Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Gaels live to fight in the replay
JOE KERNAN insists Ireland can retain the Cormac Mcanallen trophy in Saturday’s second International Rules Test match in Perth after a strong fourth quarter yesterday.
The Ireland boss refused to criticise his players whose preparations were hampered by a vomiting bug that ruled Enda Smith and Niall Murphy out in Adelaide.
And to make matters worse, Mayo’s AFL star Pearce Hanley suffered a broken hand yesterday and has been ruled out of second Test.
“With the week that we’ve had with the sickness and the injury, I’m very proud of the players, the way they finished the game,” Kernan (inset) said. “Unlucky that we might have been a wee bit closer, we had a couple of chances late on and a goal would have helped us. But it is what it is, 10 points, the game’s not over.”
With Michael Murphy and Conor Mcmanus prominent, the visitors started brightly and, aided by Murphy’s goal at the start of the second quarter, led by 24-14.
But that was as good as it got as Australia replied with 11 points ina-row, including two excellent Nat Fyfe efforts, to take a 28-27 lead into the interval before Hanley’s injury.
The Aussies drove home their advantage in the third quarter when Fyfe rattled the net and Eddie Betts and Paddy Ryder scored overs.
Murphy, Mcmanus and Paul Geaney narrowed the gap before a palmed goal from Luke Shuey helped the Australians to a 61-47 lead after the third quarter.
The series looked to be as good as over at this juncture, but Ireland rallied late on to reduce the hosts’ advantage to 10 points, and give themselves a fighting chance.
There was a disappointing crowd of 25,502 at the 53,500 capacity Adelaide Oval in the sweltering heat but Kernan is looking forward to next week.
“We know there are goals in us so hopefully we will be more clinical in Perth,” he said while refusing to blame the 33ºc conditions.
“The heat probably did favour them but in fairness it could have been worse,” he said. “There was a bit of cloud cover and a breeze but it could have been much worse and wasn’t the reason we lost.” CAVAN GAELS boss Jason Reilly admitted nerves were a factor as both teams failed to grab their big chance at Clones.
This was a rare opportunity for one of these teams to step into the unknown and reach an Ulster club football final for the first time but they couldn’t be separated, even after extra time.
Instead watching Slaughtneil boss Mickey Moran will have to wait until this weekend’s replay to see who the holders will meet in the decider on November 26 after they overcame Kilcar in Saturday’s brilliant shoot-out in Omagh.
Fermanagh champs Derrygonnelly had better chances to win it with Paul Ward missing frees to win it at the end of normal time and extra time.
Cavan led 0-3 to 0-1 early on but Derrygonnelly hit four in a row to go in 0-6 to 0-5 ahead at the break. Cavan Gaels again seized control in the third quarter with five points in a row to build up a 0-10 to 0-6 lead. Levi Murphy hit two of their points before he saw red and got sent off for striking Conal Jones.
Cavan fell apart with 14 men and Derrygonnelly, inspired by Jones’ brothers Ryan, Garvan and Conal, hit a purple patch and made it 10 points each with Conal Jones’ injury time free.
Twice Derrygonnelly took the lead in extra time and twice Cavan levelled it, sub Darragh Sexton’s 77th minute setting up a replay.
“The boys are down because they know they didn’t perform,” admitted Reilly. “Two teams were after the one big prize and mistakes do happen.”