged early second-half scores, Clongeen got a real boost when Anton Stafford finished to the net from a acute angle to leave it 2-10 to 1-6 after 37 minutes.
Halligan, this time from play, and Cahill continued to exchange scores, while on 43 minutes Ger Foxe found the net with an excellent shot to the opposite corner from 25 minutes, reducing the deficit to four points (2-11 to 2-7).
Three Halligan points, two from frees, with a Shane Cahill pointed free in between, still left six points separating the sides with ten minutes of action remaining (214 to 2-8).
After a Cahill pointed free had reduced the deficit, Clongeen managed to turn in a storming finish.
Cahill goaled five minutes from the end, while Ger Foxe powered home his second with three minutes left to give his side a dramatic 4-9 to 2-14 lead.
Cahill extended the lead with a huge point off the sideline, but once a Halligan pointed free left the minimum separating the sides, Clongeen had to put up a stubborn resistance in the closing minutes before emerging with a dramatic victory.
Clongeen: Ricky Rochford; Donal Whelan, Danny O’Grady, Tom Donovan; Marty Reville, Barry Foxe, Paude Cahill; Paul Curtis, Shane Cahill (1-8, 0-5 frees); Martin Delaney (0-1), Enda Murphy, Ger Foxe (2-0); Anton Stafford (1-0), Robert Farrell (0-1), James Keating. Sub. - Jamesie Rochford for Keating.
Faythe Harriers: James Henebery; Seán Banville, Jason O’Dowd, Danny Walsh; Fran Cleary, Jim Berry, Ben O’Brien; Tomás Campbell (0-1), Jack Murphy; Conor Halligan (0-9, 4 frees, 1 ‘65), Shane Howard (0-1), Daniel Lynch (1-3); Eoin Roche (1-1), Jack O’Leary, Fiach O Crualaoich. Subs. - Damien Roche for O Crualaoich, Pádraig Clancy for Roche.
Referee: Fintan Whyte (St. James’).