Coolera/ Strandhill make history
COOLERA/STRANDHILL 2-25 NAOMH EOIN 3-10
Coolera lead for the first time just 60 seconds from the break. Brennan blocking down an attempted clearance before following through and tapping home for the game’s second goal.
But a dogged Naomh Eoin returned to copy the feat barely one minute later. Niall Feehily’s free from well inside his own half somehow finding its way past a field of players before bouncing unnoticed into the Coolera net.
While further white flags from Murphy and Larry Cadden for Coolera and a Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch point at the other end saw Coolera lead 2-9 to 1-11 at the break.
Coolera were the hungrier, more accurate side in the second half hour as Naomh Eoin went an incredible 21 minutes without moving the scoreboard.
With an ever strengthening wind now in their favour, Coolera racked up score after score. Murphy and O’Flynn from the half-way kept the red and white on track, while Brennan found the bottom corner on 38.
Murphy sent over a 65 three minutes later, while Comerford made the most of a free after Brennan was fouled by Matthew Davey.
Naomh Eoin’s quest was made that bit tougher on 44 when Davey was shown a straight red card following a meaty challenge on a Coolera player.
Comerford, Gary Cadden and Kevin Banks’ second point elevated Coolera into a nine point lead with ten left. But Naomh Eoin gave themselves a fighting chance when Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch rammed the free he himself had won, past a forest of legs.
Coolera were themselves reduced to 14 on 52. Eoin Comerford dismissed after being shown a second yellow having pulled Cathal Jordan to the floor.
But the status quo remained as Coolera continued to match and then better Naomh Eoin on the scoresheet.
Tony O’Kelly-Lynch’s second score was outdone by a magnificent wind-assisted point from O’Flynn once more.
Naomh Eoin’s final chance to catch their opponents came and went four minutes from time when, having conceded the penalty, Scanlon kept out Gerard O’Kel- ly-Lynch’s drive which was hit straight down the middle.
The cup was firmly in Coolera’s grasp at this stage. O’Flynn, Colm Parke and Conor Gillen all adding further scores as Coolera ended their run of county finals without victory.
COOLERA/STRANDHILL: Colm Scanlon; Niall Cadden, Conor O’Mahoney, Ronan Redmond; Conor Gillen (0-1), Kevin Banks (0-2), Mark Comerford; Eoin Comerford (0-5), Gary Cadden (0-1); Larry Cadden (0-1), Niall Murphy (0-6), Frankie O’Flynn (0-6); Shane Brennan (Luke Comerford HT), Ciaran Brennan (2-2), Colm Parke (0-1).
NAOMH EOIN: Michael Healy; Tom O’Callaghan, Matthew Davey, David Hickey (George Wall 20); Roan Conneely (Tom Armstrong 64), Niall Feehily (1-0), Cathal Jordan; Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch (1-7), Tony O’Kelly-Lynch (02); Donal Fidgeon (1-0), Paul Kilcoyne (0-1); Niall Campbell (Conor McGovern 46); Ryan Feehily, Liam Henry (Gerard Leamy HT), Stephen Henry. REFEREE: Michael Connolly (Western Gaels).