Contentious late peno call sends ‘Bridge into final
KNOCKBRIDGE NAOMH MONINNE
WITH a win for either side guaranteeing them a place in the final this fourth round match in the senior league took on a greater significance last Thursday evening. It was also to be the first hurling match played on the Clans new pitch and spectators were treated to a match that had plenty of talking points.
Despite accounting for twenty plus wides over the hour Moninne appeared on course for a rare victory over their opponents and were good value for their two points lead as the game had entered injury time.
They were to be denied however by a goal scored by Ronan Byrne from a penalty with what turned out be the last puck of the game.
County stalwarts Ronan Byrne and Diarmuid Murphy exchanged the opening two points from frees before Darren O Hanrahan and Conor Deane did likewise to leave the sides tied at two points a piece after seven minutes.
Knockbridge then rolled off five points in a row from the sticks of Gareth Hall, Robert Wallace (2) and Byrne (2) to take command. Despite accounting for ten first half wides Moninne struck back with three points of their own on the run into half time from Tadhg Moore and a Murphy brace to leave them trailing by 0-7 to 0-5 at the break.
The sides exchanged the opening two points on the resumption before Conor Deane extended his sides lead to three with a good point from play. That lead was cut to one thanks to a brace of points from Moninne centre half forward John Martin within 60 seconds of each other.
A pointed free from top scorer Byrne showed his side in front by 0-10 to 0-8 on 42 minutes but over the next 14 minutes the town outfit upped their game and four unanswered points from Ronan Geoghegan (3) and Darren O Hanrahan saw them two in front 0-12 to 0-10.
When Moninne substitute Donal Connolly pointed from play in reply to another Byrne pointed free on 60 minutes the black and amber outfit looked to have done enough for the victory over their opponents but late drama was to follow.
Full forward Gareth Hall made a high catch before falling to the ground and as he was surrounded by several Moninne defenders the referee to the dismay of many spread his arms awarding a penalty. Ronan Byrne duly dispatched the free past keeper James Connolly who managed to get his stick to the sliotar and before he had time to puck it out the referee blew the final whistle. KNOCKBRIDGE: James King; Ronan Mulholland, Brian Buckley, Andrew Smith; Mark Wallace, Ronan Byrne (1-5 all frees), Ricky McKeown; Conor Deane (0-2 1 free), James Costello; David Kettle, Peter Brennan, Liam Molloy; Robert Wallace (02), Gareth Hall (0-1), Gavin Kane (0-1).
NAOMH MONINNE: James Connolly; James Murphy, Chris Lennon, Paul Challoner; Mattie Fee, Oisin Drumm, Diarmuid Murphy (0-3, 2 frees); Darren O Hanrahan (0-2 frees), Feidhelm Joyce; Collins Connolly, John Martin (0-2), Stephen Ryan; Ronan Geoghegan (0-4, 1 free), Andrew Mackin, Tadhg Moore (0-1). Subs – Mark McGuinness for J Murphy, Donal Connolly (0-1) for S Ryan, Donal Griffin for C Connolly, Tommy McArdle for T Moore.