To earn draw

half-time.

During that first period of the second half they had kicked wildly in front of goal and while they managed to draw a good save from the Naomh Abán goalkeeper, Gearóid Ó Luasa, their score tally remained as static as the electronic scoreboard clock.

During that team talk the Knocknagree lads set out their plan of attack, notch up a few early scores to see could they unsettle Naomh Abán and drive on from there. Play resumed and they implemented their plan with immediate effect.

Eoghan McSweeney kick-started the revival and they drove on from there with three points from Fintan O’Connor and a point each from Patrick Doyle and Gearóid Looney left just one point between the teams.

Time was up and the train was pulling out of the adjacent station three minutes beyond when the whistle should have sounded as O’Connor added his seventh point to equalise proceedings at 0-13 each.

Knocknagree’s own super sub, Matthew Dilworth, then put his side ahead and Naomh Abán having been ahead for so long appeared to be defeated. It’s to their credit that they made a final foray down the field and attacked the Knocknagree goal.

A few high balls in were dealt with by a stalwart defence, but eventually a free in scoring range was yielded and Mikey Ó Duinnín pointed to level the match. The final whistle sounded as the ball was kicked out.

Naomh Abán may be rueful about their squandered lead but will be thankful to get out of Banteer with their first point of the championship and now face St Vincent’s for a must win encounter. They will need to do so and by as wide a margin as possible.

They will rely on their neighbours Cill na Martra to beat Knocknagree by a good margin, a tall order, to make further progress. Knocknagree will be glad of this famous comeback and face Cill na Martra with their backbone strengthened by the adversity they overcame in the challenge from Naomh Abán.

Their manager, John Fintan Daly, will conduct a vigorous examination on how his charges fell behind so badly in that thirty minute period on both sides of the half time interval. On this analysis his team’s further progress may rest and even that may not be enough,

A nail-biting finish to this round robin series is in prospect.

KNOCKNAGREE: P Doyle (0-1, ‘45); M Doyle, D O’Mahony, G O’Connor; D Cooper, K Buckley (Capt), M Mahoney (0-1); D O’Connor (0-1), D Moynihan; J Dennehy, E McSweeney (0-2), F O’Connor (0-7, 5f); D O’Connor, JF Daly, G Looney (0-1) Subs: M Dilworth (0-1) for D O’Connor, 43, P O’Connor for Dennehy, 47

NAOMH ABÁN: G Ó Luasa; T Ó hAiléasa, S Ó Mathúna, R de hÍde; C Ó Deasúna,

É Ó Críodáin (0-1), D Ó Loingsigh; M Ó Laoghaire (0-1), C Ó Donnchú; D Ó Ceocháin, P Ó Liathán, D Ó hAileamhain (0-3, 1f, 1 ‘45); M Ó Liatháin (Capt), A Ó Luasa (0-2), D Ó Ceallaigh (0-3f) Subs: MÓ Duinnín (0-4, 1f 1 sideline) for P Ó Liatháin, 40, N Ó Ceallaigh for Ó Ceocháin, 47, A Ó Catháin for Ó hAiléasa, 55, T Ó Catháin for Ó Deasúna, 66

REFEREE: Peter O’Leary (Cloughduv)