St. Michaels 0-15, Blackhall Gaels 1-12
 

To say team coach Ciaran Conlon wasn't nervous looking on as Ciaran Lynch steadied himself in an attempt to convert a free from an awkward angle in the third minute of injury time would be an understatement, however he need not have worried as the ace marksman delivered the levelling score to lift his side further up the division two table.

This was a dog eat dog battle from start to finish in Carlanstown last evening as both sides went in pursuit of maximum points with the home side looking to move out of the bottom third and the visitors seeking a top two finish. This was a game St. Michaels should have won as they hit 5 points on the spin in the opening 9 minutes and although it took until the 12th minute for Blackhall Gaels to open their account the home side should have been out of sight at this stage as Peter O'Connell uncharacteristically missed a sitter of a goal in the opening minute as his rasping shot skimmed the bottom of the upright on the wrong side. The "Gaels" added two more in as many minutes to reduce the deficit to 0-5 to 0-3 by the end of the first quarter. Ciaran Lynch fired over his third point of the match from a free after Shane McDonnell was fouled but this score was immediately cancelled out by the visitors who went on to add a further point before they were awarded a penalty on 23 minutes for a foot-block, Darren O'Connell's deflected penalty save came back off the cross bar into the hands of the penalty taker who made no mistake second time round for a 1-5 to 0-7 lead. A brilliantly converted free from an acute angle from along the sideline from Ciaran Lynch levelled matters for the first time on 27 minutes, however the next two minutes produced two more points for the "Gaels". Some hard work from Peter O'Connell who fed Lynch who in turn split the posts for the home side to trail by one at the break, 0-9 to 1-7.

Lynch was on target again two minutes into the second half with a converted free to draw level after Ray Reilly was fouled, Reilly himself started and finished the next move with a good point from play on 33 minutes but back came Blackhall Gaels to level the match once more at 1-8 to 0-11. Good work from J.B. O'Reilly found Peter O'Connell in open space and he sent it over the black spot for the lead once more. It was possession football for the following 12 minutes with missed chances on both sides with only Blackhall Gaels registering a point in the 40th minute, they could have added a second goal but for an excellent point blank save from substitute keeper Shane McCormack in the St. Michaels goals. Seven minutes later O'Connell was once again on target for the lead which was short lived as the visitors once again drew level two minutes later. David Lynch put his side back in front on 51 minutes but the Gaels levelled the match for the sixth time straight from the kick-out. St. Michaels lost J.B. O'Reilly on a second yellow with five minutes remaining on the clock and as both sides missed chances it was the visitors who managed to get their noses in front with a point in the first minute of injury time, however as the watch ticked down a foul in the corner on Shane McDonnell resulted in a free which was brought forward by referee Marcus Quinn for dissent from the Blackhall players and Ciaran Lynch became the hero showing good composure in the third minute of added time to steer over a deserved equalizer. Apart from those already mentioned, Sam Briody, Philip Rogers, Matthew Halpin, Jamie Reilly, Paddy Clarke, Adam O'Brien and Joe Martin were others to show up well.

St. Michaels team and scorers: Darren O'Connell, Joe Martin, Sam Briody, Adam O'Brien, Paddy Clarke, Philip Rogers, Matthew Halpin, Peter O'Connell 0-2, Jamie Reilly, David Lynch 0-2, Ciaran Lynch 0-7, J.B. O'Reilly, Ray Reilly 0-3, Ronan Lynch, Shane McDonnell 0-1. Subs: Shane McCormack for Ronan Lynch injured on 30 minutes, Ronan Cassidy for Adam O'Brien 55 minutes.

Referee: Marcus Quinn.

Report and photo: Pascal Reilly.
 

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