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An Clarach Cumann Luthchleas Gael
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U21 Football Championship Semi-Final Replay Clara 1-16 Kilcormac/Killoughey 1-10 Click on photos to enlarge After a great game last Friday night 6th March the general worry was that Clara had let this one slip but on a wet and windy night in Pullough, those thoughts would prove unfounded. Clara were out of the blocks and rattled off the first five scores without reply. Pa Smith and Darren Scanlon added points from play either side of a scored free from the ever accurate Joey Deehan,and then the latter added two more fine pointed frees. In what was probably Kilcormac’s first attack after 12 minutes, after a scramble in the goalmouth they were awarded a very dubious penalty when it was clear for everyone to see(except the Ref )that Ross Brady cleared the ball with his boot legally. Up stepped the Kilcormac danger-man Currams and dispatched the ball clinically to the back of Keegan's net. It was tit for tat for the next few minutes with Clara working the ball lovingly up the field and the outcome was four wonderfully taken points by Darren Scanlon, Ross Brady the ever willing Graham Guilfoyle and Joey Deehan who had found his range from play as well as the dead ball. Kilcormac had managed three points during this period also but one sensed Clara had the edge. At half time Clara had a three point lead but would it be enough having to face a swirling unforgiving wind in the second half and a dangerous and hungry Currams who had been marshalled extremlye well by John Ledwith. Clara came out with more fire in their guts for the second half and it was not long before the superb Guilfoyle had the opposition at two's and three's with another great point preceded by another dead ball daisy by Deehan. Clara replaced the hard working Coughlan with Richie Slammon who adapted very well and would have a fine game breaking up Kilcormac attacks. Kilcormac suddenly found their range and added some good scores while Clara struggled to find the crisp passing that had served them so well throughout the game and coupled with some terrible refereeing decisions they found themselves leading by the bare minimum.
Then they received a hammer blow when one of their midfield marvels received what seemed like a bad ankle injury with Brady evidently in some pain on the wet and uncompromising sod. He would be replaced by John Flattery who in turn would become a major thorn in the oppositions side. Clara looked as if they had done enough until just on the stroke of full time Kilcormac were awarded a free and the strangely subdued Currams made no mistake and brought the game to extra time. Clara played against the wind in the first period and led by some brilliant defending by Paul Mitchell and the powerful Paul Deehan found themselves a goal and two points to the good. With the opposition yet to score. Garry Slammon was then replaced by Barry Cushen and the latter took to battle like a duck to water while also scoring a fine point. They were now motoring spurred on by a sublimely taken goal by the ever improving Pa Smith. In the second half of extra time normal service was resumed with the Clara lad’s throwing their bodies on the line. They restricted Kilcormac to a single point but suffered two further injuries to Caoimhan Sheridan who had a super game and though he was not the tallest man on the field he made up for it with a classic display of all round play(replaced by Aaron Ngo). John Flattery who came on as a sub also sustained an injury which ended any further participation which was a pity as he had excelled beforehand. So Clara were deserved winners on a score line of 1-16 to 1-10 and on this performance and with an injury free panel need have no worries against St Michael’s, who had their manager Tom Coffey in attendance casting a watchful eye over proceedings. Credit to Noel Willie Mick and the backroom team. Bring on the final! Until next time….Vamoose The
Merry Magpie.
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