McKenna the hero for Easkey
EASKEY CLONBUR
Connacht Junior Final
1-11 1-10
against the wind. Healy’s brace extending their advantage to eleven.
But nerves and an inability to dictate the game began to play their part as Clonbur slowly clawed their way back into contention.
An unorganised Easkey were punished for not dealing with Shane Kilgallon’s short kick-out when Joyce made the most of a free manufactured from sloppy Easkey play.
While Mullen had to punch a hail-Mary effort from a Clonbur free off his own goal line just seconds before Easkey had a goal disallowed for a square ball.
Shane Holleran’s charges kept things interesting as they kept their side of the scoreboard ticking over and were within five points of Easkey when Walter Holleren found the net on 45 minutes.
Desperate for a goal, Martin Kerrigan pushed Matthew Mannion’s punt towards the square in the direction of the waiting Holleren. The experienced full forward furiously thumping the ball first time, beyond Kilgallon.
Easkey were to go almost 30 minutes of play without a score as they struggled to hold back the Clonbur tide. And the points kept coming with Eoin Joyce central to proceedings.
He had his fourth on 56 minutes after both McKenna and Kilcullen were denied by blocks on the line from Clonbur net minder Enda Joyce and defender Michael Coyne.
Three further scores from the irresistible Eoin Joyce, the third the eventual leveller from long range had Easkey in real trouble with 60 seconds to go.
But somehow and from somewhere, even with the momentum firmly with the Tribesmen, in the second of the added minutes, McKenna pulled off what seemed the impossible.
In the left corner forward position and facing the breeze from the angle, the young IT Sligo student sent over a stunning point with the outside of his right boot to grab a famous victory at the very death.
EASKEY: Shane Kilgallon; Ian Barrett, Noel McGuire, Bernard Feeney; Eanna Moylan, Rory McHugh (0-1), James Lindsay (John Feeney 43); Eugene Mullen (0-1), Mikie Gordon; Dylan Sloyan, Joe McHugh, Emmet Healy (1-3); Andrew Kilcullen (0-2), Ryan McKenna (0-3), Kevin Duffy (0-1).
CLONBUR: Enda Joyce; Michael Coyne, Oisin Canney, David Feerick; David Wallace, Declan Kyne (0-1), Damian Morrin (0-1); Alan Kyne, Cathal Burke; Fionn Curren, Eoin Joyce (0-7), Martin Kerrigan (0-1); Trevor Leydon, Walter Holleran (1-0), Matthew Mannion (Paddy Feerick 58).
REFEREE: Liam Devenney (Mayo).