Dempsey saves Joseph’s
ST. JOSEPH’S CLONGEEN
SHANE DEMPSEY was the toast of St. Joseph’s as his goal in additional time gave them a dramatic late victory over Clongeen in this Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate football championship relegation final in Killurin on Saturday.
Dempsey’s winner arrived three minutes into additional time which helped salvage his side’s Intermediate status for another year, while it was sheer devastation for Clongeen who will play out of the Intermediate ‘A’ grade in 2018, a huge blow to this onceproud footballing stronghold just ten years after their sole Senior championship success.
While Dempsey’s goal did arrive late it did not bring the drama to an end, as Clongeen attacked on the kick-out, forcing a free some 40 metres from goal, directly in front of the posts.
Referee James Owens told the kicker, William McDonald, that he had to score to direct, but as the ball floated towards the crossbar it was tipped over by ‘keeper Wayne Carty, so the score was not allowed to stand.
Incidentally, Owens said after the game the score would have been disallowed had it gone over direct owing to a square infringement.
St. Joseph’s dominated the opening ten minutes, at the end of which they led by 1-4 to 0-1, the goal a Dean Roche eighth-minute effort.
Eleven minutes into the game Clongeen hauled themselves back through a Robert Farrell goal, and when Shane Cahill followed with a second goal three minutes later the sides were level (1-4 to 2-1).
Clongeen took the initiative, resulting in points through Cahill, McDonald and Shane Cahill which left them with a 2-7 to 1-7 interval lead.
While Robert Farrell extended his side’s lead on the resumption, a Paul Murphy 38th-minute goal lifted St. Joseph’s, but they still trailed by 2-11 to 2-9 as the game moved into additional time.
In one late desperate attack, one of their better players, John Fenlon, won possession out on the right wing.
His high ball across goal deceived the defence, leaving Dempsey to rise at the far post to fist the ball downwards into the net. Clongeen were shell-shocked, with their dreams of preserving their status shattered.
Wayne Carty; John Fenlon, Lee Wadding, Seamus King; Eddie Lawlor, Philip Leniston, Paddy Harnett; Deckie Downes (0-2), Paul Murphy (1-1); Gary Byrne, Derek Bergin, Jamie McMahon; Dean Roche (1-0), Andy Moore, Shane Dempsey (1-6, 0-5 frees). Subs. - Jim Berry for McMahon, Robin Dempsey for Roche.
Clongeen: Danny Redmond; Stephen Curtis, Barry Foxe (0-1), Matty Reville; Donal Whelan, Anton Stafford, Enda Murphy; Shane Cahill (1-2), Shane Kilkenny; Ger Foxe, Paudie Cahill (0-2), Robert Farrell (1-0); Jim Bennett, Leon Stafford (0-1), William McDonald (0-5). Subs. - Cathal Murphy for Kilkenny, Jamie Keating for G. Foxe.
Referee: James Owens (Kilrush).