Coiste Trá Li Junior Semi Final
Austin Stacks 1-9 John Mitchels 1-9
We were three points down with darkness falling (due to the late start) and the game deep in injury time in this Town League semi final played in Connolly Park on this Tuesday evening (6th August) and it looked all over. But in one last attack Brían Mangan launched a diagonal ball goalwards which was gathered by Joey Kinsella. Joey’s cross to the far post was met by Eoin Colgan and from the tightest of angles Eoin steered the ball between keeper and post for the equalizing score.
This was a very entertaining game all through with both sets of backs excelling – hence the low scoring, particularily in the first half – we trailed by 0-4 to 0-3 at half time. Our only score from play in that half came from Pádraig Lynch with our two others coming from Wayne Gutherie frees.
Wayne was on target again early in the second with one each from play and a free but Mitchels went into a two points lead for the first time in the game when they had put over three by the 41st minute. A minute later we suffered a real hammer-blow when Mitchels got through for a goal at the third attempt after brilliant saves by goalkeeper Paddy and at least two defenders.
Down by five points at that stage and with Mitchels playing brilliantly another team would have thrown in the towel, but not these lads. We kept pressing, which yielded three points from play in the space of seven minutes from Eoin Colgan, Joey Kinsella and a long-ranged effort by Brían Mangan, who together with Wayne Gutherie, gave a brilliant display at midfield.
Two opposition points with another pointed free in between by Wayne left a three points gap as the game went into added time. And then came that brilliant finish which sent the game to a replay as referee, Paul Hayes, rightly deemed it unsafe to go to extra time due to the failing light.
Team: Paddy Fitzgibbon, Paul Galvin, Alan Crean, Shane Fitzgerald, David O’Sullivan, Seamus Bastible, Brian O’Sullivan, Brían Mangan (0-1), Wayne Gutherie (0-5 – 4 frees), Dale Counihan (Capt), Alan Duggan, Shane Crowley, David Hanafin, Pádraig Lynch (0-1), Eoin Colgan (1-1).
Subs: Gary O’Connor (38m), Joey Kinsella (38m) (0-1), David Courtney (38m).