Na Piarsaigh gamble pays off as McDonnell poaches winner

Na Piarsaigh 2-19 Erin’s Own 2-16 (after extra time)

“It worked, for a change!” said relieved Na Piarsaigh coach Sean Guiheen of the substitution. “Ian McDonnell had huge potential as an underage player. He’s working hard on his fitness at the moment but we’ve always felt he would be a real danger on the edge of the square. He has a great hand, skill to burn. We decided to take the gamble, took off Stephen O’Sullivan, and thank God it worked.”

How it worked. In what had been an evenly-balanced contest, the sides level on no fewer than 12 occasions, it took that moment of magic to throw up a winner and it had all the elements spoken of by Guiheen — great catch under pressure by McDonald of a high lobbing ball, great skill to make the space for the shot, the experienced Shay Bowen with no chance.