This article is from page 93 of the 2009-06-30 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 93 JPG
TALK about a comeback. Ten points down early in the second half, Corofin looked dead and _ buried. Snow, on a sun-drenched peach of an evening in Clareabbey, seemed more likely then a Corofin comeback. Or so we thought.
Corofin stormed back, drew level and even had a chance to win it. After John Keane palmed home the equalising goal, Colm Clancy almost nailed the winner but his shot drifted wide. Clondegad too spurned a great chance when Gary Brennan’s injury time free curled short and wide of the Corofin goal.
A draw will feel like a loss to Clon- degad. They let this one slip. Badly. After the pace and polish that char- acterised much of Clondegad’s first half display all but vanished, Corofin gained a foothold. It was gutsy stuff.
Colm Clancy worked with all the en- ergy of bantamweight boxer. Daragh Clancy won plenty of ball around the middle while Luke O’ Loughlin did a good job policing Gary Brennan.
But the biggest reason for the turnabout in Corofin’s fortunes was the contribution from John Keane. Keane was doing a decent job in midfield before he was relocated to full forward. The decision proved a masterstroke. Keane scored two quick points and hit 1-1 in the final two minutes to complete the come- ere .@
Keane was also centrally involved in the first great chance of the match. Barely 20 seconds had elapsed when he tore through the middle and off- loaded to Neil Killeen who pulled his shot just wide.
We didn’t have to wait long for a
goal though. Kieran Browne released Shane Brennan with a quick free in the third minute. The Clondegad wing forward raced towards goal and found the net with a low drive.
Colm Clancy responded with a point for Corofin but Clondegad pushed four points clear with scores from Paudge McMahon and Kenneth
Keath
The west Clare side had two more great goal chances but first McMa- hon and then Francie Neylon saw their efforts blocked on the line.
Colm Clancy pointed a free in the 18th minute but Clondegad ended the half with a devastating 1-3 burst.
McMahon converted a 45’, Eoin
Griffin lifted over a point before McMahon’s powerfully struck free sailed over the bar. Things were about to get worse for Corofin. On the stroke of half time, Brian Car- rig side-footed home a penalty after McMahon was fouled. At half time, Clondegad led 2-5 to 0-2.
Carrig’s fine point after the break
extended the Clondegad lead to ten points. Corofin released a torrent of substitutes and moved Keane to full forward. He hit two superb points on the turn before Dara Shannon roofed the ball to the back of the net in the 44th minute. Darren Malone and Gary Brennan traded points before Colm Clancy dropped over a free to leave the score 2-7 to 1-6.
Keane bagged his third point of the day before outjumping O’Connell and Kenneth Breen to tap in Daragh Clancy’s thump of a free kick.
That leveled matters at 2-7 apiece. Both sides missed chances to win. A priceless point for Corofin. A point dropped for Clondegad. It’s the only way to look at it.