This article is from page 81 of the 2009-03-17 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 81 JPG
WHITEGATE staged a remarkable comeback against Corofin on Satur- day to book a place in semi-final of the under 21 B championship.
Trailing by ten points at half-time, Whitegate were still six points adrift with seven minutes left.
It looked like their efforts would be in vain until George Waterstone buried two stunning goals to tie the game at 3-9 to 3-9.
With the wind and momentum howling in their favour, Whitegate edged home with points from Stephen Malone and Michael Dooley.
Corofin must still be wondering how it all happened. Playing with a strong wind in the first half, Corofin
had racked up a hefty 2-8 1-1 lead by ne VOM Bb pales
Their players, notably Kevin and Stephen Heagney, Luke O’Loughlin and Damian Ryan were all perform- ing strongly.
But Whitegate weren’t about to exit without a fight. Goalkeeper Andrew Fahy kept them in touch with four sweetly struck frees. Malone and Dooley kept plugging away in the forwards before Waterstone supplied two moments of real class.
Even the loss of a sloppy seventh minute goal to Whitegate’s Michael Dooley failed to halt Corofin’s first half charge.
Stephen Heagney had already erabbed two points before Declan Lee slammed home Corofin’s first
goal in the 14th minute.
Heagney tipped over a free before his older brother Kevin goaled to make it 2-3 to 1-0 in the 21st minute.
Dooley picked off a point but there was no respite for Whitegate. Corofin piled on five more points through Ea- mon Malone, Kevin Heagney (2) and Stephen Heagney (2) to lead by ten points at half time.
Whitegate had the wind in the sec- ond half but 10 points looked a for- midable challenge.
They quickly got to work. Fahy walloped over two long-range efforts leaving two shorter ones for Dooley to covert. Malone pointed in that pe- riod also as Whitegate cut Corofin’s lead to five points.
Kevin Heagney smashed home
Eoin Malone’s pass for Corofin’s third goal in the 47th minute.
The score stood 3-9 to 17. It mat- tered little to Whitegate. Fahy con- verted a free and a 65’. Waterstone retrieved a pass out wide in the 54th minute, cut inside and found the net from 20 yards.
Whitegate re-claimed possession from the resulting puckout.
The sliotar dropped to Waterstone. This time his strike was defter but the outcome was the same. Goal. 3-9 to 3-9.
Points from Malone and Dooley pushed them into the lead.
GOO ITs MC SUUMDRc BD ITcMBOKO)OOMNeCoMIECO den loss of their comfortable lead, cut the deficit to one point through Stephen Heagney’s free.
Seconds later Whitegate players and coaches were leaping around the pitch, celebrating a victory that de- serves to be remembered for a long, long time.