U-21 saga drags on as 2008 final deadlocked

Date Published: 10-Dec-2009

THE seemingly never-ending story that is the 2008 U21 A hurling championship will need at least a further sixty minutes of action next Sunday to produce a champion after Sarsfields and Clarinbridge played out a low-scoring draw in Ballinasloe on Saturday afternoon.

Far from a classic encounter, this ridiculously delayed competition’s final suffered from the sticky underfoot conditions and a strong wind which led to both sides only managing to raise a single white flag apiece into the traditional “scoring” end of Duggan Park.

Forwards usually define finals, but this tie was dominated by two resolute defensive units who for long periods engaged in aerial ping-pong as their scorers struggled to win any worthwhile clean possession.

Clarinbridge’s Eoin Forde looked the most likely to break the stubborn Sarsfields’ resistance as he chipped away at their five-point interval lead, but after Thomas Ganley finally provided some scoring assistance in the 45th minute to draw the sides level, a winning score proved elusive and, thankfully, no provision was made for an extra-time period.

Despite the grey skies, the opening exchanges were encouraging as Sarsfields’ Niall Quinn, whose stick work was impressive throughout, opened the scoring in the second minute before Eoin Forde levelled with a free. It proved to be Clarinbridge’s only score of the half.

When Barry Daly was then penalised for overcarrying Niall Morrissey converted a sixth minute free to push Sarsfields ahead, but with Clarinbridge captain Paul Callanan revelling in his role as a sweeper between the half and full back line, scores quickly became hard to come by as the ‘Bridge committed two and three men to every tackle.

Liam Michael Kelly’s fine catch and run on 16 minutes led to a 20 metre free, which Morrissey blasted narrowly over the bar to stretch Sarsfields’ advantage, before Mark Scully made a timely intervention to deny Thomas Ganley a score at the other end.

Smothered whenever they got close to goal, Sarsfields were being restricted to long range efforts and shot three wides in quick succession before Quinn launched a counter attack after robbing Eoin Forde and Liam Michael Kelly’s well taken point was quickly added to by a Morrissey free.

The game as a whole was painfully shy of goalscoring intent, which was best typified by Clarinbridge’s glaring miss on 28 minutes when John Cannon and James Brett combined well to set up substitute Adrian Egan, but when well-placed to find the net his ground stroke made only a dent in the chilly December air as the sliotar rolled from harm’s way.

Sarsfields’ Gerard Dolan then forced Aaron Bindon into the only significant netminding action of the game after being set up by Eanna Dolan. The resultant ’65 was driven wide by Morrissey but he made amends with a free in injury time which left the scoreboard reading 0-6 to 0-1 in Sarsfields favour.

A game that had been devoid of niggle suddenly threatened to boil over into mayhem before the whistle was even blown for the start of the second half. A tussle between Sarsfields’ Darren Skehill, who had dominated the full back line, and Adrian Egan left Skehill prone on the ground and sparked a number of other skirmishes around the pitch. Thankfully order was restored but not before Skehill had left the fray in some discomfort, only to return eight minutes after the resumption.

By that point Eoin Forde had already cut the deficit to two with a couple of successful frees and a well-hit ’65.

Sarsfields were now struggling against the elements and their only noteworthy effort came from a Morrissey sideline cut from the right touchline which went narrowly wide of the upright.

With momentum now in Clarinbridge’s favour, again it was Eoin Forde who popped up to provide the finishing touches. On 40 minutes he calmly made it a one-point ball game with his first from play, but Morrissey quickly hit back for Sarsfields when he drilled a free over the bar to make it 0-7 to 0-5.

In the next attack, however, Forde grabbed his sixth point and Clarinbridge looked likely to forge ahead with 18 minutes still remaining on the clock. Morrissey hit the post with a long-range free for Sarsfields, which was as close as they came to adding further to their tally.

Clarinbridge duly levelled matters when a good clearance from Brendan Ryder found Thomas Ganley and he split the posts with a clean strike off his left hand side. Surely the ‘Bridge would now power on to their second U21A crown (the first coming in 1995), but a John Cannon wide was as close as they came in the final quarter as Sarsfields’ staunch defensive effort stifled their hopes of a win.