Referee abandons game after late draw drama

at Merrymeetings

field and the protests being directed towards the match official, Roche made the decision to abandon the game rather than play extra-time as is the rule.

It is also reported that two off-duty gardai who were in attendance at the game as supporters felt it necessary to accompany Roche off the field to the dressing rooms and from there to his car.

Wicklow GAA are awaiting the referee’s report and will deliberate upon that report when it is received.

Glenealy full-forward Cian Conlon open the scoring after six minutes which brought a quick response from the boys in blue and white when corner-forward John O’Brien replied with a point to bring the teams level at 0-1 each after ten minutes.

At this stage St Patrick’s upped the tempo and took the game to the pre-match favourites but they failed to convert their dominance into scores as they landed three wides in a row and also the crossbar denied the Wicklow town side a score. The outstanding Billy Joe Connors showed his ability when he scored a long-range point from a free to edge St Pat’s ahead 0 2 to 0 1.

After both missed a scoring chance each up stepped Alex Kavanagh to bring the sides level once more at 0-2 apiece and both Kavanagh and Connors exchanged further points from frees moments later to bring it to 0-3 apiece.

With both defences on top scorers were hard to come by it was only fittings that top marks mem Alex Kavanagh and Billy Joe Connors should exchange a point each from frees which left the teams level once more at 0 3 each.

Overcarrying by centre back John O’Brien gave ace free-taker Kavanagh an easy chance to slot over a point to edge Glenealy in front by 0-4 to 0-3 after 20 minutes played.

Billy Joe Connors stepped up to the mark when the centre forward scored the opening goal and the same player went on to add two more points, both from play, to give his side a 1-5 to 0-4 lead.

A typical Glenealy rally before the break saw Alex Kavanagh add two points, one from a free, to close the first-half scoring which left St Patrick’s leading at the break with a two-point lead at 1-5 to 0-6 and all to play for.

Just like the opening half both sides missed early chances before Michael Anthony O’Neill’s side were given a boost when a free from Alex Kavanagh found the net to give Glenealy a 1-6 to 1-5 lead. Not for the first time in this encounter St Patrick’s answered well and were given a great boost when Billy Joe Connors inflicted two hammer blows by scoring two goals in the space of five minutes to give his side what looked like a commanding lead of 3-5 to 1-6 ten minutes into the second half.

Glenealy replied well with two points from Alex Kavanagh from frees, before Billy Joe Connors floated over four unanswered points, three frees, with time almost up to give St Patrick’s a seven-point lead and looking like winners with a lead of 3-9 to 1-8.

However, all the drama was seen in the final minutes when wing back Sam Smyth got to the end of a move to score a goal which cut the St Patrick’s lead to four in injury time.

Following a Glenealy attack, the St Patrick’s defence stood firm and won a free out. However, referee Robert Roche overturned his decision and awarded a free in which Cian Conlon blasted to the net leaving the St Patrick’s team and mentors in a state of shock.

St Patrick’s had one last effort to seal victory but fired wide and Glenealy went in search of an equaliser and were rewarded with a late point to bring the sides level.

What a pity there was so much drama and controversy in the final minutes of what was a fine sporting contest between two evenly matched teams which proved to be a shoot-out between top marks men Billy Joe Connors and Alex Kavanagh who accounted 4-16 of their sides total.

With referee Robert Roche abandoning the game rather than playing extra-time it is surely a matter for the boardroom.

- St Patrick’s: Billy Joe Connors 3-8 (4f), John O’Brien 0-1.

Glenealy: Alex Kavanagh 1-8 (5f), Cian Conlon 1-1, Sam Smyth 1-0.

Scorers ST PATRICK’S:

Liam Delaney; Harry Tobin Kelly, Adam Kelly, Bill Connors; Fionn Greene, Denis O’Brien, John O’Brien; Sam Culleton, Tadgh Keating; Alex Sinnott, Billy Joe Connors, Bill O’Brien; John O’Brien, Matt Gleeson, Johnno Moorehouse. Sub: Michael O’Brien for T Keating.

GLENEALY:

Alex O’Dowd; Emmet Ronan, Kyle Byrne, Ben Meade; Sam Smyth, Micheal Óg O’Neill, Dermot Twoomey; Andrew Lynch, Cormac Byrne; Sam Gillespie, Alex Kavanagh, Lorcan Byrne; Aron Devlin, Cian Conlon, Jonah Fanning. Subs: James Byrne, Daren Lacey.

REFEREE:

Robert Roche (Carnew)