Caragh progress to Leinster final after extra-time thriller
The famous Caragh club of Larry Stanley and Mick Buckley fame from a century ago were saluting their modern day heroes once more at Manguard Park this afternoon as they pulled off an outstanding win over Fethard St Mogue’s of Wexford to qualify for the AIB Leinster Intermediate Football Final, where they’ll meet Naomh Marnóg of Dublin next Sunday.
An outstanding game of winter football, despite a pitch heavy from Storm Bert’s overnight rain, seemed to be edging the way of the 2022 champions, St Mogue’s, when they went three points clear two minutes into injury time.
However, a minute later Cathal McKennedy launched a floating ball into the goalmouth and although it bounced clear off a defender, Darragh Swords picked up the loose ball and coolly found a gap to steer his shot into the net.
That levelled matters at 2-12 apiece and Caragh had an outside shot of winning it before referee Darragh Byrne brought normal time to an end, but Eoghan O’Haire’s difficult free from 45 metres tailed to the left and wide.
Crucially, St Mogue’s had lost inter-county full-forward John Tubritt to a black card during those closing minutes and the Prosperous side took advantage of that and their late reprieve to surge ahead in extra time.
Two points from substitute O’Haire, getting his first minutes since injury curtailed his county final, and one from the excellent Ronan Doorey, his fourth, saw them three ahead after the first period of extra time.
Although St Mogue’s marksman-in-chief Eoin Whelan pulled one back after the interval, it was Caragh who finished the strongest with four unanswered points from Dan Murray, Swords (two) and O’Haire to leave them six points clear at the finish.
St Mogue’s, who saw Tubritt red-carded in frustration near the end of extra-time, may feel the scoreline flattered the Kildare side having led for much of normal time.
The Wexford men had recovered from a fourth minute Jake Corrigan goal to take a four point lead (2-7 to 1-6) into the half-time break, Whelan bagging their goals in the eighth minute and two minutes into injury time.
Crucially, Caragh could have been further behind but corner-back Billy Byrne foot-tripped Mikey Dwyer when through on goal but crucially just outside the penalty area after 24 minutes. The resultant black card proved to be a punishment worth taking.
Try as they might in the second half Caragh attempts to reel in St Mogue’s looked destined to fail.
Swords, an increasingly influential figure as the game went on, narrowed the gap to just a point (1-12 to 2-10) with six minutes remaining but Tubritt with a close range free on 58 minutes and a superb left-footed effort from Richie Waters two minutes into injury time seemed to seal the win for the visitors.
Nothing of the sort. Swords’ late, late show and a powerful extra-time performance saw Caragh move one step closer to repeating Allenwood’s success in this competition last year after one of the best games played at the venue this year.
Michael Behan; Cathal McKennedy, Matthew McNally, Billy Byrne; Conor Sullivan, Ryan Burke, Paul Dockery; Kevin Connor, Liam Blake; Josh Gannon, Darragh Swords 1-6 (3fs), Dan Murray 0-2; Ronan Doorey 0-4 (2fs), Jake Corrigan 1-3, Kevin Campbell. SUBS: Austin Nevin for Blake 34, Fergal McKennedy 0-1 for Gannon 49, Cian Burke for Byrne 53, Eoghan O’Haire 0-3 (2fs) for K Campbell 56, Billy Kelly for Nevin 75, Dan Campbell for Doorey 78.
William Doyle; Brian Dillon, Daniel Mullan, Gareth Foley; Chris Molloy, Graham O’Grady, Jake Molloy 0-1; Michael Roche, Richard Waters 0-2; Mikey Dwyer, Cian Byrne 0-1, Seán Nunan; Cillian Byrne 0-1, John Tubritt 0-4 (1f), Eoin Whelan 2-4 (0-1f). SUBS: Bryan Power for Molloy 39, Jesse Foley for Roche 44, Morgan Ellis for G Foley 50, Kevin Rowe for Whelan 60, Molloy for Rowe 64, Whelan for J Foley 70, G Foley for Cillian Byrne 73.
Darragh Byrne (Wicklow).
