The pain from Spain falls mainly on Clane
Tony Spain was Ardclough's matchwinner against Clane Photo: Sean Brilly
He may carry more years than the No 20 he carried on his back on Friday night but veteran, Tony Spain, proved that the years had not diminished his eye for goal as he took a pass from the impressive Sean Buggy to fire home a goal deep in injury time that led to Ardclough’s victory over Clane in Round 2 of the UPMC SHC Group B at Cedral St Conleth’s Park.
Cian Shanahan had just given Clane the lead in the first of the three minutes of added time allocated by Referee, Brian Kearney, when Ardclough worked the sliotar up the field, with Drew Costello and Tim Ryan involved, and the final pass came from Buggy to Spain, who had only come on five minutes earlier, and as he had done for many years, the former county star fired passed Mark Doyle in the Clane goals to give Ardclough a two point lead and the path to victory.
Ardclough’s first goal was also scored by a substitute, Cillain Burke, who like Spain was only on the pitch for a short time when he found the net after a great drive and pass by Ryan in the 28th minute.
Ardclough always seemed to have goals in them, despite the loss of goal poacher Martin Fitzgerald who was replaced by Burke in the 26th minute. The former Kildare sharpshooter sustained a calf injury in the first two minutes but managed to carry on until just before half time. Clane keeper, Mark Doyle had to be at his best to deny Ardclough on three further occasions in the game.
The sides were level on nine times including on the stroke of full time when Tim Ryan pointed for Ardclough to leave the sides level at 1-18 to 0-21. Cian Shanahan’s injury time point looked to have given Clane momentum until Spain’s goal rocked them back. Although Paddy McKenna reduced the deficit to a single point, Buggy ensured Ardclough would win by two with a late point.
Both sides enjoyed periods of dominance with points by Shanahan, Cormac Vizzard and McKenna (free) giving Clane an early 0-4 to 0-2 lead by the 10th minute. In the next five minutes points by Colm Walsh, Buggy (’65), Eoghan Walsh and a lively Harry Maughan (two) pushed Ardclough 0-7 to 0-4 in front. The excellent Hugh Muldoon, McKenna (free), Cormac Vizzard and Sean Christensen brought us level for the fourth time in the game in the 23rd minute. After Ryan and Shanahan exchanged points wing back, Darragh Buggle strode forward to give Ardclough the lead as we approached half time and substitute, Burke’s goal helped the winners into a 1-10 to 0-11 half time lead.
Tempers became a little frayed near the Ardclough dugout in that first half resulting in yellow cards for Hugh Muldoon of Clane and Drew Costello of Ardclough and a red card for Ardclough substitute, David Collins, who entered the field of play during a brief scuffle. The third quarter became a bit of a shoot-out, from frees and play, between Buggy and Muldoon and with twenty minutes to go Ardclough led 1-14 to 0-14. A ten-minute period of control saw Clane not only draw level but take the lead at 0-18 to 1-14 thanks to another Muldoon long range free. Ryan, Walsh and Burke put Ardclough in front again by two in the 51st minute but three in a row by McKenna, a great score, Christensen and a Muldoon free put Clane a point up on the stroke of full time. A draw looked on the cards at that stage but despite the best efforts of Shanahan and McKenna, Spain’s goal and Buggy’s point ensured the victory went to Ardclough on the night.
Finn Leach; Darragh Millar, Maurice Sexton, Kelvin Lynch; Darragh Buggle 0-1, Drew Costello, Sean Coulston; Colm Walsh 0-2, Tim Ryan 0-3; Sean Whelan, Patrick O’Malley, Sean Buggy 0-9 (6 frees, 1 X ’65); Harry Maughan 0-3, Martin Fitzgerald, Eoghan Walsh. SUBS: Conor Kelly for Kelvin Lynch 26, Cillain Burke 1-1 for Martin Fitzgerald 26, Ronan O’Malley for Sean Whelan 48, Tony Spain 1-0 for Colm Walsh 55.
Mark Doyle; Adam Corbett, Riann O’Neill, Tom Malone; Daniel Colbert, Caolan Smith, Seán Malone; Simon Healy, Daniel Malone; Seán Christensen 0-3, Hugh Muldoon 0-8 (4 frees), Cormac Vizzard 0-2; Paddy McKenna 0-7 (3 frees), Cian Shanahan 0-3, Shane Henry. SUBS: Callum Durnin for Cormac Vizzard 36, Aiden Mooney for Shane Henry 45, Aaron Connolly for Daniel Malone 52.
Brian Kearney
