Disappointment for The Nire at the Pairc

Life is full of ‘What if’s’.

In the intermediate aftermath of the Munster Senior Club Football Final against Austin Stack’s on Sunday afternoon, The Nire will have had a number of ‘What if’s’ running through their minds.

What if the referee had awarded a penalty instead of allowing play to continue for the Kerry side’s first goal.  

What if their opponents had not gone down to 14 players after just 14 minutes as It’s often harder to play against 14 than 15 as you have to work out who to leave free and how best to use that player.

What if when 1-2 to no score up early in the game if a high ball from Conor Gleeson in front of the Austin Stacks goal fell kinder to Michael O’Gorman or Shane Ryan than it did for the Stacks Daniel Bohan.

What if the ball was sent further down the field than it was in the build up to the Kerry side’s second goal. The same could be said for their third.  

What if chances that were missed either side of the break had gone between the uprights, chances all year that would have gone between them with the players blind folded and with their back to goal.

What if referee Conor Lane had given Kieran Donaghy a yellow card one minute into added time at the end of the first half. He had already received one on 24 minutes, and possibly would have received a second had not Shane Carroll not received his marching orders on 14 minutes after he picked up a second yellow card having been booked three minutes earlier.

‘What if’s’ are often the winning and loosing of the games.

The Nire will be disappointed with the final outcome of this game, but they can take something from the fact that overall 2014 was a very good year for the club.

They were unbeaten in the group stages of the championship. They may have had a scare to a degree in the county quarter final and semi final against Rathgormack and An Rinn respectfully but they got through the games to set up a county final against Stradbally who were expected to move to within one of the record number of championships won by Dungarvan, but it was The Nire who were celebrating the 21^st anniversary of their first title that won a seventh title putting in a very good display.

They went on to have good wins over Limerick champions Ballylanders in the Munster quarter final and over a fancied Cratloe side in the semi final after extra time and for much of the first half against Austin Stacks it looked as though the year would see them go unbeaten in championship football.

Added to this Benjie Whelan’s charges are in the final of the County Senior Football League which is yet to be played.

The Nire had a dream start to this game.

With eight minutes on the clock they were 1-3 to no score up on the scoreboard and thinks were looking good for them.

In fact they could have been even further in front. Had a high dropping ball fell kindly to Michael O’Gorman or Shane Walsh instead of Daniel Bohan you cant but think that Darragh O’Brien would be bending to pick the ball out of his net for the second time in the game which would effectively end the game as a contest.

Michael O’Gorman opened the scoring in this game with a point after just 78 seconds, and when Shane Ryan just over a minute later following some good work by Conor Gleeson and Seamus Lawlor rattled the ‘Stack’s’ net to give The Nire a dream start.

Brian Wall a further minute on kicked a second Nire point and three minutes later Conor Gleeson who has rightly received some rave reviews for his performances this year gave his side a 1-3 to no score lead.

Shane O’Callaghan hit the first score of the game for the Kerry side on nine minutes, and what an important score it proved to be, O’Callaghan finishing to the net from a Shane Carroll pass as he fell to the ground following a foul by Jamie Barron.

One another day a whistle happy referee would have immediately whistled up and stretch out his hands indicating a penalty is awarded but on this occasion the Cork referee allowed the game continue and if the ball had not hit the net, he would have called back play and awarded the one on one kick from 12 metres.

The Stacks would loose Shane Carroll soon afterwards after he picked up yellow cards on 11 and 14 minutes but at times you would never think the Kerry side were playing with a numerical disadvantage.

Shane Ryan extended The Nire’s lead with a point from a free on 13 minutes but disaster would soon follow for The Nire.

Anybody that knows me or who read what I have to say about the GAA will know that I detest a short puck out when it comes to hurling or football. After the ball has gone over a team’s end-line be it wide or for a score the onus on them should be to get the ball as far down field as possible as quickly as possible while you are in control of the ball and to heap pressure on the opposition.

A short puck out more often than not hands away any advantages you have as if the opposition gets the ball you are straight away under pressure. Coaches and managers have every right to use what ever tactic they feel necessary, but if they insist on a short puck out, why not hit it in the direction of often one of two extra players that teams have at the back, which happens when you bring a forward back to play as an extra defender or sweeper as some refer to him as and when the opposition does the same and when the player that is supposed to be his direct opponent does not follow him. There will be some that won’t agree with this, but just as they will not agree with me, I and many others are not going to agree with them.

Stacks managed to get a second goal on 19 minutes as Shane O’Callaghan feed David Mannix to finish after a short Nire kick-out when astray. The same player moments later kicked a point from a free which sent the sides to the dressing rooms level at the break.

The Kerry champions went in front for the first time early in the second half when Shane O’Callaghan and Michael Collins landed points, but The Nire would regain the lead on 38 minutes when a ball was played across the field to Craig Guiry who picked out Michael Moore who in turn beat Darragh O’Brien with a low shot under his body to give The Nire a 2-4 to 2-3 lead.

But this was as good as it got for The Nire.

Referee Conor Lane awarded Austin Stacks a penalty on 42 minutes. A short puck out in the direction of the unoccupied uncovered stand was intercepted and played back in across The Nire goal. Greg Horan attempted his luck for a third goal for the Kerry side but the Cork official in charge of the game was sharp and spotted a foot block by Tom Wall in The Nire goal and from 12 metres Pa McCarthy made no mistake in beating Wall.

The Nire in the closing minutes did create chances in the closing minutes but they failed to add to register any further scores. In fact there were only two further score David Mannix point seventeen minutes from time and later one from substitute Fiachna Mangan.

AUSTIN STACKS: Darragh O’Brien; Fearghal McNamara, Barry Shanahan, Denis McElligott; Pa McCarthy, Conor Jordan, Ciarán O’Connell; Wayne Guthrie, Kieran Donaghy; Mikey Collins, Shane Carroll, Daniel Bohan; Shane O’Callaghan, Greg Horan, David Mannix. Subs: John Dennis for Ciaran O’Connell (half-time), Fiachna Mangan for Mikey Collins (44), William Kirby for Wayne Guthrie (48), Darragh Long for David Mannix (55), Michael O’Donnell for Bohan (60).

Scorers: David Mannix 1-2 (0-2f), Shane O’Callaghan 1-1, Pa McCarthy 1-0 (penalty), Mikey Collins, Fiachna Mangan 0-1 each.

THE NIRE: Tom Wall; Maurice O’Gorman, Thomas O’Gorman, Justin Walsh; Séamus Lawlor, Brian Wall, Diarmuid Wall; Craig Guiry, Shane Walsh; Michael O’Gorman, Michael Moore, Jamie Barron; Conor Gleeson, Shane Ryan, Liam Lawlor. Subs: Keith Guiry for Shane Walsh (41), Tommy Cooney for Shane Ryan (50), Dermot Ryan for Séamus Lawlor (55-57, blood sub), Dermot Ryan for Craig Guiry (58).

Scorers: Shane Ryan 1-1 (0-1f), Michael Moore 1-0, Brian Wall (0-1f), Michael O’Gorman, Conor Gleeson 0-1 each.

Referee: Conor Lane (Cork).