Kelly’s late delivery captures title for Castletroy
It looked odds on a replay, but Castletroy mounted one final attack which won them a free out on the touchline 45 metres from the Nenagh goal, and Kelly showed coolness and accuracy to land the winning score, which earns his school a place in next season’s Dean Ryan Cup.
While Kelly will take most of the plaudits for his match winner and his overall tally of 11 of Castletroy’s 15 points, the winners were backboned by 14 of the Ahane club team which won last year’s All-Ireland Feile na nGael title.
Castletroy were forced to play the last 20 minutes with 14 players after Mark Foley was red carded for a reckless pull on David Nolan.
However, Castletroy’s Robert Kelly (six) and Shane Aherne (three) ran riot in attack, scoring nine points on the trot to take a four-point lead with two minutes of normal time left.
Nenagh were inspired by the re-appearance of David Nolan after recovering from injury and they threw everything at the Castletroy defence. Nolan landed a point, quickly followed by a Keith Maher goal and the game was tied at 1-14 to 2-11 at the end of normal time.
The referee added six extra minutes and in that time Robert Kelly became the hero for Castletroy.
: Castletroy: R. Kelly 0-11 (0-8 frees); P. O’Connor 1-1; S. Aherne 0-3. Nenagh CBS: K. Maher 1-2; D. Nolan 0-4 (0-2 frees); E. Slattery 1-0; P. Kennedy, W. Bolger 0-2 each; N. Madden 0-1.
: D. O’Malley; B. Rolls, R. Griffin, J. Lynch; L. O’Keeffe, C. Joyce, P. Nolan; D. Bonfill, M. Foley; A. Dalton, R. Kelly, T. Clifford; P. O’Connor, D. Walsh, S. Aherne. Subs: D. Moroney for Nolan; Nolan for Lynch.
: J. Sheedy; S. Maher, R. Whelan, A. Kelly; K. Walsh M. Flannery, P. Conway; K. Maher, N. Madden; E. Slattery, M. Gennery, D. Nolan; W. Bolger, P. Kennedy, B. Shanahan. Subs: C. Williams for Nolan; Nolan for Bolger; B. Shanahan for K. Walsh; T. Walsh for S. Maher.
: F. O’Reily (Clare).
