Fantastic Fitzy fires Clane to victory
Adam Fitzpatrick celebrates scoring his second goal during Clane's win over Allenwood
Adam Fitzpatrick scored 2-5 as Clane bounced back after drawing their opening game to defeat Allenwood and claim their first Championship win of the season.
It wasn’t straightforward, Allenwood had a good spell around the midway point of the second half, sparked by an Eric Judge goal less than 30 seconds after his introduction off the bench, but Clane had too much firepower.
Killian O’Sullivan scored two two-pointers within five minutes of coming off the bench and when Fitzpatrick scored his second goal in the 53rd minute, the game was up for Allenwood.
Two pointers from Johnny Byrne and Eoin Bagnall had Allenwood 0-4 to 0-2 ahead in the ninth minute but they only scored one more point in the half as Clane took over.
Daragh Mullahy, Sam McCormack, Brian McLoughlin, Dan Colbert and Harry O’Neill rattled off points before Byrne ended that run of scores in the 28th minute.
Clane’s first goal arrived a minute later, and there was an element of fortune attached. Fitzpatrick shot for a point but his effort dipped. Close to goal, Cian O’Donoghue swung a hand at it and although he didn’t appear to get a touch, he did enough to distract Luke Anderson in the Allenwood goal.
That strike left Clane 1-7 to 0-5 ahead at the break but Allenwood quickly got themselves back into contention with two Eoin Bagnall frees.
It seemed that Clane were well in control when Fitzpatrick followed a two-pointer with one from inside the arc but Allenwood are nothing if not dogged.
Judge’s goal in the 42nd minute after Darragh Malone’s pass was followed by points from Bagnall and Byrne, and suddenly just a point separated the teams.
The game was wide open at this stage and twice Fitzpatrick went close to a goal, first he was denied a superb block by Anderson’s foot and then Sam McCormack’s pass was just too high across the face of the goal when there was a chance to palm the ball home.
O’Sullivan’s impact off the bench was massive in turning the game decisively in Clane’s favour and his two huge scores added four to his team’s tally and put daylight between the teams.
The game was wrapped up when Fitzpatrick scored his second goal, leaving the score at 2-15 to 1-9 with seven minutes remaining.
Fitzpatrick added two more points before the final whistle, while at the other end Darragh Malone kicked two brilliant two-pointers but they were mere consolations.
Their hopes of making the last eight of this year’s Championship are over and they will have to have to content themselves with finding something from their final round game against Johnstownbridge to carry into the ‘A’ Championship. While Clane face a huge tie against Celbridge with their Championship hopes at stake.
Cian Burke; Harry O’Neill 0-1, Shane McCormack, Hugh Prendergast, Calum Doran, Cian O’Donoghue, Cian Shanahan; Daragh Mullahy 0-1, Daniel Colbert 0-1; Rhys Vaughan, Adam Fitzpatrick 2-5 (1tp) Eoin Twohig, Sam McCormack 0-1, Brian McLoughlin 0-2, Shane O’Sullivan 0-2 (1f). Subs: Killian O’Sullivan 0-4 (2tp) for Doran, 45; Sean Tighe for O’Donoghue, 52; Sean Christianseen for Twohig, 58.
Luke Anderson; Ronan Guilfoyle, Sean Moran, TJ Moore, Brendan Hanafey, Darragh Malone 0-4 (2tp), Gavin Malone; John Dee, Mark Delaney; Jamie Gartland, Sean Dunne, Colm Moran, Eoin Bagnall 0-5 (1tp, 3fs), Johnny Byrne 0-4 (1tp), Cormac Dengaher. Subs: Eric Judge 1-0 for S Dunne, 42; Alex Lenehan for C Moran, 42; Fionn Moran for Delaney, 45; Callum O’Reilly for Hanafey, 56.
Niall Colgan.
