Clane left singing the blues after outstanding second half performance by Eadestown
Eoin Conneff scored two important second half points for Clane Photo: Sean Brilly
Eadestown produced a second-half performance very much in the image of their manager Emmet Bolton as they destroyed a fancied Clane outfit with some superb football to run out deserved six-point winners.
Bolton’s half-time team talk must have been quite the oration as his side turned around a four-point deficit and broke Clane hearts with second half goals from Cian Boran and Ben Fitzsimons and a slew of brilliant points from the likes of Conor McCarthy and Eoin Conneff.
A strong-looking Clane selection, with the likes of Chris Byrne and Harry O’Neill welcome returnees from injury, opened with a long range point from Sam McCormack and although Cian Boran responded in kind for Eadestown, a Danny Egan ’45 and Brian McLoughlin free made it three points to one after only five minutes.
Eadestown, though, tend to reserve their best for championship and four points in a row laid down a marker. Conor McCarthy registered the first two from frees before Niall Cummins fizzed one just over the bar and Ben Fitzsimons followed up to give them a two point lead mid-way through the half.
Clane found their groove in the second quarter, though. Shane O’Sullivan pointed after a McCormack free came back off the post and he followed that up with a goal when he collected McLoughlin’s cross and buried the chance to the top right corner.
McLoughlin scored the next three points to send his team 1-7 to 0-5 ahead before a McCarthy free gave Eadestown something to hold onto at the interval.
Half-Time: Clane 1-7 Eadestown 0-6 Eadestown played like men possessed after the break and Clane couldn’t live with their fitness, strength and pace. They scored five of the first six second half points to reel in their opponents by the 38th minute before ‘keeper Shane Sargent made a crucial double save from O’Sullivan.
Two McCarthy points and another from Fitzsimons put Eadestown three ahead but Clane gave themselves a lifeline when McLoughlin, a peripheral figure in the second half, palmed home a Shane McCormack pass to level things.
Back came Eadestown again and after a McCarthy point, Cian Boran broke two tackles to find the net with six minutes remaining.
Shane McCormack responded with a point, and they pushed hard in injury time but a brilliant block in his own half from McCarthy set up the breakaway move from which Boran sent Fitzsimons through to score their second goal and seal a famous six-point win.
Cian Burke; Sam Reilly, Seán Callan, Jake Devey; Harry O’Neill, Chris Byrne, Tadhg Montgomery; Seán Christianseen, Shane McCormack 0-1; Cormac Vizzard, Sam McCormack 0-2 (1f), Hugh Prendergast; Brian McLoughlin 1-4 (3fs), Danny Egan 0-1 (’45), Shane O’Sullivan 1-1. SUBS: Conor Walsh for Byrne HT, Stephen Brereton for Devey 41, Eoin Walsh for Conor Walsh 44, Oisín Tighe for Vizzard 47, Eoin Twohig for Christianseen 55.
Shane Sargent; Conan Boran, John Lawlor, Seán Hynes; Darragh Jameson, Jack Sargent, Eoin Woods 0-1; Rian Boran, Niall Cummins 0-1; Ben Fitzsimons 1-2, Eoin Conneff 0-2, Pauric Tuohy; Fiachra Bracken O’Brien, Cian Boran 1-2, Conor McCarthy 0-7 (6fs). SUBS: Niall Grainger for Woods 58.
Owen Murphy.
