Tracton 3-8

Glengarriff 2-9

TOM LYONS REPORTS

IT was heartbreak for gallant Glengarriff in the semi-final of the McCarthy Insurance confined junior B football championship.

Leading from the tenth to the 50th minute in Rossmore on Friday, they were shaping up like finalists but in those closing ten minutes the roof caved in.

Tracton struck for 2-2 to end the dreams of the western side.

A last-gasp Glen goal came too late to salvage a result as they were left to rue some vital misses from placed balls at the end of the third quarter.

The crucial difference in those closing stages was the Tracton bench as their subs provided fresh legs and made a big contribution on the score-sheet, kicking two vital goals in the closing minutes.

Glengarriff's Gavin O'Sullivan is tackled by Andrew Taylor of Tracton. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

Glengarriff played from a very tight panel and didn’t have the luxury of an effective bench as their players tired at the end. Both sides were guilty of missing good chances throughout but the honours deservedly went in the end went to a younger and fitter Tracton side.

‘We certainly left that very late,’ said a relieved Tracton mentor Con Kelly.

‘That said, we left a lot of scores behind us, played well but didn’t take our chances until the end. Better late than never.

‘We had a big impact from our subs which is what you need to win any game but Josh Lehane was outstanding. Daniel Flaherty was superb in the middle, fielded some great balls, while Ian O’Brien was flying on the wing.

‘We are primarily a football club but we try to keep football alive. I honestly don’t know if the club ever played in a county football final but this will be a boost for everybody.’

Glengarriff's Philip Harrington and Tracton's Evan Lehane in an aerial duel. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

While the play was hard but sporting, unfortunately a little niggle crept in nearing the end and the final whistle was the signal for a free-for-all involving most of the players and subs and a few mentors, resulting in a number of red cards being issued to both sides by referee Conor McCarthy.

The diagonal breeze slightly favoured Glengarriff in the first half but there was nothing between the sides in the opening ten minutes, sharing four points. The Beara men went two in front through Callum McElhinney (free) and Shaun O’Sullivan. Tracton replied with two pointed frees from Dan Flaherty.

Glengarriff had the better of the remaining minutes of the first quarter as Darragh O’Sullivan O’Connell hit a purple patch, kicking two points to sandwich a well-worked goal in the 11th minute. It was looking good for the men from the west as Tracton managed only a single point from the hard-working Ian O’Brien. 1-4 to 0-3 at the end of a lively first quarter.

The impressive Gearóid O’Sullivan increased the lead to five but then Tracton struck a vital blow when their best player, Josh Lehane, slalomed through the Glen defence to crash the ball to the net. They were back in the game.

A Cathal Lowney point cut the lead to a single point, but Glengarriff finished the half with points from Gavin O’Sullivan and Brian O’Sullivan O’Connell to lead by three at the break, 1-7 to 1-4.

Glengarriff's Darren Harrington races past Tracton's Andrew Taylor. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

The third quarter was a dog fight, both defences dominating, with only a single point from each side, Darren Harrington for Glengarriff and Josh Lehane for Tracton.

The last quarter more than compensated as Tracton in particular emptied their bench to good effect. Again, the sides swapped points, Darren Harrington and Evan Lehane, as tiring Glengarriff clung to the three-point lead.

The most crucial score came in the 52nd minute when the outstanding Josh Lehane set up sub Conor Harrington for the equalising goal.

Dominating the kick-outs, Tracton poured forward against a beleaguered Glengarriff defence. Three minutes from time, Lehane put them in front for the very first time in the game.

At that stage Glengarriff had missed a kickable free and were narrowly wide from a two-point free. There were chances from play too, but the alert Tracton defence invariably turned over the ball close to goal.

Up front, the young Tracton attack had the legs on the Glengarriff defence. A wonderful flowing move out of defence in the 58th minute saw Tracton sub Arlo McCarthy finishing to the net for the deciding score.

It was fitting that Josh Lehane should kick their last point to open a five-point gap and Teddy McCarthy’s goal in the 65th minute came too late to save the Glen.

OUR STAR: Tracton corner forward Josh Lehane’s jinking runs caused the Glengarriff back line many problems, while he scored a vital 1-3.

Scorers

Tracton: Josh Lehane 1-3; Conor Harrington, Arlo McCarthy 1-0 each; Daniel Flaherty 0-2f; Evan Lehane, Cathal Lowney, Ian O’Brien 0-1 each.

Glengarriff: Darragh O’Sullivan O’Connell 1-2; Tadhg McCarthy 1-0; Darren Harrington 0-2; Gavin O’Sullivan, Shaun O’Sullivan, Gearóid O’Sullivan, Brian O’Sullivan O’Connell and Callum McElhinney (f) 0-1 each.

Tracton: Edward O’Callaghan; Darragh Duggan, David Good, Sam Dorney; Keith Webb, Cian Breathnach, Jamie Kingston; Evan Lehane, Daniel Flaherty; Ian O’Brien, John Good, Andrew Taylor; Cathal Lowney, Aaron Lyons, Josh Lehane.

Subs: Conor Harrington for I O’Brien (ht), Arlo McCarthy for A McCarthy (ht), Daniel O’Mahony for A Lyons (40), Mark Castleton for J Good (44).

Glengarriff: Eoin O’Donoghue; Gavin O’Sullivan, Denis McCarthy, Darragh O’Shea; Darren Harrington, Seán Power, Ciarán McElhinney; Brian O’Sullivan O’Connell, Philip Harrington; Callum McElhinney, Darragh O’Sullivan O’Connell, Jack Harrington; Gearóid O’Sullivan, Shaun O’Sullivan, Tadhg McCarthy.

Subs: Alan Dunne for S Power (16), Conor Galvin for J Harrington (55).