This article is from page 85 of the 2011-12-06 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 85 JPG
St Ma r y’s Nenagh 1-12 St Fla nna n’s College 1-08 at Bur gess GAA Gr ounds, Tipper a r y IT SEEMED for long periods as if nothing could separate these sides as they entered the final minute of this replay on level terms once more. Indeed, it took the intervention of a 16th man to finally send the title Nenagh’s way in what was one of the most bizarre finishes in the competition’s history.
Intrigued? Well, Brid Quinn’s superb 59th minute solo and point edged Nenagh in front for the first time in 35 minutes but true to form, Niki Kaiser-led St Flannan’s were not about to give up without one hell of a fight. The Newmarket starlet’s injury-time shot for goal was somehow tipped away for a ’45, one which the unerring Kaiser would have put over in her sleep to send the game into a deserved period of extra-time.
Instead, the scorekeeper’s miscalculation, whether intentionally or not, gave St Mary’s an extra point on the scoreboard, thus lulling St Flannan’s into the false presumption of being two points down and thus needing a goal. As a result, instead of Kaiser taking a equalising point, influential centre-back Aoife Keane was nominated to drop the ’45 into the square in search of a goal. A move that ultimately proved fruitless as Nenagh eventually cleared and even managed to goal with the last move of the game on the counter-attack.
It was an exceedingly cruel way for the Ennis side to exit the championship and after 120 minutes of compelling action, both sides deserved to battle it out further in extra-time. After all, St Flannan’s had somehow recovered from an uncharacteristically sluggish start to lead for the majority of the second half, with Niki Kaiser imperious throughout in grabbing all of her side’s scores.
But perversely, perhaps that overreliance on the 16 year old was part of the reason St Flannan’s found themselves in such a precarious position late on. In the drawn game, four others had chipped in with a combined total of 3-1 but on this occasion, the scoring duties were solely left to Niki Kaiser who had to endure a lot of punishment from Nenagh in the process. Instead, St Mary’s, backed by a more balanced scoring division, proved the more rounded threat, with six different players sharing the scoring duties.
That threat was most felt early on as the home side hit the ground running to open up a 0-5 to 0-1 advantage by the 12th minute, with Brid Quinn leading the charge. St Flannan’s were stuck to the ground but by bringing out Kaiser to the wing, they did finally gain a foothold in the game.
Also instrumental in that comeback was the Kilnamona half-back duo of Aoife Keane and Sinead Quinn, with the latter in particular halting Nenagh’s charge. Four more Niki Kaiser points, allied to Nenagh’s seven wind-assisted wides and a superb reflex save by St Flannan’s goalkeeper Suzy O’Shea saw the away side only trail by two at the break at 0-7 to 0-5.
That advantage was cancelled out only five minutes after the restart when Niki Kaiser’s 30 metre pull was fumbled by goalkeeper Ciara Holohan. Inspired by this, two further frees from the Newmarket senior pushed the Ennis side 1-7 to 0-8 clear by the 39th minute.
Inevitably however, the home side came charging back once more with main performers Brid Quinn and Tara Kennedy gaining parity by the turn of the final quarter to set up another grandstand finish.
And it didn’t disappoint either as Niki Kaiser earned and converted a 51st minute free to give her side the edge only for Ciara McGrath and Brid Quinn to turn the tie on it’s head again by the 59th minute.
At this stage, the scoreboard was correct but what would happen between then and St Flannan’s injurytime ’45 can only be answered by the scorekeeper as the final minutes played out to it’s cruel end.
Had that been St Flannan’s final act of the year, it would have been trully heartbreaking. However, with an All-Ireland quarter-final to come in January, St Flannan’s still have another opportunity to display their undoubted, true potential. Whether against 15 or 16.
St Mary’s Nenagh
Ciara Holohan (Burgess-Duharra), Rachel Kennedy (Silvermines), Roisin Ryan (Moneygall), Mary Walsh (Kilruane),Alanah Morris (Nenagh Éire Óg),Aisling Cremin (Burgess-Duharra), Paula Kelly (Silvermines), Caoimhe Maher (Burgess-Duharra) (0-2), Leah McKeogh (Portroe),Aileen Duggan (Nenagh Éire Óg) (0-1), Brid Quinn (Silvermines) (0-5 1f, 1’45), Ciara McGrath (Nenagh Éíre Óg) (1-1), Claire Kearns (Burgess-Duharra), Sarah Cunneen (Silvermines) (0-1),Tara Kennedy (Burgess-Duharra) (0-2)