Dolan delights as Roscommon rise again

Roscommon 1-18, Kildare 0-19 (after extra time)

It didn’t need winning manager Tom Carr to say that it was unfortunate there had to be a loser. Kildare, at a time when they had an extra man, seemed to be set for victory at the end of normal time until Dolan kicked a magnificent equalising score. And, once Roscommon were restored to full strength, they seized the initiative in extra time and never looked like yielding.

It may be over-simplifying it to credit Dolan with making the essential difference on the night, given that scores had been level nine times in the opening 70 minutes and that a mere two points separated the sides at the finish. But, few players at this level would have taken the score which saved Roscommon and he was to end the game with 13 points. Interestingly, he joked afterwards that in a club game last week he had missed two kicks from a similar position. “Anyone who doubted the character of this team saw it tonight. There was always heart in the team, under former managers Gay Sheerin, Martin McDermott and John Tobin. It was just Tommy Carr put the finishing touch on it,” he commented.

Carr, who praised his star performer for incredible kicking, was naturally delighted to be taking his team to Croke Park, but never looked on it as a personal crusade. “It was just working with the team and getting as much out of them as humanely possible,” he remarked. “We didn’t want any favours to get to Croke Park. We have done it the way any other team does it and we have done it by right.”

Kildare, hit by further injuries and by the rejection of midfielder Alan Barry’s appeal, showed the type of character which almost won them the Leinster title. Manager Pauric Nolan was as dejected as any of his players, acknowledging that Roscommon won on merit and expressing pride in his own team’s display. “You will live a long time and you won’t take two hits like we are after taking in the last six days,” he said. “But they still they stood up and were counted. That will stand to us in the future.”

While Roscommon made the early running, they failed to maintain their promise in attack, where full-forward Karol Mannion was to be quite influential. They were achieving more at midfield until Killian Brennan settled and Patrick Murray was quick to make an impact at right half-forward until the recalled Padraic Brennan emerged as their key forward. Tadhg Fennin was to be well marked by Ray Cox for the greater part of the game.

Brian Lacey, excellent in the right corner and Glen Ryan in the centre, gave Kildare great leadership in defence, resulting in a steady improvement throughout the field. It saw them open up a two point lead by the 14th minute and stay in front for a further 12 minutes. Meanwhile, poor finishing limited Roscommon’s effectiveness at a time when David Casey and Francie Grehan exerted a strong grip in defence. Dolan had a few uncharacteristic misses but kicked a great score in injury-time to see Roscommon 0-8 to 0-7 ahead at the break.

The initiative was with Kildare until Roscommon produced the only goal of the game through John Tiernan, after Mannion won a vital ball. They were just a point in front when Seamus O’Neill was sent off after receiving a second yellow card and were to fall behind twice as the game entered its most exciting phase.

Kildare used their extra man to dominate across the half-back line and led through Fennin in the 61st minute until a Dolan free brought Roscommon level two minutes later. By now, flamboyant captain Shane Curran was to the forefront in urging his players on to greater effort and Grehan was a strong force once more at centre-back.

When the pressure was at its greatest, Kildare mistakes in attack - both in terms of accuracy and discipline - were to prove costly. Roscommon’s Stephen Lohan was denied a goal by a dramatic save from Enda Murphy and from the clearance Padraic Brennan had Kildare ahead. It looked curtains for Roscommon when Nigel Dineen was wide, but Dolan rescued them with an amazing kick to level the scores, 1-12 to 0-15.

Once more Roscommon forced the pace in extra-time, going three points clear within seven minutes. It was 1-15 to 0-16 at the break, and with Fennin being dismissed two minutes after the resumption, Kildare were under greater pressure. It was a tribute to their resilience that they were able to match Roscommon’s total in the second period, but, they never looked capable of overtaking them.

Scorers for Roscommon: F. Dolan 0-13 (0-7 frees, 0-1 fifty); J. Tiernan 1-0; K. Mannion 0-3; J. Dunning and G. Lohan 0-1 each.

Kildare: P. Brennan 0-6 (0-2 frees); P. Murray 0-6 (0-2 frees); T. Fennin 0-2; P. Hurley 0-2 (0-1 free); J. Doyle 0-2 frees; T. Rossiter 0-1.

ROSCOMMON: S. Curran (capt.); R. Cox, D. Casey, J. Whyte; M. Beirne, F. Grehan, P. Noone; S. O’Neill, S. Lohan; G. Cox, G. Lohan, D. Connellan; J. Dunning, K. Mannion, F. Dolan. Subs: J. Tiernan for G. Lohan (41st minute); E. Towey for Noone (49th); B. Higgins for Connellan (59th); N. Dineen for Dunning (64th); G. Ahearne for Casey (injured, 89th).

KILDARE: E. Murphy; B. Lacey, D. Lyons, M. Dunne; M. Wright, G. Ryan, A. McLoughlin; R. Sweeney, K. Brennan; P. Murray, J. Doyle (capt.), P. Hurley; P. Brennan, K. Donnelly, T. Fennin. Subs: D. Hendy for Lyons (24th minute); D. McCormack for Murray (52nd); T. Rossiter for Donnelly (66th); E. McCormack for Doyle (76th); D. Lyons for K. Brennan (87th).

Referee: M. Collins (Cork).

*Attendance: 23,751.