SENIOR FOOTBALL: Austin Stacks 1-13; St. Michaels Foilmore 1-10.
Round 9 of the Co. League played in Connolly Park on this Sunday afternoon (19th Aug)
was the classic game of two halves, with Foilmore scoring 1-7 to 0-4 in the first half and our lads scoring 1-9 to 0-3 in the second half, with the strong breeze, which favoured the visitors in the first half, a significant factor.
St. Michaels opened the scoring in the 3rd minute and after David Mannix equalized from a free in the 8th minute, following a foul on Shane Carroll, it was the visitors again, five minutes later, who latched on to a breaking ball in the goalmouth and goaled.
In the next twelve minutes matters were fairly even with points from Darragh O’Brien (2) and David Mannix for us, to two for the opposition.
With Kieran Donaghy and Paul O’Donoghue winning midfield we had most of the possession but found scores hard to come by due in part to that tricky strong wind. In the last four minutes of the half the visitors were clinical in attack, adding four points before the break to give them a two goals lead at half time (1-7 to 0-4).
We now had that favourable wind in the second half and with early points from Darragh O’Brien and William Kirby and a well taken goal by Darragh Long we had reduced the deficit to just one point after seven minutes. Michaels first point of the half came in the 40th minute but then we were back on level terms by the end of the third quarter (1-8 each), with two points by William Kirby and David Mannix (free).
The visitors took the lead again in the 48th minute, but between then and the end we were in complete control, putting over five from five different players (Shane Carroll, Denis Mac, Cliffy, Darragh Long and a David Mannix free), before the opposition got their third score of the half deep in added time. .
With two more rounds to go it is still mathematically possible for us to reach the final, but of course it depends hugely on other results going our way. Our final two games are away to Rathmore (last weekend of September) and at home to Gneeveguilla (on a date to be confirmed).
Team: Darragh O’Brien, Fearghal MacNamara, Barry Shanahan, Denis Costelloe, Pa McCarthy, Denis McElligott (0-1), Ronan Shanahan, Kieran Donaghy (Capt), Paul O’Donoghue, Michael Collins, Shane Carroll (0-1), Darragh Long (1-1), David Mannix (0-4 – 3 frees), William Kirby (0-2), Darragh O’Brien (0-3).
Subs: David Clifford (ht) (0-1), John Dennis (58m), David Courtney (60m).
Our next competitive outing is in the last 16 of the Co. Championship when we travel to Cahersiveen on Saturday week (1st Sept) to play South Kerry with a 6pm start.