St. James’ just fall short after titanic struggle

Date Published: {J}

St. James’ 0-15

Lisnaskea 1-16

(AET)

Dara Bradley

at Croke Park

IF it were a rugby match, you’d look to the Television Match Official; if it were a horse race there’d have been a stewards’ enquiry; even in cricket the umpires would have asked the third official to review the video replays.

But in Gaelic football, you take your beating. No matter how wrong the decision, you take it on the chin. Look what happened to Louth in the Leinster final.

On Saturday under floodlights at Croke Park, the GAA’s reluctance to embrace technology in deciding marginal calls could well have cost the St. James’ intermediate footballers an All-Ireland medal.

The City men were leading by a point, 0-10 to 0-9, with about a minute of normal time remaining in the All-Ireland final after a rousing second-half performance against the Fermanagh and Ulster champions Lisnaskea.

Their talisman, Paul Conroy, had just been fouled after making a penetrating run. The midfielder picked himself up, dusted himself down and then steadied himself before taking the kick into the Hill 16 goal.

Reporters in the press box had chalked it down as a point; the St James’ (and most of the Lisnaskea) supporters in the lower Hogan Stand and management and substitutes along the pitch felt it was a point; Conroy himself was convinced it was a score.

One of the umpires, who admittedly was closer to the action, disagreed and waved it wide. It was a tight call, probably the wrong call.

And from the ensuing kick-out, Lisnaskea went up and scored at the other end with the last kick of the match to force extra-time, a period in which they pushed on to outscore ‘The Jimmies’ by 1-6 to 0-5 to become the first Fermanagh side to win an All-Ireland club final.

In fairness, there were no sour grapes from the St. James’ players or management afterwards because the reality is – regardless of that controversial wide – the Renmore/Mervue/Ballybane outfit should, and could easily, have won this in normal time.

With nine minutes remaining, St. James’ were in control, cruising with a three point advantage after a remarkable gallant bounce back after the interval. They didn’t kick on. When the stewards were instructed to take up their end-of-match positions with about three minutes to go, they were still two points to the good and should have ‘shut up shop’.

Lisnaskea’s most threatening player, Daniel Kille narrowed the gap to just one with a pressure free but when Conroy’s effort was waved wide – it surely would have been the insurance score – disaster struck in the form of ill-discipline.

From the kick-out, centre-forward Stephen Carters was racing forward in search of the equaliser when he was deemed to have been fouled by wing-back Tommy Walsh. The free was awarded just outside of the danger area but after dissent from Walsh, Kerry referee Pádraig O’Sullivan move it in ten, Kille stole a few more yards and suddenly it was within his range. The corner-forward held his nerve and slotted over the pressure kick despite jeering from St. James’ fans.

He should have known better but it was tough call on Walsh, a leader in the St. James’ defence all season who had earlier saved their bacon by dramatically stopping a Lisnaskea shot on the line.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.