This article is from page 95 of the 2009-04-14 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 95 JPG
LADY Luck did not smile on Clare in Carrick-on-Shannon on Sunday when the Banner men’s determined second-half fightback fell short of forcing a draw after Frank Doher- ty’s side had whittled away Leitrim’s eight point half-time lead to three.
Aided by the breeze Clare out- scored Leitrim by 1-6 to O-4 in the second 35 minutes, but they also hit a number of bad wides which allowed the home team off the hook when they were on the rack for long peri- ods.
This victory edged Leitrim into third place on the Division Four NFL table behind promoted sides Antrim and Sligo.
For Clare a disappointing league continues, with only the lowly Car- low, London and Kilkenny beneath them in the basement division.
Goals by Colin Clarke in the 13th minute, and Shane Canning 15 min- utes later, were undoubtedly the turn- ing points in the game.
Two Leitrim players, Ray Cox and Gary McCloskey, and Clare’s David Russell were dismissed for yellow card offences in the first half.
The hosts took the lead in the fifth minute when Ray Cox shot over from play after Barry McWeeney sent a ball in from midfield.
James Glancy tapped over a free three minutes later to double the lead, after Cox had been fouled by Martin McMahon.
And the Clare defence was split wide open in the 13th minute, allow- ing Colin Clarke to solo through for 20 metres before firing to the net.
Leitrim’s Ray Cox was sent for an early shower two minutes later after he was yellow carded for a foul.
Shortly afterwards Clare finally opened their account when Frank O’Dea skilfully pointed a 20 metre sideline kick.
Gary Brennan then finished off a good Banner move by fisting over in the 17th minute.
Clare should have got on _ level terms two minutes later but unfortu- nately Michael O’Shea blazed a goal chance inches wide.
Leitrim’s advantage was cut to two points in the 20th minute when Enda Coughlan pointed after receiving a pass from Michael O’Shea.
That score was negated two min- utes later when Brendan Gallagher was fouled and James Glancy slotted over the resultant free.
Colin Clarke stretched Leitrim’s lead a minute later when pointing after being put through by Tomas Beirne.
And things got worse for Clare in the 25th minute, when David Rus- sell’s foul on James Glancy led to the Banner player’s dismissal on a yellow card and Clancy’s point from
the free.
A chink of light shone two minutes later when a second Leitrim player, Gary McCloskey, was given his marching orders for a foul.
Once more, though, the home team upped the ante for their opponents, Shane Canning firing home a second goal in the 28th minute after latching onto a free that came in over the top of the Clare defence.
It looked bleak for Clare as Leitrim led by 2-5 to O-3 at the break, and the situation worsened when Dermot Reynolds increased that advantage within 30 seconds of the restart with a point.
However, Clare signalled that a fightback could be on the cards over the next seven minutes as Timmy Ryan and Michael O’Shea notched a point each.
seroma nee VUN am encKenoemmmatsns lead to nine points by the 47th minute, James Glancy pointing after a pass from Dermot Reynolds and then turning provider for sub Declan Maxwell to do likewise.
But Clare then dominated the ex- changes for the remainder of the game.
A well-taken Garry Brennan goal in the 49th minute, after he eluded his marker Tomas Beirne, had the
Banner’s spirited comeback really motoring.
Over the next 14 minutes Clare bossed the match and closed the gap on their opponents to just three points after Timmy Ryan, Enda Coughlan and Brennan fired over in turn.
With just five minutes on the clock James Glancy pointed a free after be- ing fouled himself, for Leitrim’s first score in 18 minutes.
That steadied the nerves of a home crowd which had been displaying signs of anxiety for a considerable length of time.
Clare hit back within the space of a minute when David Tubridy split the Leitrim posts with a well-struck free from the 45 metre line.
Sadly, neither side managed to score in the five further minutes of play, and Clare were still a goal adrift as referee Declan Corcoran blew the final whistle, leaving Frank Doher- ty’s team mired near the bottom of Division 4.