Avoca edge out Avondale in a real thriller

at Rooster Park, Avoca was balanced by a John Gilvary point from play.

Ian Heffernan, who was having a storming second half, pointed again from play on 16 minutes. A Patrick Kennedy point from a free brought the score to 2-9 to 1-9 in favour of Avoca after 18 minutes. Excitement was at a fever pitch with every player giving his all.

Then disaster happened for Avoca. Brian Canavan picked up his second yellow card and was gone. McGraynor added a point from play and with just two points in the difference now, Avoca suffered another bad blow when they lost their influential midfielder Patrick Kennedy, also on his second yellow card.

Down to 13 men with eight minutes left on the clock and things were looking gloomy for Avoca. A point from play by Andrew Doyle (Jr) with five minutes left steadied Avoca nerves.

Ian Heffernan tagged on two more points from frees but the home side had the final say with a point from a free just on the call of time. Avondale also lost Kevin Sheehan on his second yellow just at the end and Cormac Doyle received a black card following a lung-bursting chase back over half the length of the field to prevent an almost certain goal for Avoca.

This was a very enjoyable game contested to the very end by two committed teams who spared no effort in their battle for success. AVOCA SCORERS: Jason Porter (1-3), Patrick Kennedy (0-3), Stephen McCauley (1-0), John Gilvary (0-2), Martin Kenny (0-1), Chris Arthur (0-1), Andrew Doyle Jr (0-1). AVONDALE SCORERS: Ian Heffernan (0-8, 6 frees), Shane Birch (1-0), Sean McGraynor (0-2), Anthony Byrne (0-1), Cormac Doyle (0-1). AVOCA: Chris Canavan, Darren Keogh, Billy Byrne, John Kavanagh, Colin Doran, Chris Arthur, Bradley Moran, Martin Kenny, Patrick Kennedy, Dean Power, John Gilvary, Stephen McCauley, Jason Porter, Brian Canavan, Adam Tuke. Subs: Andrew Doyle (Sr) for Darren Keogh, Andrew Doyle (Jr) for Dean Power. AVONDALE: Mikey O’Toole, Kevin Sheehan, Shane O’Neill, Sean Kinsella, Stephan Langan, Brian Olahan, Aonghus O Broin, Seamus McGraynor, Cathal Doyle, Callum Pursey, Shane Birch, Cormac Doyle, Craig Byrne, Ian Heffernan, Anthony Byrne. Subs: Kevin Fitzpatrick for Shane Birch, Dermot O Broin, Conor Sheehan for Cormac Doyle (black card). REFEREE: Ciaran O’Shea.