IFC semi-final replay: still no separating Sean O'Mahonys and Joes
September 29, 2014
Conal Smith St Josephs tries to stop Conor Crawley of O'Mahonys during the IFC semi final.
SEAN O'MAHONYS 1-13
ST JOSEPHS 0-16
Sean O'Mahonys and St Josephs will have to meet for a third time in an effort to decide who will play St Fechins in the Intermediate Championship Final after playing out a second draw, this time after extra time.
In another thrilling display of end-to-end football at Clan na Gael Park on Friday night there was no shortage of drama for the large crowd and no doubt all will be looking forward to the next instalment.
Sub Mark Neary was the hero for the Joes as he kicked a point deep into injury time to level matters at the end of the first hour, while Stephen Kilcoyne was the man to rescue the O'Mahonys with a late point in extra-time to ensure another day out was required.
That day out will take place on Thursday October 2nd at the same venue, and if a third replay is required it will take place on the following Sunday, with the Intermediate final now put back to October 12.
The game started with the O'Mahonys on top as Peter Nixon fired over two points, however his side suffered a major setback when Liam Dullaghan picked up a black card after just five minutes.
St Josephs took advantage and hit back with level with Conal O'Hanlon twice on target before his side edged ahead by two points near the end of the half. However, Kurt Murphy and Conor Finnegan pointed to make it six points each at the break.
The O'Mahonys did take the lead early in the second half but the Joes then took command with five unanswered points to lead by 0-11 to 0-7. Then the O'Mahonys struck to reduce the gap to two before Shane Brennan found himself in front of the posts and forced the ball home to put his side in front with five minutes left.
This time it was the Joes chance to respond and Mark Neary marked his return from injury with the equalising point deep into injury time to leave the score 1-9 to 0-12.
The first period of extra time produced just three points and saw the O'Mahonys go in leading by a point at the break. The second half saw the Joes have the better of the game and it looked as if they had done enough to win when Alan Quigley fired over. However, that wasn't to be the end of the drama as Conor Finnegan held his nerve to tie the game and set up another replay.
SEAN O'MAHONYS: Kevin Brennan; Pat O'Brien, Ronan Byrne, Mickey Clarke; Alan Watters, John O'Brien, Keith McLaughlin; Peter Nixon 0-2, Shane Brennan 1-0; Conor Finnegan 0-3, Conor Martin 0-3, Liam Dullaghan; Stephen Kilcoyne 0-4, Conor Crawley, Barry Mackin. Subs: Kurt Murphy 0-1, David Dowling.
ST JOSEPHS: Robert Sansom; Liam O'Leary, Ben Mulligan, David Kieran; Sean McQuillan, Alan Lynch, David Mernagh; Peter Mulligan, Peter Brennan; Tomas Smyth 0-1, Conall Smyth, Daire Smyth; Alan Quigley 0-4, Conal O'Hanlon 0-6, Derek Mulligan 0-3. Subs: Shane McQuillan for P Brennan, Mark Neary 0-2 for P Mulligan, Craig Doherty for A Lynch, David Reilly for D Smyth, Adam O'Connor for C Smyth.
Referee: Gabriel McKenny.
