Dutton on the button with equaliser
at Pearses’ Park, Arklow the south men from going even further ahead at this stage.
Another excellent point from a 45 by Mulhall increased the lead but Kilcoole were battling hard. Quigley pointed again from play, Lee Dutton converted a free with his left and Jack Bellamy levelled the game in the twentieth minute.
Lee Dutton put the Goosebank ahead with another free and when Jack Bellamy pointed again from play the momentum appeared to be moving to Kilcoole with eight minutes of normal time left.
Coolboy, to their credit thought otherwise and attacked immediately from the kick out and split the defence with an excellent passing movement which put substitute Daithai Tighe through to beat his Kilcoole namesake with a ground shot.
Coolboy were now back in the lead again.
It was short-lived as Jack Bellamy levelled again with six minutes left. Lee Dutton pointed again, this time from play and excitement was now at a fever pitch as Coolboy fought to save the game.
Centre-back Johnny Willoughby moved into attack and sent over the equaliser with two minutes left.
This score was hotly disputed by Kilcoole defenders but referee Noel Kinsella allowed it to stand following consultations with his officials.
When play resumed Kilcoole lost Matt Kennedy to a second yellow card and now had to play out the remaining minutes with 13th players.
In the first minute of injury time that man PJ Mulhall put Coolboy back in the lead again from play. Kilcoole fought back and were awarded a free about 40 metres out. Matt Gilbert’s effort struck the post and came back into play.
From the ensuing play another free in was awarded, this time out on the right. Lee Dutton nailed the shot with the last kick of the game.
Both sides were disappointed at the end (for different reasons) but neither team deserved to lose having served up such an excellent game in the conditions.
A noteworthy feature of the game was the excellent place kicking displayed by both sides, with options off left and right available to both sides.
Scorers – Kilcoole: Matt Gilbert 0-4, Vinny Quigley 0-3, Lee Dutton 0-4, Jack Bellamy 0-3
Scorers – Coolboy: P.J. Mulhall 0-6, Daithai Tighe 1-0, Kevin O’Keeffe 0-2, Wayne Kinsella 0-1, Stephan Carter 0-1, Johnny Willoughby 0-1.
Kilcoole: Glen Tighe; Conor O’Toole, Colm McGovern, Luke Reilly; Keith Reynolds, Matt Kennedy, Dara Keddy; Vinny Quigley, Ronan Keddy; Jack Bellamy, Matt Gilbert, Lee Dutton; Luke Evans, Eoin Keddy, Declan Roper; Subs- Toby O’Brien for Declan Roper.
Coolboy: Joe Dempsey; Seamus Gregan, Brendan Behan, Garrett Gregan; Alan Kinsella, Johnny Willoughby, Jonathan Sinnott; Dan Nolan, Wayne Kinsella; Adam Barnes, P.J. O’Keeffe, P.J. Mulhall; Kevin O’Keeffe, Michael Gregan, Stephan Carter: Subs- Enda Gettings for Adam Barnes; Daithai Tighe for Michael Gregan.
Referee: Noel Kinsella