The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Tarbert Comp advance to All-Ireland final after extra-time win over Ballymahon
ALL-IRELAND PPS SFC ‘C’ (CORN EAMONN Ó SÚILLEABHÁIN) SEMI-FINAL Tarbert Comprehensive 2-18 Mercy Ballymahon (Longford) 2-15 (after extra-time)
TARBERT Comprehensive have followed in the footsteps of St. Patrick’s Castleisland – the current holders of the Dr. Eamonn O’Sullivan Cup (named for the legendary Kerry coach and schools GAA founder – by reaching the All-Ireland Schools SFC ‘C’ final with a three-point win over Mercy Ballymahon who, the champions of Longford and Leinster, and the pair served up as good a football match as one could ever hope to see.
So good, in fact, that patrons got extra value for money at Clarecastle. With six minutes left on the clock, Tarbert were ahead by seven points and the job looked done and dusted. Ballymahon, to their credit, refused to throw in the towel and struck for a late goal. Just to prove that lightning does strike twice, they promptly hit the net again and with the last action of a surprisingly long injury time, Cormac McGann was on hand to split the posts and force the game into extra-time.
Nobody had been expecting that sudden reversal of fortunes. Tarbert had been on the crest of the mountain and just a minute later they were right down at the foothills again, and, like Sisyphus in Grecian lore, they had it all to do again. This one was going to test their character as much as their football. In fairness, both sides had served plenty of notice during a riveting encounter of their quality. Ballymahon full forward Josh Kelly was a huge threat all through - credit where it’s due, he played absolutely fabulous football and he tapped neatly to Conor Lynn for the game’s opening score.
With that pair as target-men inside, Ballymahon were quite happy to launch dangerous heatseekers into the Tarbert defence, while Tarbert themselves were that bit more patient in their build-up. Michael Coolahan opened Tarbert’s account and then set up his brother John for another.
Tarbert were doing very well in pressing on Ballymahon’s kick-out, turning over three in row, and quick as a flash, John Coolahan was in for a cracking goal. Ballymahon nearly replied in kind instantly, Kelly and Lynn combining again, but it was tipped away for a ‘45’ converted by Taylor Slevin. Josh Kelly won and pointed a free to make it 1-2 to 0-4.
Paudie Finucane slotted a fine score but Kelly fed Conor Lynn for yet another score. Conor McGann added another and the sides were level. Shaun Wren coolly fired over after some great teamwork.
Once again Tarbert won the kick-out. Jamie Moriary did very well on the end-line to thread a super pass to the advancing Caolam Moriarty and he made no mistake for goal number two. Again the kick-out went awry in the face of a good Tarbert press, and Patrick O’Connor sent in an absolute rocket of the shot that boomed back off the crossbar.
Josh Kelly wasn’t getting a lot of room off David Mulvihill, but he was proving a real tartar with two more points ( one free). Mulvihill then sent a good ball in to John Coolahan and a converted mark to closed out the first half scoring to leave Tarbert Comp 2-5 to 0-8 ahead.
Tarbert, most especially John Coolahan, made a fantastic start to the second half. He slotted three points, each one better than the other, while a foot-block saw Shaun Wren slot an easy free - an argument could have been made for a penalty, but the referee deemed it just barely outside the square.
At 2-9 to 0-8, Ballymahon really needed to kick-start a revival.
Conor Murtagh got them on the scoreboard and that seemed to settle them, with Cormac McGann and Taylor Slevin adding two more. Patrick O’Connor, who put in a trojan shift in the engine room all day, popped up with a fine score. Another turned over kick-out saw Shaun Wren add another.
John Coolahan gathered from O’Connor and added another to his growing tally. Conor Murtagh pulled one back but Tadhg O’Connell quickly replied in kind and the gap was back to seven once more moreover, time was running out.
It just wasn’t running fast enough. Down came Ballymahon. Fionn Mulvihill picked up a black card for a pull down. Josh Kelly got a little bit of wriggle room but, like Patrick O’Connor earlier on, the crossbar got in the way. Daniel Galvin had a shot tail wide. Only minutes left now.
Still time enough, though. One more foray into a packed Tarbert square, and it was Conor Lynn who struck it deep into the bottom corner. In less than a minute, they struck again, Oliver Manser with a green flag.
Just a point in it now, and Ballymahon had their tails up. With almost five minutes of injury time played (that was certainly slightly questionable, although the referee had a great game otherwise), a nerveless Cormac McGann steadied himself and fed over with his left leg to make it 2-13 apiece, and send a riveting contest to extra-time.
Conor Murtagh nudged Balymahon in front for the first time since the very start. Aaron White had a goal chance well saved. Jamie Moriarty did well to swoop on the loose ball and pick out John Coolahan. He hit a super shot that crashed into the crossbar, down onto the goal-line .... and out. You literally cannot get any closer to a goal without getting some reward.
Ballymahon lost sub Harry Byrne to a red card. That opened a little bit of space and Tarbert used it intelligently, with John Coolahan slotting over and Caolam Moriarty punishing a foul on Tadhg O’Connell just before the break. Tarbert a point up, but everything still to play for.
Daniel Galvin squared things up again on the resumption. Evan Curry picked out Michael Coolahan with a good pass but yet again, the crossbar denied Tarbert.
John Coolahan struck for his ninth and last score. Ballymahon were visibly flagging now and Tarbert were taking full control. They had four wides on the trot but all of that killed off a bit more time. Brendan O’Leary put Tarbert two points up. Straight from the kick-out, Patrick O’Connor fired over and there was a goal between them.
Full credit to Ballymahon, they gave it absolutely everything and even in the dying seconds, they boomed in one last high ball into the Tarbert square, but goalkeeper Stephen Kearney rose to claim it and finally seal Tarbert’s berth in the All-Ireland final.
Tarbert will play St Malachy’s of Castlewellan in the All-Ireland final after the Down school beat Ballyhaunis Community School in their semi-final by 1-14 to 1-12. TARBERT COMPREHENSIVE: Stephen Kearney, James Kissane, David Mulvihill, Matthew Quinn, Shane O’Gorman Stack, Callum Buckley, Evan Curry, Fionn Mulvihill, Patrick O’Connor (0-2), Caolam Moriarty (1-2), Shaun Wren 0-2 (1f), John Coolahan 1-8 (0-1m), Michael Coolahan (0-1), Jamie Moloney, Paudie Finucane (0-1). Subs: Tadgh O’Connell 0-1 for James O’Connell (43), Aaron White for Shane O’Gorman Stack (55), Brendan O’Leary 0-1 for Patrick O’Connor (70), Shane O’Connor Stack for Matthew Quinn (70), Cathal Byrne for Caolam Moriarty (71). MERCY BALLYMAHON: Darragh Egan, Rian O’Boyle, Daniel Devlin, Conor McHugh, David Marlow, Seán Egan, Taylor Slevin 0-2 ( 1 ‘45’), Seán Dillon, Daniel Galvin (0-1), Cormac McGann (0-3), Conor Murtagh (0-3), Peter Ballesty, Conor Lynn (1-2), Josh Kelly 0-4 (2f), Oliver Manser (1-0). Subs: Harry Byrne for Peter Ballesty (70), Tadhg Tiernan for Rian O’Boyle (74). REFEREE: John O’Connell (Clare)