Stalemate for O’Dorney and St Brendans

COUNTY SHC QUARTER-FINAL Abbeydorney 1-12 St Brendans 1-12

A FINAL flourish which yielded 1-2 without reply in added time afforded Abbeydorney a share of the spoils last Saturday evening.

For the most part the encounter had fallen short on quality and, when St Brendans scored what was a somewhat debatable goal in the fifty first minute, it looked as if it would prove to be the game’s defining score.

However, credit Abbeydorney whose momentum never wavered, and their never say die attitude was ultimately rewarded in a pretty frantic finish.

When one evaluates the contest in its entirety a draw was probably overall a fair result given the goal opportunities, which O’Dorney created and failed to capitalise upon, and the ten first half wides posted by St Brendans some of which were from very good positions.

O’Dorney got to grips with the situation at the outset of proceedings, and, were two points in front inside the opening three minutes of play.

However, with John Egan operating to good effect in a withdrawn role St Brendans were level 0-2 0-2 at the end of the first quarter courtesy of a pointed free from the aforementioned Egan, and, a point from play, from Tom Moloney after Egan once again had created the chance for him.

Two pointed frees from Nigel Roche meant that Abbeydorney had restored a two point cushion by the eighteenth minute, but the pendulum swung back once again in favour of St Brendans with Cian Hussey punishing a poor puck out to narrow the gap to a single point and, with Kevin Hannafin landing a beauty after some very good build up play which involved a surging run beyond halfway by Rory Horgan, St Brendans were level once again by the twenty second minute.

They were two in front 0-6 0-4 four minutes later, with both John Egan and Eric Leen converting from play.

However, with Brendan O Leary continuing to hurl with a lot of endeavour in the heart of the O’Dorney defence the Black and Amber brigade responded, and, three unanswered points with Aidan Healy’s effort being particularly noteworthy pushed O’Dorney back in front by the bare minimum 0-7 0-6.

John Egan’s third point, his second from a placed ball from distance meant that the encounter was deadlocked 0-7 0-7 at the interval break, with Nigel Roche having contributed five of his side’s first half tally.

He edged his side back in front within two minutes of the restart and, after O’Dorney had failed to profit from a goaling chance, Kevin Skinner levelled matters once again 0-8 0-8 with forty one minutes having elapsed.

It was still level 0-9 0-9 at the end of the third quarter, and, after Abbeydorney had wasted another goal scoring chance, a pointed free from John Egan put St Brendans back in front 0-10 0-9 by the forty ninth minute.

Two minutes later St Brendans had the ball in the net, after Tim Hannafin, who had just come on the pitch, was on hand to provide the finish from close range after John Egan had squared the ball across the face of the goal.

Whether it was a square ball or not, was questionable, but, the match officials had little or no hesitation before allowing it to stand. Kevin Skinner’s second point meant that there was five points 1-11 0-9 between the teams, a margin which remained until the sixty first minute with O-Dorney failing to finish off a gilt-edged goaling opportunity, in a two on one situation.

Having also been off target with a number of frees they needed a goal to salvage the situation and it duly arrived in the sixty fourth minute when a long probing delivery was forced over the line in a goalmouth scramble.

At first glance it looked as if David Egan might have got the final touch, but it was James O’Connor in fact who applied the finish. Just a point adrift 1-12 1-11 O’Dorney pushed up and pressurised the St Brendans puck out, and they paid the price for going short once again, with Nigel Roche levelling matters after David Egan had won a vital possession.

O’Dorney had one final chance to snatch a last gasp winning score, but, the referee’s whistle brought proceedings to a close with Kieran Dineen shaping up for a shot at goal from the sixty five metre line.

In the end, both sides were probably satisfied to get a second chance, given that neither of them had played anywhere near their potential.

For Abbeydorney there’s the bonus that Michael O Leary is likely to be available for the replay which could now go back to the tail end of the month.

ABBEYDORNEY: Brian Donovan, Stevie O Sullivan, Eoin Egan, Niall O’Connell, Daniel O’Leary, Brendan O’Leary, Kieran Dineen, P.J. Kane (0-1), Brian O Leary, James O’Connor (1-0), Nigel Roche (0-10 0-9 frees), Aidan Healy (0-1), David Egan, Mike Hannafin, Ronan Donovan Subs: Niall O’Mahony for S O’Sullivan, Damien Ryall for M Hannafin, Darragh Scanlon for PJ Kane

ST Brendans: Darren Delaney, Rory Horgan, Jerry Wallace, Fionan Horgan, Kevin Hannafin (0-1), Darren Dineen, Kevin Orpen, David Griffin (0-1), Seamus Skinner, Stephen Leen, Tom Moloney (01), Kevin Skinner (0-2), Cian Hussey (0-1) Eric Leen (0-1) John Egan (0-4 0-3 frees) Subs: Tim Hannafin (1-0), for T Moloney, Padraig O’Mahony (0-1) for S Leen, Nicky O’Sullivan for D Delaney.

REFEREE: Diarmuid Kirwan (Cork)