This article is from page 67 of the 2011-05-17 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 67 JPG
Smith O’Briens 1-7 – Killanena 0-10 at Scariff
A DRAW in the end as 14-man Smith O’Brien’s showed some true grit in the second half when playing against the gale, but for long stretches of this rugged encounter it looked as if Killanena were on the cusp of something special.
They couldn’t have dreamt up a better return to senior ranks after an interval of 103 years. Despite playing against a gale they led by 0-5 to no score inside nine minutes and soon afterwards had numerical advantage after Liam Walsh was marched for striking.
Killanena famously marched off the field themselves on their first ever senior championship game back in 1900 when they complained of not knowing the rules – they were going nowhere on this day as the looked to be on their way to a first ever championship win. They relished the close confines of the Scariff pitch, tearing into Smith O’Briens from the opening minutes, so much so that nothing other than a Killanena win looked on the cards, after the opening exchanges and again at half-time even though the 14-man Killaloe side had drawn level.
It was the wind factor – Killanena were inspired when playing against it as two Mark Flaherty frees inside four minutes got them off to a flier, while points from play by Flaherty, Mickey Noone and Colm McNamara had them in some faraway nirvana as Smith O’Briens’ profligacy began to take hold.
They hit ten wides in the opening half, seven of them inside the first 15 minutes before they broke their duck in the 17th minute with a moraleboosting goal. Brilliant stickwork from Mark O’Halloran created the opening as he killed the sliotar at speed and then doubled on it with a long delivery over the Killanena fullback line to Anthony O’Sullivan who slammed home from 13 yards.
However, Smith O’Briens’ cause still looked a forlorn one another Mickey Noone point meant they trailed by 0-6 to 1-0 after 24 minutes. Points by Mark McInerney, Kevin Walsh and John Cusack did have Smith O’Briens level at the break, but the points were there for Killanena’s taking in the second half.
Fintan McNamara’s point from distance inside the first two minutes edged Killanena back in front, while a Mark Flaherty free in the 41st stretched the lead to two points as Smith O’Briens struggled to lift the siege.
However, they finally came good in the final 15 minutes to earn a share of the spoils – principally because Killanena lacked the killer instinct to put them away. Kevin Walsh pegged a point back in the 48th minute with a pointed free, but points by Mark Flaherty (2) to a lone reply from John Cusack still had Killanena in poll position entering the last two minutes, only from points by Trevor Howard and substitute Dean Sinnott to save Smith O’Briens’ day.