Dromtarriffe 3-15

Gabriel Rangers 3-13

TOM LYONS REPORTS

WHAT a cracking game. Two teams beaten in round one, hell bent on rescuing their season with a win to remain in the championship.

If ever there was an honourable defeat in a game, this was surely it for gallant Gabriels. As the Vikings were wont to say, they certainly died on their shields. Not that it is much consolation, as their heart-breaking defeat sees them pushed closer to the exit of the intermediate A football championship after two defeats.

It was so close to the great escape for the westerners in what would have been one of their greatest championship victories.

The Duhallow men looked the better side in the first half – bigger, stronger, hard-hitting, dominating kickouts and turning over Gabriels in possession. Their trio of goals in that half should have seen them beyond reach but gritty, if outgunned, Gabriels were sticking in there. A cracking Eddie Goggin goal had the lead down to a manageable six points at the break.

The lead was down to three following a great restart by Gabriels but when Dromtarriffe restored it to six at the start of an amazing last quarter, the Carbery men's goose looked cooked. But in that last quarter, they launched a courageous comeback.

Not only was the lead pulled back, outscoring Dromtarriffe by 2-2 to a point with goals from Keith O’Driscoll and Goggin, but when Gabriels took the lead with two minutes remaining, the supporters were in full voice.

But Dromtarriffe, after missing a couple of two-point attempts, hit three unanswered points to win by two, keeping their hopes of a qualifying place alive. In the last round, Gabriels must beat St Finbarr’s in Ballinacarriga and hope Mitchelstown beat Dromtarriffe elsewhere

‘We have to be proud of the lads after that tremendous effort, it just didn’t fall for us in the end,’ said a very disappointed Gabriels Rangers manager Padraig Lynch.

‘We gave it everything, it was a marvellous game of football, just let it slip there at the end. The lads showed great fight, a great recovery, very unlucky not to win it. We’ll have to focus on the next game against St Finbarr’s.’

All three Dromtarriffe goals in the first half had a touch of good fortune about them. The first in the 11th minute, leading by 0-3 to 0-1, saw Conor O’Callaghan’s shot crashing back off the crossbar with Evan Murphy reacting fastest to bury it in the net. They led by 1-5 to 0-3 at the end of the first quarter, Eddie Goggin (free) and O’Callaghan swapping two-pointers.

Four points separated the sides when Eddie Goggin struck for a Gabriels’ goal after a penetrating solo run in the 25th minute. The sides were level a minute later when Seán Kelleher pointed.

It seemed Gabriels were coming to grips with Dromtarriffe’s physical challenge but the roof caved in before half time when the winners struck for two quick goals. A controversial penalty in the 28th minute for a foul on Darren O’Connor was rocketed to the net by Evan Murphy for his second goal. Within two minutes the green flag was waving again when the Gabriels’ goalkeeper batted a ball out from underneath the crossbar only to see Darren O’Connor finishing to the net.

Behind by 3-8 to 1-8, Gabriels had it all to do in the second half, but when they kicked three quick points from O’Driscoll, Goggin and Ger O’Callaghan to half the lead, they seemed on the right road.

Back came Dromtarriffe with three in reply, including a Conor O’Callaghan two-point free. Then came the great fight back from Gabriels that had them on the verge of an amazing win as the game headed into injury time.

But it was the Duhallow men who finished stronger with fisted points from David Ward and Tomás Howard and a kicked effort from Mark O’Connor to clinch a marvellous win in a rip-roaring contest.

OUR STAR: Eddie Goggin and Keith O’Driscoll nearly pulled it off for Gabriel Rangers but it was Dromtarriffe centre back Conor O’Callaghan who dominated the game with his high fielding, covering off and the scoring of two crucial two-pointers.

Scorers

Dromtarriffe: Evan Murphy 2-1 (1 pen); Darren O’Connor 1-1; Conor O’Callaghan 0-4 (2 2pt); Andrew Healy, Tomás Howard 0-2 each; James Kelleher, Brian O’Keeffe, David Ward, Mark O’Connor 0-1 each.

Gabriel Rangers: Eddie Goggin 2-5 (2f, 1 2ptf); Keith O’Driscoll 1-3; David O’Regan, Seán Kelleher, Lorcan O’Brien, Ger O’Callaghan, Gearóid Coughlan 0-1 each.

Dromtarriffe: Michael O’Keeffe; Rory O’Keeffe, Seán Howard, Mark Dennehy; Tomás Howard, Conor O’Callaghan, Con O’Callaghan; James Kelleher, Adam Buckley; Brian O’Keeffe, Andrew Healy, Michael O’Callaghan; Evan Murphy, David Ward, Darren O’Connor.

Subs: David O’Keeffe for D O’Connor (40), Mark O’Connor for M O’Callaghan (43), Aidan Downey for B O’Keeffe (48).

Gabriel Rangers: Liam Hegarty; Liam Hodnett, David O’Regan, Killian O’Sullivan; Darragh O’Shea, Killian O’Brien, Danny McSweeney; Ger O’Callaghan, Seán Kelleher; Lorcan O’Brien, Jordi O’Brien, Keith O’Driscoll; Eoin O’Brien, Milan Vernacombe, Eddie Goggin.

Subs: Chris Moynihan for J O’Brien (43), Mark Cronin for E O’Brien (52).

Referee: Tom Manley (Inniscarra).