Sceilge snatch dramatic victory

A RIVETING Corn Uí Mhuirí semi-final in Listry yesterday, with a drama-laced finale in keeping with the tone of the game.

With 57 minutes elapsed, a final place looked in the grasp of St Fachtna’s. They held powerful momentum, possessed the dominant players and most critically enjoyed a 0-13 to 2-5 advantage. Coláiste an Sceilge were reeling from an ineffectual second-half display but with the game starting to slip, they wrestled back the initiative.

Wing-forward Ian Galvin jumped in to bang over a pair of points that restored parity and then full-forward Eanna O’Connor got on the end of a lightning breakaway attack near goal. With St Fachtna’s goalkeeper Ryan Price advancing, O’Connor deftly lobbed the ball towards the net and despite the desperate scrambling of the Cork defence, the umpire raised the match-winning green flag. From the resultant kick out, referee Derick O’Mahony called halt to proceedings and Coláiste na Sceilge secured their passage to a first final appearance since 2004.