Pat’s strike late for draw
FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND-UP
AFTER GOING a full 30 minutes without a score, including 20 of those against 14 men, St. Patrick’s grabbed two injury-time points to snatch a draw against Kilanerin in the Joyces Expert Intermediate ‘A’ football championship Group B at St Patrick’s Park.
Trailing by 0-10 to 0-8, Tomás Morris kicked a 20-metre free after Shane Finn was fouled to cut the gap to one in the 62nd minute. Then, from the resulting kick-out, Richie Flood won possession, drew defenders, and fed Damien Grannell who nailed the tying score from almost 30 metres out to the left of the posts.
To almost universal groans, referee Aiden O’Brien immediately blew his full-time whistle after Eoin Lucey’s kick-out to leave both sides heading home somewhat disappointed. Earlier, the newlook, better-resourced Kilanerin second string started on the front with Emmet O’Toole booting the opening point.
The Camolin-based club hit back three points in a row but the scores were tied at 0-3 each after 16 minutes. It was still tied, now at four apiece, when Damien Grannell broke in on goal in the 25th minute but Lucey pushed his goalbound shot over the crossbar.
St. Pat’s quickly extended their 0-6 to 0-5 interval lead to three but went off the boil, and Kilanerin began to boss proceedings, despite losing Colin Breen to a second yellow card in the 42nd minute.
Level for the fourth time at eight each, Patrick Fortune kicked his side ahead with three minutes remaining. Cillian O’Toole doubled the advantage but they couldn’t hold on and their opponents nabbed a share of the spoils with those two injury-time points.
St. Patrick’s: Jack Quinn; Brian Cadigan, James Cousins (capt.), Joe Cousins; Daryl Murphy, Dermot O’Leary, Peter Roche; Michael O’Brien (0-1), Shane Finn; Hughie Doyle, Richie Flood (0-3, 2 frees), Andrew Doyle (0-1); Tomás Morris (0-3, 1 free), John Doyle, Damien Grannell (0-2). Subs. - Ashley Tully for J. Doyle, inj. (10), Ian Maguire for Tully, black card (41).
Kilanerin: Eoin Lucey; Colm Noctor, Lorcan Clare, Damien Tobin; Conor Byrne, Cillian O’Toole (0-1), Paddy Carton; Colin Breen, Jim Hughes; Willie Murphy, Noel Gallagher (0-4, 2 frees), Martin Sheehan; Danny Howard, Emmet O’Toole (0-4, 3 frees), Lee Owley. Subs. - Niall Gethings for Hughes, inj. (20), Patrick Fortune (0-1) for Murphy (36), Enda O’Leary for Howard (44), Aidan Hegarty for Sheehan (55).
Referee: Aiden O’Brien (Cloughbawn).