Moorefield keep Championship hopes alive with dramatic comeback
Jack Robonson on the attack for Clogherinkoe
That indomitable Moorefield spirit proved as strong as ever as they clawed back a three-point deficit in injury time to grab a crucial draw with Clogherinkoe in Saturday’s thrilling Joe Mallon Motors Senior Football Championship Group D clash in Manguard Park.
Clogherinkoe will feel sore however at curious officiating just before Aaron Martin kicked the Moores equaliser deep into stoppage time. With the crowd screaming ‘breach’ at the officials it looked from the press box as if Moorefield were the offenders, but referee Alan Archbold brought the players down the opposite end as if to award Moorefield the 13-metre free. After further consultation with his linesman, however, Archbold decided to hop the ball at midfield. Moorefield won possession and after Aaron Masterson’s wayward long-range effort was pulled from the air by Dan O’Callaghan, substitute Martin was on hand to slot the equaliser.
Goals from inter-county star forwards, senior Jack Robinson and under-20 player of the year Jimmy Lynch, had put Clogherinkoe in front in the last ten minutes of the first half and although Moorefield managed to cut off the supply line to Robinson by and large in the second half, the Offaly border side looked to have clinched the win three minutes from the end with Mark ‘Bluey’ Nolan’s two-pointer putting them three clear (2-13 to 0-16).
But Moorefield are nothing if not resilient. Mark Murray was left with too much space from fifty metres out and he arrowed a two-pointer off the outside of his boot with 62 minutes on the clock to make it a one-point game. Then came the controversy, and the inevitable Moorefield equaliser.
Robinson, who was held scoreless from play in the opening round defeat to Eadestown, took only 44 seconds to get off the mark here, beating his county colleague Mark Dempsey to Rian Cully’s through ball and striking sweetly with his left. He went on to notch 1-4 by half-time, his goal coming with a helping hand from Moores goalkeeper Tom Kinsella. Robinson still had plenty to do when Kinsella’s kick out went straight to him, but he slotted coolly underneath the Moores ‘keeper on 23 minutes.
That levelled matters after Moorefield had led 0-8 to 0-5, with Ryan Moore outstanding in kicking three points from full-forward. Robinson added a superb point from an acute angle to put Cloghs ahead and three minutes after the first goal, Lynch was slotting home their second having been fed by the excellent Cully.
That helped Cloghs to a 2-6 to 0-10 half-time lead and they stretched that to four by the tenth minute of the second half when Lynch’s point made it 2-9 to 0-11.
Moore’s brilliant two-pointer brought Moorefield back in touch and substitute Tommy Rooney shot an equaliser with nine minutes remaining (0-16 to 2-10).
Lynch then pushed Cloghs ahead before Nolan’s orange flag. Although Evan O’Briens free on the stroke of normal time made it a two-point game, substitute Mark Grehan responded from play and the underdogs looked likely to make it to the finishing line with four minutes of injury time remaining and their lead at three points.
Against any other team than Moorefield, perhaps.
Tom Kinsella; Liam Callaghan, Mark Dempsey, Sean Dempsey; Anthony Durney, James Murray, Dan Hanniffy; Tommy McGrath 0-1, Aaron Masterson; Luke Sweeney 0-2 (tp), Kevin Murnaghan, Mark Murray 0-5 (1tp,1f); Evan O’Brien 0-5 (4fs), Ryan Moore 0-5 (1tp), Dan O’Callaghan. Subs: Tommy Rooney 0-1 for Murnaghan 42, Conor Walsh for Callaghan 43, Eoin Meehan for Durney 44, Aaron Martin 0-1 for S Dempsey 53.
Keith Wilkinson; Aeden Boyle, David Hill, Rory Phelan; Andrew Hill, Killian Galligan, Daire Travers; Caelum Flanagan, Daniel Grehan; Jimmy Lynch 1-4 (0-2fs), Fionn Casey, Cein McMonagle 0-1; Jack Robinson 1-5 (0-1f), Rian Cully, Mark Nolan 0-3 (1tp). Subs: Mark Grehan 0-1 for Casey 51, Sean Dennihan for Nolan 60, Conor O’Donoghue for Phelan 60+4.
Alan Archbold.
