Rahoon/Salthill’s storming finish snatches Co. B title

Date Published: 09-May-2013

 EIGHT unanswered points – four from sharpshooter Conor O’Shea – in the closing 20 minutes saw Rahoon/Salthill overturn a seven-point deficit to claim the U-21 ‘B’ county title in dramatic fashion at Kenny Park, Athenry on Monday.

It was nailbiting stuff in the finish, with O’Shea only grabbing the equaliser, following good work from Colin Hanbury and substitute Brian Hyland, in the 58th minute before Andy Dunne registered the winner a minute into injury-time.

For a brave Cois Fharraige, they had one final opportunity to make amends for coughing up their seven-point advantage but full-forward and man of the match Cillín Ó Heochaidh could not steer what was a difficult long range free between the posts.

Ó Heochaidh was inconsolable afterwards but the truth was he had played a hero’s role in scoring 1-8, 1-4 from play, with the sharpshooter netting the game’s only goal on 36minutes, following a cracking long range delivery from Breandán Ó Conghaile. Ó Heochaidh then shot his side’s last score of the game two minutes later.

With the Connemara outfit 1-12 to 0-8 to the good and looking to be comfortably in control – they had another half-chance of a goal through Pádraig Eoin Ó Curraoin just moments later – it was hard to imagine a way back for Rahoon/Salthill. However, instead of being a godsend, the goal, ultimately, proved to be a curse.

For one, Cois Fharraige’s focus shifted off their performance onto the scoreline – and the result – and, consequently, their work-rate and intensity dropped. In addition, as the game progressed and Rahoon/Salthill began to rally, they also began to lose their composure and shape.

That said, it takes a good team to be able to change things around and Rahoon/Salthill – under the management of Sean Heffernan, Conor Quinlan, former Galway senior manager Conor Hayes and current Tipperary boss Eamon O’Shea – certainly showed they are all that.

Credit to the management team, though, they did make some astute changes. Centre-half back Gavin Hayes added power when parachuted into the heart of the attack while corner forward Colin Hanbury flourished in the freedom he was allowed in the middle third.

Into the bargain, they bravely withdrew forwards Éamon Brannigan and Eoin Kennedy, two players who showed prominently in the first half and both of whom had found the target with some superb points in that period.

It proved the collective is greater than the individual and when Rahoon/Salthill got into their stride they started to ask questions of their opponents.

By the three-quarter mark, O’Shea (two frees),Dunne and midfielder Michael Collins had tallied points in a productive five-minute spell to leave just a goal, 1-12 to 0-12, between them entering the final quarter and it was all to play for.

With the scores drying up for Cois Fharraige, they tried to stay the course. In contrast, O’Shea and Dunne had finally come into their own and they were able to conjure up the vital four scores – two each – in the final 10 minutes to snatch the victory.

Coincidentally, Dunne’s late winner secured his side the lead for the one and only time in the final. It also underlined what a spirited Cois Fharraige had brought to the contest, at least for 40 minutes.

Ó Heochaidh had led the charge in the opening half with five points, two from play, while Pádraig Eoin Ó Curraoin, Cathal Ó Cualáin and centre-half back Maidhc Ó Conghaile (free) also contributed in establishing a 0-8 to 0-7 interval lead.

As for Rahoon/Salthill, they kept in touch with some great scores from midfielder John Hanbury (play and free), Kennedy, O’Shea, Brannigan and Dunne (play and free) although they could have been on level terms or ahead had they also converted a fraction of their eight first half wides. Seven of those were tallied in the opening quarter.

Two of the most notable feats in a competitive opening spell were the heroics of the opposing goalkeepers. In the 17th minute, Cois Fharraige custodian Caoimhín Ó Conghaile pulled off a spectacular save from raiding Rahoon/Salthill midfielder Hanbury and he would surpass that with an even better stop from O’Shea just 12 seconds into the latter period. When Cois Fharraige took the lead, it seemed that save was a turning point.

The victors’ No. 1, Joseph McNamara also showed he was no slouch between the posts when producing a brave save of his own to deny the lively Ó Heochaidh on the 18thminute.McNamara, however, could do little to stop the same striker’s effort on 36minutes.

That goal rounded off a sensational spell for Cois Fharraigewho hit an unanswered 1-3 in the opening six minutes of the second half. The points came from the sticks of SeánÓ Curraoin and Ó Heochaidh, play and free, and established a solid 1-11 to 0-7 advantage.

Although Ó Heochaidh and Collins traded points subsequently, that was as good as it got for Cois Fharraige as Rahoon/Salthill registered those eight points in the closing 20 minutes to take the title back to the City.

Despite a high free count of 38 – 22 in the first half – this was an entertaining decider. And one of a sound standard.

After a difficult 40minutes, the Rahoon/Salthill rearguard finally got to grips with Cois Fharraige and, certainly, the deeper role afforded Colin Hanbury was key to turning defence into attack.

Collins and John Hanbury proved a solid Rahoon/Salthill midfield pairing while, up front, O’Shea and Dunne, despite a shaky start, certainly had an eye for the target. Gavin Hayes and substitute Hyland also offered the attack more direction when deployed there.

Cois Fharraige were best served by the gutsy Tadgh Ó Caoimh, Maidhc Ó Conghaile and Cillín Ó Heochaidh, although, for nearly three quarters of the fixture, each and every Cois Fharraige player looked comfortable in their position. The loss of forwards Cathal Ó Cualáin and Stiofán Ó Fatharta through injury certainly didn’t help their cause late on.