Mochta’s defiant late rally falls just short
stoppage-time hero and it’s Courtwood who advance to a semi-final meeting with Two Mile House.
Mochta’s had appeared to have the upper hand in the early stages as they led on three occasions, only to be pegged back as a lively opening 10 minutes ended 3-3.
Declan Byrne, from play and a free, and Barry Mulholland with a fine effort on the run had the home side’s scores, while Courtwood countered through Niall Dunne, Sean O’Flynn and Danny Luttrell (from a 45).
Both teams also racked up a number of wides, but on 14 minutes Courtwood struck for the first of their goals when Luke Doran intercepted a sloppy pass from Philip Englishby and soloed forward before striking a powerful angled shot low to the corner of Jason Callan’s net.
There was no sense of panic in the Mochta’s camp, though, and after Byrne had struck the upright from a free, Englishby was twice involved in a move that ended with a fine Ciaran McMahon score.
That was the first of five consecutive points as Mochta’s enjoyed their best spell of the game. Byrne (2), Gerry Garland and Jamie Farrell - with an inspirational score - had their side 0-8 to 1-3 ahead and the gap should have been greater.
On 28 minutes another forward burst by Englishby put Courtwood on the back foot and a superb driven pass by Byrne picked out Stephen McCooey. The number 14 side-stepped his marker to engineer a goal chance but took a fraction too long to get his shot away and the ball spun high into the air off a defender before being scrambled away from the line.
A five-point advantage would have put Mochta’s firmly in the driving seat, but instead a second Luttrell ‘45’ had Courtwood just one in arrears entering the break - 0-8 to 1-4.
The Laois outfit made one significant change at the break as big Paddy Wilson came on for Andrew Mulhare and the substitute was a key man for the eventual winners in terms of winning possession off kickouts, an area where Mochta’s had been dominant in the first half.
Indeed, Seamus McGahon’s charges were left chasing shadows at times, unable to get their hands on the greasy ball as the rain intensified.
They did briefly double their advantage with a fine score from Darren McMahon, but Courtwood hit back through Matthew Kelly and a brace from substitute Cian Doyle to edge in front. In between, the luckless McCooey had penalty claims waved away as the home side’s forwards relied on scraps.
Their county star Byrne had barely touched the ball in the second half at that stage, but he made the most of a rare opportunity to haul Mochta’s level on the 40-minute mark - 0-10 to 1-7.
That would be their last score for 19 minutes, however, as Courtwood took total charge.
Doran pointed them ahead once more and they then took a big step closer to the semi-finals when Alan Kinsella and Dunne combined to set up the impressive O’Flynn for another excellent finish to the net.
Doran then made it a fivepoint game with an easy point after latching onto Callan’s poor kickout.
Mochta’s sensed the tie was slipping away from them, and fast, and somehow they found another gear just as Courtwood seemed to be running out of gas. Crucially, though, they couldn’t make it count on the scoreboard quickly enough as Byrne, Englishby and Eamon O’Neill kicked wides, while Byrne hit the post from a free and Ciaran McMahon dropped a point attempt short.
Just when the home supporters were contemplating a quick exit to avoid the inevitable traffic congestion, a mis-cued Ciaran McMahon effort bounced in front of Courtwood keeper Matthew Byron who allowed the ball squirm under his body and trickle over the line for a Mochta’s goal.
That left two points in it with 59 minutes on the clock and there was almost a sensational finish in the final seconds when O’Neill lobbed a free in towards the square and Declan Byrne got a touch in the crowded goalmouth but deflected the ball just wide.
COURTWOOD: Matthew Byron; Barry Donnelly, Andrew Mulhare, Mark O’Halloran; Sean O’Flynn 1-1, Rob Flynn, Colm Wilson; Danny Luttrell 0-2 (45s), Conor Hogan; Luke Doran 1-2, Niall Donoher, Rory Doyle; Niall Dunne 0-1, Alan Kinsella, Matthew Kelly 0-1. Subs: Cian Doyle 0-2 for R Doyle, Paddy Wilson for Mulhare (HT), Luke Doyle for Donoher (55).
ST MOCHTA’S: Jason Callan; David Lennon, Philip Englishby, Liam Lawlor; Barry Mulholland 0-1, Andrew English, Conor Garland; Darren McMahon 0-1, Eamon O’Neill; Jamie Farrell 0-1, Gerry Garland 0-1, Emlyn Clerkin; Declan Byrne 0-5 (2f), Stephen McCooey, Ciaran McMahon 1-1. Subs: Gareth O’Reilly for English (19min), Danny Kindlon for Clerkin (51), Cormac Callan for Lawlor (55).
REFEREE: James King (Dublin)