Griffin inspires a famous revival

COUNTY SHC QUARTER-FINAL Lixnaw 0-21 St Brendans 2-12

COMING into this particular quarter-final tie in the Austin Stack Park last Sunday afternoon neither side had displayed the necessary level of quality or consistency in the Championship to date to consider them as strong contenders for outright honours.

Lixnaw were adequate against Kilmoyley, but were outclassed by Causeway. So there was little to suggest that they would still be in the frame at the business end of the season.

Certainly not at the end of the first quarter in this particular encounter at which stage they trailed by seven points, 1-6 to 0-2. But then, St Brendans had been equally as impressive in the first half of their first round defeat at the hands of Causeway.

However, a lack of consistency ultimately put paid to their chances in that particular game. Still, Lixnaw were so much at odds with the situation throughout the first quarter in last weekend’s game that St Brendans with all of the individual aces looked to be the side firmly on course for victory.

But, sparked by the introduction of John Griffin, Lixnaw summoned up reserves of energy and character and ultimately fashioned a fully deserved win, somewhat against the odds.

It owed much to the industry and intensity which they injected into their play and, really, throughout all of the second half St Brendans were playing second fiddle to a fired up Lixnaw fifteen.

Ahead 0-2 to 0-1 after just four minutes of play St Brendans were boosted by a goal in the eight minute when Brendan O’Connor, completely unmarked in front of goal availed of Tom Moloney’s assist and applied the finish to the net from close range.

Indeed Moloney was very much a central figure in these early stages with his penetrating runs being a feature of his side’s approach play. With Fionán Mackessy also making a notable impression in the midfield sector, and converting some superb scores St Brendans increased their advantage and led by seven points, 1-5 to 0-1, after twelve minutes.

Lixnaw were largely reduced to sporadic attacks and with the St Brendan’s full-back line dominant Lixnaw’s scoring opportunities were limited. Shane Conway’s returns from placed balls kept them in touch, even if, they were still six points adrift, 1-7 to 0-4, by the 18th minute, at which stage they introduced John Griffin off the bench.

It had the effect of gradually improving the level of their efficiency, even if St Brendans remained largely in control with their scoring advantage being marginally reduced to four points, 1-9 to 0-8, by the half time break.

With six different scorers having contributed from play to the St Brendans scoring tally at this particular juncture it largely reflected the difference between the sides at the halfway point with six of Lixnaw’s eight point tally coming from placed balls, a few of which were pretty debatable decisions.

Mike Conway and Fionán Mackessy exchanged early second half points from play, but another brace from Shane Conway, one of which was a quite magnificent sideline conversion, added to by a long range effort from Gerard Stackpoole narrowed the gap to the bare minimum, 1-10 to 0-12, by the 39th minute.

It was level one minute later when John Griffin was on target from halfway, and with St Brendans struggling to make any inroads in attacking situations Lixnaw took complete control of proceedings.

Their defence individually and as a unit was rock solid denying any scoring opportunities and was the basis on which Lixnaw built their platform for victory. Shane Conway’s spiraling tally from placed balls along with a fine individual effort from Shane McElligott in the forty second minute meant that Lixnaw had overturned a seven point deficit at the end of the first quarter into a three-point lead, 0-16 to 1-10, heading into the final quarter.

St Brendans were still within striking distance, but the momentum was now fully with Lixnaw. A Cian Hussey pointed free kept St Brendans fading hopes alive at 0-17 to 1-11, but the reply from Lixnaw was immediate with John Griffin splitting the posts with a beauty from an extremely difficult angle out on the left wing.

Jeremy McKenna had the opportunity to put the issue completely beyond doubt, but was denied by a brilliant block from Darren Delaney at point blank range three minutes from the end of normal time and, while David Griffin with a point via the upright offered some hope, maybe, of a last gasp response from St Brendans it was Lixnaw who finished with a scoring flourish sealing the success with a few brilliant scores from Ricky Heffernan and Mike Conway.

Jerry Wallace did manage to provide the finish in a goalmouth scramble for a late consolation goal, but it didn’t have any effect on the eventual outcome. Lixnaw in the ascendancy for most of the second half were never likely to surrender their advantage with the encounter in added time.

Once again, it confirmed Lixnaw’s ability to rewrite their season when questions were being posed about their ability to stay afloat.

Whether it will be enough to qualify them for another final remains to be seen, but, if they can repeat last weekend’s second half performance they are going to be right in the mix, against whichever opposition they will face in the semi-final.

LIXNAW: Martin Stackpoole, Michael Quilter, Stephen Power, Jonathan Silles, Gerard Stackpoole (0-1), Darragh Shanahan, Brendan Brosnan, Pat Corridan, Shane McElligott (0-1), Brian McAuliffe, Ricky Heffernan (0-1), Jeremy McKenna (0-1), Shane Conway (0-11; 9f, 1 s/l), Michael Conway (0-4), James Flaherty Subs: John Griffin (0-2) for J Silles, Raymond Galvin for J Flaherty, William Costello for J McKenna

ST BRENDANS: Darren Delaney, Daniel Finnegan, Killian Woulfe, Stephen Leen, Padraig Kearney (0-1), Kevin Hannifin, Kevin Orpen, Darren Dineen, Jerry Wallace (1-0), Cian Hussey (0-2; 1f), Tom Moloney (0-1), David Griffin (0-1), Brendan O’Connor (1-1), Fionan Mackessy (0-4), John Egan (0-2; 1f) Subs: Eric Leen for P Kearney, Kieran Fitzgerald for D Finnegan, Bobby O’Regan for B O’Connor

REFEREE: Dinny Curtin (Cork)