IBANE GAELS 1-9
CLONAKILTY 0-11
GER McCARTHY REPORTS
DEFENDING champions Ibane Gaels are through to the last four of the Clóna Dairy U21A football championship but only after a huge scare away to Clonakilty in Ahamilla.
It took a Jack Lawton goal, five Olan O’Donovan points and an injury-time 45 from Ryan O’Donovan for Ibane to finally see off Clon.
‘Coming here, we knew we were facing a Clon side with six of seven guys who have played premier senior football,’ Ibane Gaels manager Paul Holland said. ‘We don’t have that experience so this was a very, very dangerous game for us. We had to move Jack Lawton to full-forward during half time because of a hamstring injury. It worked out as he fisted our goal and it was a vital score.’
Clonakilty’s Aaron Cullinane opened the scoring but the champions’ response was swift. Olan O’Donovan capitalised on a rare Clonakilty defensive lapse to equalise before Sean Walsh edged Ibane ahead for the first time.
An Olan O’Donovan mark extended the Gaels’ lead prior to Lorcan O’Leary making it 0-4 to 0-1. Two Darragh Gough scores – one a sublime left-footed effort – reduced the deficit to a single score. Clon’s Conor Daly was a threat whenever in possession and was denied a certain goal by Ibane goalkeeper Cormac McCarthy after 15 minutes.
Daly continued to shine and made it 0-4 apiece courtesy of a marvellous effort before the impressive Olan O’Donovan (free) restored Ibane’s lead. A cracking opening half ended with Conor Daly scoring from wide on the left and Fergal Murphy raising another Clon white flag. The teams changed ends level at 0-6 each however, following a superb Olan O’Donovan point.
Chris Kenneally finished off another patient move to push the Brewery Town ahead shortly after the interval. Then, a leg injury to Jack Lawton saw the Ibane midfielder switched to the edge of the square. Whether by accident or design, Lawton was on hand to punch home an Olan O’Donovan pass for the game’s crucial score after 36 minutes.
A close-range Conor Daly free made it 0-8 to 1-6 as Clonakilty refused to go away. Olan O’Donovan continued to torment the Clon defence and kicked his fifth point heading into the final quarter.
The two teams went score for score as two Conor Daly efforts (one free) sandwiched Ryan O’Donovan’s first score (free) of the afternoon. A close-in free allowed Daly to add another score and make it 0-10 to 1-8 with eight minutes remaining. A well-worked move following a Clonakilty turnover ended with Conor Daly splitting the posts to level matters with five minutes to go. Extra-time looked likely until the award of a 45 saw Ryan O’Donovan coolly bisect the uprights to win it in injury-time for a relieved Ibane Gaels.
Scorers - Ibane Gaels: Olan O’Donovan 0-5 (1f, 1m); Jack Lawton 1-0; Ryan O’Donovan 0-2 ( 1f, 1 45); Sean Walsh, Lorcan O’Leary 0-1 each. Clonakilty: Conor Daly 0-6 (2f); Darragh Gough 0-2 (1f); Aaron Cullinane, Fergal Murphy, Chris Kenneally 0-1 each.
Ibane Gaels: Cormac McCarthy; Michael Walsh, Sean O’Riordan, Fergal Walsh; Tomás O Buachalla, James Moloney, Con Dineen; Jack Lawton (captain), Andrew Guinevan; Adam McSweeney, Lorcan O’Leary, Phillip Flynn; Olan O’Donovan, Ryan O’Donovan, Sean Walsh. Subs: Sean Henchion for T Ó Buachalla (45), Diarmuid McCarthy for L O’Leary (54).
Clonakilty: Cillian White; Odhran Blackburn, Dan Peet (captain), Sean Coffey; Matt Murphy, David O’Sullivan, Odhran O’Connell; Aaron Cullinane, Des Kenneally; Fergal Murphy, Darragh Gough, Conor Daly; Kevin McCarthy, Fionn McCarthy, Chris Kenneally. Sub: Cian Ryan for K McCarthy (ht).
Referee: Connie Murphy (Kilmeen-Kilbree).
