The Nire march on

The Nire have advanced to this years County Senior Football Semi Final and a meeting with Clashmore next Saturday evening after they overcame the challenge of Kilrossanty at the second time of asking at Fraher Field on Saturday evening last.

When the sides clashed three weeks ago, they played out possibly the best game of football played in the county with a number of years. Unfortunately, the same could not be said of this battle.

For much of the game it looked as if it was not going to be settled inside sixty minutes. For much of the game no less than a kick of the ball separated the two sides and a goal was always going to prove very important.

Shane Ryan opened the scoring after two minutes of this game, putting the ball between the uprights.

Barry Prendergast looked as if he was going to level matters four minutes later, but his effort dipped at the last second and it needed an important touch from former inter county goalkeeper Tomas Wall who put it off the woodwork to keep the ball from rattling the net.

Kilrossanty had to wait till the twelfth minute to hit their first score which came off the boot of Paul Whyte from what was a very tight angle.

Seconds later, Kilrossanty had the chance for a second goal. Attacking the Country end of the ground, David Power from the stand side of the field sent a soccer style kick along the ground in the direction of the Nire goal but narrowly went wide.

Brian Wall gave The Nire the lead once more on twenty-two minutes when he put over a free, but it was a short lived one as Paul Whyte put over a free with the aid of the upright five minutes from the break.

Liam Lawlor and Darren Guiry combined to draw a good save from Darren Mulhearne moments later. A minute from the end of the opening thirty Seamus Lawlor added a point for The Nire and shortly afterwards Kilrossanty received a body blow when Michael Kirwan was ordered off on a second yellow card.

In added time at the end of the first time, Jamie Barron and Joey Veale kicked points for their respective sides before Brian Wall kicked a free to give The Nire a 0-5 to 0-3 advantage at the break.

Both sides started the second half by kicking early points. Paul Whyte hit the range first when he hit a free from out near the sideline and seconds later, the impressive Shane Ryan restored The Nire’s two point advantage.

Paul Whyte from another free and the industrious Liam Lawlor kicked points inside a minute of each other to keep two between the sides, but two points from Paul Whyte followed to level matters after forty-three minutes.

As the game entered its final quarter, the Nire attacked the Kilrossanty goal and a Jamie Barron effort was not properly dealt with and as the ball rebounded high off one of the Kilrossanty players, Shane Ryan soared into the air and punched the ball to the Kilrossanty net for the games only goal.

Michael O’Gorman hit a point for The Nire which proved to be their last score of the game some twelve minutes from time.

Paul Whyte hit his seventh point of the game on fifty one minutes and shortly afterwards Paul Keating kicked a point to leave two between the sides.

Strangely, the Kilrossanty mentors removed Paul Keating from the field shortly afterwards.

 

The Nire: Tom Wall; Justin Walsh, Thomas O’Gorman, Maurice O’Gorman; John Moore, Martin Walsh, Seamus Lawlor; Michael O’Gorman, Shane Walsh; Brian Wall, James McGrath, Jamie Barron; Darren Guiry, Liam Lawlor, Shane Ryan. Subs: JP Fitzgerald for Jamie Barron, Richie Fenton for Shane Walsh, Connie Power for Darren Guiry, Craig Guiry for Brian Wall, Diarmuid Wall for John Moore.

Scorers: Shane Ryan 1-2, Brian Wall 0-2 (2 frees), Seamus Lawlor, Jamie Barron, Liam Lawlor, Michael O’Gorman 0-1 each.

Kilrossanty: Darren Mulhearne; Paul Hayes, Mark Prendergast, Kevin Delahunty; Michael Kirwan, Stephen Prendergast, Niall Walsh; Tommy Prendergast, Paul Whyte; Kieran Power, Barry Prendergast, David Power; Alan Quinn, Owen Cummins, Joey Veale. Subs: James Coade for Kieran Power, Paul Keating for Mark Prendergast, Michael Walsh for Owen Cummins, William Brazil for Paul Keating.

Scorers: Paul Whyte 0-7 (7 frees), Joey Veale, Paul Keating 0-1 each.

Referee: Pat Casey (Affane).