This article is from page 67 of the 2011-04-19 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 67 JPG
Parteen 4-6 – Feakle/Killenana 1-15 at Dr Daly Park, Tulla
JUST desserts of a draw and another day out for both at the end of this entertaining game in Tulla on Saturday afternoon, but certainly Feakle/Killanena were by far the happier side as they jogged off the field at the call of full-time.
They’d gone into the game without the injured Shane McGrath and school tour-tied Padraig Brady who bagged 4-2 in the semi-final, found them six points adrift at half-time and three down with only five left, but somehow they summoned the resolve and scores to fight another day.
And, it was what they deserved after a storming second half in which Colin Nelson, Gary Guilfoyle and substitute Shane McGrath they reeled in a Parteen side that looked to be on the high road when they opened up a 3-2 to 0-5 interval lead.
A goal inside the first five minutes from the pacy Noel Bridgeman when he raced onto a ball from Brian McSweeney and whipped to the net helped Parteen into a 1-1 to 0-2 lead and from there they dominated the first half.
Bridgeman’s second goal when he cut through the defence on 14 min- utes and rifled low past Eibhear Quilligan seemed to herald a one-sided final against a Feakle/Killanena side sorely missing both McGrath and Brady.
Only points by Gary Guilfoyle (2) and Ronan McGuinness kept Feakle/Killanena competitive, but they looked a spent force when luck favoured Parteen in the 22nd minute when a long free cannoned off the upright into the path of Sean Quinn who blasted the ball to the net from 10 yards.
However, Feakle/Killanena dug very deep on the turnover, posting their intentions with early points from Ronan McGuinness and Declan Noonan, while Shane McGrath’s goal in the 11th minute brought the game alive.
It left Feakle/Killanena only 3-4 to 1-8 adrift, but seven minutes later they were level thanks to points via a massive effort from play by Ronan McGuinness and another from Shane McGrath.
The force was with Feakle/Killanena only for them to be rocked by a Darragh Yelverton goal in the 52nd minute, but the last ten minutes played by referee really summed up the Feakle/Killanena attitude.
It was never say die – first when points by Colin Nelson and Gary Guilfoyle (2) had them level again by the 55th minute; then when they twice came from behind in the frantic closing minutes to earn a replay.
James Long edged Parteen a point clear on 57 minutes, only for Shane McGrath to level matters, while McGrath again came to the rescue in the dying seconds to cancel out Noel Bridgeman’s lead point that came two minutes into injury time.
Feakle/ Killanena
Eibhear Quilligan, Killian Bane, Martin Glynn, Henry Purcell, Colin Nelson (0-1), Michael Noonan, Colin McNamara, Ronan McGuinness (0-3), Declan Noonan (0-2), Gary Guilfoyle (0-6, 2f, two 65), Paul McArthur, Stephen Moloney, Gavin Fox
. Sub
Shane McGrath (1-3, 2f) for Fox
Parteen
Eoin Kelly, Jason Smyth, Philip Lavin, Gearóíd Cox, Martin Moroney, Matthew McSweeney (0-1), DarrraghYelverton (1-1), Paraic O’Connor, Brian McSweeney (0-1), James Long (0-1), Sean Quinn (1-0), Noel Bridgeman (2-2, 1f), David Small.
Subs
Cian McCarthy for Cox
Man of the Match
Noel Bridgeman (Parteen)
Referee
Martin Kennnedy (Kilmaley)