St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield produce stunning comeback to reach Clare SFC semis
St Joseph's Diarmuid Boyle and Kilmurry Ibrican's Cathal Talty in action. Picture : Eamon Ward
St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield’s first victory of this year’s ClareSFC championship was well worth the wait as a spectacular late turnaround saw them knock-out last year’s finalists and advance to a first semi-final in 13 years in Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chiosóg.
Contrasting form coming into the tie seemed to form the narrative for the majority as Kilmurry Ibrickane, led by county senior Dermot Coughlan, held the whip hand for over half the contest in a bid to reach a ninth semi-final in ten seasons.
However, four second half two-pointers with the aid of the conditions would flip this tie on its head as trailing by six at the start of the second half, Joe Rafferty cooly finished to the net in the 34th minute before a brace of Paddy Bugler two-point frees would actually catapult Doora/Barefield into the ascendency for the first time in almost 30 minutes at 1-9 to 1-8 by the two-thirds mark.
Kilmurry Ibrickane’s response would be emphatic as after Cathal Talty levelled matters for only the third time entering the final quarter, substitute Daryn Callinan would loft over a two-point free before Daniel Walsh extended the gap to three by the 52nd minute at 1-12 to 1-09.
The damage could have been greater only for goalkeeper Tom O’Brien to pull off an excellent save to deny Cathal Talty.
That stop would be magnified when Michael Nash and talisman Joe Rafferty converted successive two-pointers from play from almost the exact same position in front of their own dug-out in the space of a minute to eventually pull off the shock of the championship as aside from an opening share of the spoils against Kildysart, St. Joseph’s were off the back of consecutive defeats to Éire Óg and Cratloe.
Perhaps that thought process has seeped into the ‘Bricks psyche as well though as they largely had it their own way in a wind-assisted opening period that saw Dermot Coughlan twice threaten Tom O’Brien’s goal before Shane Hickey fed Caoilfhionn O’Dea for a powerful breakthrough goal in the 15th minute at 1-2 to 0-2.
Dermot Coughlan, Shane Hickey and Cathal Talty expanded the gap to five while up the other end a seemingly luckless Doora/Barefield would have a Tom McDonald rebound goal correctly disallowed for a square ball.
Both sides ended the opening half with only 14 men following black cards for Liam Clune and Darren Hickey while on the scoreboard a Paddy Bugler two point free was matched by the ever-impressive Dermot Coughlan with a like score from play at 1-7 to 0-5 by the break.
Undaunted, Doora/Barefield fired a warning shot with those quickfire Bugler two-point frees but it wasn’t heeded by the 2020 champions who thought they had gotten back on track before being floored by another late surge as the Parish qualified for the last four for the first time since last contesting the final ironically against Kilmurry Ibrickane back in 2012.
P Bugler 0-6 (3tpf); J Rafferty 1-3 (1tp, 1f); T McDonald, M Nash (1tp) 0-2 each.
D Coughlan 0-6 (1tp, 1f, 2’45); C O’Dea 1-0; C Talty (1f), D Callinan (1tpf) 0-2 each; S Hickey, D Walsh 0-1 each.
T O’Brien; S Costelloe, D O’Shea, C O’Brien; O O’Connell, F Kelleher, N Hardiman; J Curran, T McDonald; L Clune, J Rafferty, C McDonough; P Bugler, E Thynne, M Nash.
C Hannan for Kelleher (33, inj), T Curran for Hardiman (43), D Boyle for C. O’Brien (50).
D Sexton; C Kearney, D Hickey, M Donnellan; D Sexton, D Coughlan, J Moloney; E Cahill, D King; C Considine, C O’Dea, D Walsh; S Hickey, C Darcy, K Tubridy.
D Callinan for Tubridy (38), D Comber for Coughlan (41-42, BS), C Darcy for Considine (51), A McCarthy for S. Hickey (61), M Comber for Cahill (64, inj).
John O’Connell (Cooraclare).
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