Stradbally remain unbeaten in Senior Football Championship

Stradbally had to fight hard to ensure they remained unbeaten in this years County Senior Football Championship on Sunday afternoon last at Fraher Field against Clashmore, where they had a three point win.

The all important score of the game came five minutes from time. Clashmore were playing their best football of the game at this time but they lost corner back Kieran Connery on a black card for a foul on Michael ‘Brick’ Walsh in the middle of the field.

And while they prepared Mark Nugent to come on, as his replacement, the resulting free was taken fast and sent in to Robert Ahearne in front of the Clashmore goal and the towering forward made no mistake in beating Darragh Curran from Close range.

It was Clashmore that were first out of the traps in this game when Brian O’Halloran put over a free after three minutes.

The reigning champions however came storming back and hit points through Jack Mullaney, Shane Ahearne and a brace from Eoin O’Brien to go 0-4 to 0-1 up after ten minutrs.

Edmund O’Halloran cut the Stradbally lead to two before Declan Allen hit Clashmore’s final score of the opening half on twelve minutes.

The Cove Men however would finish the half the stronger of the two sides as Robert Ahearne with a fisted effort on seventeen minutes followed with efforts from Tommy Connors and another from Robert Ahearne ensured that Stradbally went to the dressing rooms leading 0-7 to 0-3.

The standard of football played in the third quarter by both sides was very poor, but the sizeable attendance would have to ask how much of this was down to the very strong wind which blew throughout making it difficult for two sides who can play good football at times to do so.

Just two points were shared in the third quarter of the game. Eoin O’Brien was first to score on thirty-nine minutes and four minutes later Brian O’Halloran put over a free to keep four between the sides.

For ten minutes of the final quarter the best football of this game was played by both sides.

Edmund O’Halloran pointed on forty-five minutes which was followed by a Tadhg De Búrca effort to leave two between the sides.

Shane Ahearne made it a three point game when he pointed on forty-seven minutes, but when Fintan Breathnach, Tadhg De Búrca and Brian O’Halloran pointed between forty eight and fifty one minutes the sides were level for the first time since the fifth minute.

Robert Ahearne followed up with a point a minute later and when the same player finished to the net five minutes from time it was looking good for Stradbally.

Brian O’Halloran put over a free three minutes from time which gave The Still Men some hope but it was quickly followed with another Shane Ahearne free.

Clashmore brought the scoring to a close a minute into added time when Brian O’Halloran put over another free, but it proved to be but a mere consolation score.

Stradbally: Eoin Cunningham; Luke Casey, Kevin Lawlor, Cathal Cusack; Paddy Kiely, Shane Lannon, Tony Grey; Michael Walsh, Tommy Connors; Daniel Weldon, Robert Ahearne, Jack Mullaney; Paul Tobin, Shane Ahearne, Eoin O’Brien. Subs: Christopher Casey for Eoin Cunningham (45).

Scorers: Robert Ahearne 1-3; Shane Ahearne (1f), Eoin O’Brien 0-3 each, Jack Mullaney, Tommy Connors 0-1 each.

Clashmore: Darragh Curran; Shane Russell, Ciaran Burke, Kieran Connery; Aidan Trihy, Tadhg De Búrca, Seán O’Connor; Seán Bourke, Jason Seaward; Edmund O’Halloran, Brian O’Halloran, Declan Allen; Paul O’Connor, Sean Fleming, Paddy Fitzgerald. Subs: Fintan Breathnach for Paul O’Connor (42), Phil Dee for Seán O’Connor (43), Gavin Dower for Paddy Prendergast (51), Mark Nugent for Kieran Connery (55 Black Card).

Scorers: Brian O’Halloran 0-5 (4f), Edmund O’Halloran, Tadhg De Búrca 0-2 each, Declan Allen, Fintan Breathnach 0-1 each.

Referee: John Condon.