Gavin the daddy as he points Monaleen to replay
Tis follows a drawn game at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick yesterday which had just about everything.
There was a sending off that left Kilkee facing the second-half with 14 men; a controversial point just before half-time; a neatly executed goal that gave Monaleen the lead early in the second-half and a sensational finish that saw Kilkee fight back from two points down to lead before Monaleen equalised with the final kick.
All the ingredients for a thriller, one might think, but the fact of the matter was all the excitement was packed into all of six minutes - three of them in injury time.
The second-half ended in controversy when, two minutes from half time, Kilkee’s wing forward, Noel O’Shea, was shown a second yellow card by referee Pat Sheehy from Causeway but, as he left the field, young Gearoid Lynch, who scored a crucial goal in the county final, came on as a substitute despite nobody other than O’Shea leaving the field.
Eventually he was withdrawn but in the meantime Denis Russell, with 15 Kilkee players still on the field, sent over the point that sent them into the break leading 0-5 to 0-2.
“I personally will not be making an issue of it,” Monaleen Manager, Ger Lawlor, said afterwards. “That is possibly a matter for the Munster Council but my feeling would be that you win it on the field.
“I brought the matter to the attention of the referee but fair play to Kilkee they got away with it.”
Obviously it did not get to the Monaleen players at half-time. Within a minute of the restart they had the ball in the Kilkee net. When Jimmy Larkin’s shot was blocked down, Michael Crowley won the ball for Monaleen and he sent a high delivery into the goalmouth which was fisted to the net by full-forward Jason O’Brien to put the sides level. David Russell restored the Kilkee lead from long range but Michael Crowley pointed to equalise and Jason O’Brien put Monaleen in front for the first time since the fifth minute.
Coach Noel Roche introduced Gearoid Lynch and he provided the pass for Jimmy Larkin’s equaliser.
The sides were still level on 50 minutes when Lynch broke through again but this time Kevin Harte left his goal line to smother his shot. Michael Crowley and Muiris Gavin (free) put Monaleen into a two point lead with three minutes of normal time left and they appeared to have the game at their mercy.
But they conceded a free. Denis Russell took it short to Michael O’Shea and he reduced the margin to a single point going into the final minute of normal time.
From the kick-out Ger Crotty won the ball for Kilkee, passed to Michael O’Shea and he equalised. Then Kilkee were awarded a free 50 yards out, near the right sideline, and Denis Russell coolly sent the ball over for the lead.
Monaleen were not finished. They launched another attack and when Ger Crotty fouled Eoin Keating, Muiris Gavin pointed to equalise.
It was a perfect finish for Gavin, whose wife gave birth to twins early yesterday morning. “I have to hand it to him,” Ger Lawlor said. “He was up all night and was doubtful until one o’clock today. I am happy with the result and the fact that we are still in the competition. We were in a nice position - two points up with less than five minutes to go - but we gave away two balls and you can’t afford to do that.”
“We learned a lot about Monaleen today,” Noel Roche insisted. “I am happy we are still there and next week it will be 15 against 15.”
: Monaleen: J. O’Brien 1-1, M. Gavin 0-4 (frees), M. Crowley 0-2. Scorers for St. Senan’s Kilkee: Denis Russell 0-4 (0-2 frees), M. O’Shea 0-3 (0-1 free), David Russell 0-2, J. Larkin 0-1.
: P. O’Halloran; D. Bourke, J. Cormican, M. Cummins; F. Melody, J. Marsh, B. Fitzpatrick; A. Kitson, B. Geary; M. Crowley, P. Russell, S. Cronin; M. Gavin, J. O’Brien, J. P. Stokes. Subs: D. McCauley for D. Bourke (35 mins), E. Keating for S. Cronin (38 mins), P. Keating for F. Melody (49 mins).
: K. Harte, G. Crotty, C. Kirwan, D. Kelly; D. Garvey, M. Galvin, T. Galvin; K. Larkin, David Russell; N. O’Shea, M. O’Shea, J. Larkin; Denis Russell, G. Keane, B. Harte. Subs: G. Lynch for G. Keane (32 mins), J. Enright for D. Garvey (37 mins), M. Keane for B. Harte (54 mins), D. de Loughery for M. Galvin (56 mins).
: Pat Sheehy (Kerry).
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