And then there were eight.
The county championship race is down to quarter finals after decisive preliminaries at the weekend. Most results ran true to form with perhaps Killenaule’s extra-time eclipse by Portroe the sole upset.
For pundits on a six-game accumulator I suspect that Portroe outcome was probably the one that saved the bookies. It was also the most dramatic of the weekend games with the North side salvaging a late, late escape before nailing down an emphatic outcome in the additional time.
The rain was unhelpful early on at the Ragg and truth to tell the hurling struggled to lift the gloom. The South champions were fancied here but once again their form outside the division has disappointed.
Portroe led by three at the interval and looked the better side at that stage. Darren Gleeson denied his county team mate, ‘Bubbles’, of a first half goal though in fairness Jerry Kennedy’s goal survived far more scary moments.
Killenaule got the boost of a Dominic Blake goal early in the second half after good approach work by Daniel Guinan but, somehow, they could never push on. Declan Fanning came in centre back and Kieran Bergin went midfield but it was only in the last quarter that they finally got an edge in the game.
All the game’s dramatics were crammed into the final minutes. Killenaule got ahead by a point and the margin was doubled on a controversial free – was the defender being restrained on over-carrying? The Portroe protests got too animated and wing back, Conroy, collecting a straight red for his troubles.
At two-up and a man-up with the game just over it was Killenaule’s to lose – and lose it they did. A softish free allowed John Sheedy pull one point back and then deep into injury time came the leveler. Killenaule had a line-ball around the fifty-meter line but it was put straight back into touch and Portroe’s Kevin O’Halloran stepped up to do a Joe Canning.
It was the most dramatic of levelers and it was no one-hit wonder either because it was O’Halloran’s third point from sideline ‘cuts’. Portroe had escaped and worse was to follow for Killenaule.
Mark Gennery had an immediate goal for the North side on resuming and they went on to dominate the second period of additional time with county minor, Ruadhan Mulrooney, hitting their second goal to fashion an emphatic nine-point win. A few late frees failed to yield anything for Killenaule who were decisively beaten in a game they had in their grasp earlier.
They were never going to win the county title but it’s still desperately disappointing for Killenaule to once more fail to leave an impression outside the South. Maybe their county names give an exaggerated impression of their overall worth; in that regard I often feel they’re similar to Borrisoleigh.
The ongoing absence of Joe O’Dwyer is obviously a major drawback but they’ll point to other areas where this one was lost too. ‘Bubbles’ missed three or four very scoreable frees – costly lapses in a game that went to extra time. That great club stalwart, Tony Doyle, took over and steadied the free taking.
I doubt if they’ll be happy with ‘Bubbles’. You have those amazing hands and all that incredible talent, but yet he became more peripheral as this game progressed. He got onto breaks to pop over four points from play in the first half but then not much thereafter when it was really needed. Kieran Bergin was very impressive in the opening quarter though not as prominent later. Overall it was another bad day for the Southerners.
For Portroe it’s a step further than they might have anticipated. Instead of stand-out individuals they’re more of an even, honest-working group. Kevin O’Halloran was the headline name with those sideline skills but John Sheedy’s free-taking was central too. All their starting forwards, as well as one substitute, a midfielder, two half backs and goalie, Gleeson, got on the score sheet which tends to underline the overall evenness of the effort.
If Killenaule struggle to get the most out of available resources Eire Og Annacarty are the opposite. They have a central core of players who’d be at home on any club side but it’s the other half of their team which continues to amaze me.
They really put on a tour de force in the first half against Lorrha and the North side was left chasing a huge lead on resuming. That first half was as good as I’ve seen from Eire Og. They looked lively and smart in every move, their combination play a particular delight. Their second goal, just on the stroke of half time, was a real gem. Brian Fox made a great catch at half back and a marvelous ensemble move saw them transfer the ball through several hands ending with Conor O’Brien who gave goalie, Reddin, (famous Lorrha name) no chance.
That score put them ten-up. Ronan O’Brien cut in from the right corner to hit the earlier goal and in between there was a free-flow of points with Conor O’Brien landing four from play and Paudi O’Dwyer excellent from frees as well as snatching two from play.
In response Lorrha were depending on ‘Bonner’ Maher frees so that it all looked dismally one-sided at half time. And yet by the call of time Eire Og were clinging to the remains of that lead after Lorrha staged a commendable fight back.
There was no sudden breakthrough for the Lorrha men but instead a gradual reassertion of their rights. Eoin McIntyre did offer encouragement with a goal shortly after resuming but Eire Og were still in their comfort zone until William Maher hit Lorrha’s second major about seven minutes from the end. ‘Bonner’s younger brother was creating major panic in the Eire Og defence as this game progressed and eventually the lead shrunk to a mere three points.
In the crisis Eire Og had enough to steady the ship and late points from Kevin Fox and a Paudie O’Dwyer free saw them safely home by four. It was the tightest margin of the six weekend games and would have been a painful one for Eire Og to lose. Perhaps they tired in the second half but for whatever reason they lived dangerously after such an impressive opening.
The O’Briens and Paudie O’Dwyer did the scoring for the West champions but the relentless grafting of many others was important too. For Lorrha ‘Bonner’ Maher tried to do too much and in the process did less than Eire Og might have feared; he scored a mere point from play but was impressive on the frees.
The other games went to prediction and I’ve no doubt critics of our structures will point to the large margins in several instances. Sarsfields had their expected romp to the quarter-finals with an easy win over Mullinahone at Cashel on Sunday evening. Ten points was the end gap after Eoin Kelly’s side got a few consolation goals but there was never any threat of an upset there.
Nenagh too had it easy against Roscrea winning by fourteen. They remain one of the few sides who might bother Sarsfields in the remaining rounds. Kilruane saw off Brackens by a dozen points while Kildangan had nine to spare on Upperchurch.
Given our convoluted structures you don’t necessarily get all the best sides into the final phase. Loughmore and Templederry, for example, would likely beat many of the sides in action last weekend but that’s how the cookie has crumbled. Sarsfields remain the target for everyone with, maybe, Drom and Nenagh best placed to challenge the reigning champs.
All of which leads on nicely to the quarter-final draws which have just been made. Clonoulty have certainly pulled the short straw with Sarsfields though there is a view that you’re better off meeting one of the big guns at this stage and sink or swim on your merits. The West side will be without John O’Keeffe, sent off v. Kickhams in the divisional semi-final, so it’s a big ask to tackle the hot favourites without one of your key men.
The other West side Annacarty has drawn Kilruane MacDonaghs where they’ll feel they have a reasonable chance. Nenagh should be too strong for Portroe and Drom/Inch, now with Liam Sheedy on board, will be favourites against Kildangan. All those games are planned for Saturday and Sunday week.
Finally the minor footballers will have the best wishes of the county, and most neutrals I suspect, when they face off against Kerry in the All Ireland final. Expectations are low which should be their cue to simply give it a lash. Good luck to them.
