Extra time all the rage in county intermediate football championship

EXTRA time was the order of the weekend in the intermediate football championship. At Tuam Stadium on Saturday, Ballinasloe and Oranmore-Maree was one of severel ties to end in stalemate. Ballinasloe got off a blistering start and led by six points to no score midway through the half with Paul Whelehan shooting their first three points while Darragh McCormack (two) and Keith Kelly were also on target.

Oranmore got off the mark with an Eoghan Stenson point followed by two from David Eignor as they trailed by 0-6 to 0-3 with two minutes to the break, but McCormack shot the last point of the half to give his side a four interval point lead.

The lead was cut to two points after five minutes of the second-half as Shane Stenson and Johnny Kelliher pointer for Oranmore but Whelehan extended Ballinasloe’s advantage before Eignor and McCormack exchanged white flags. The next three scores came from Oranmore as Shane Geoghegan, Eignor and Kelliher levelled matters at 0-9 each.

Whelehan pushed his side ahead again with nine minutes to go but sub Anton Mannering shot the first goal of the game to give Oranmore a 1-9 to 0-10 lead. Ballinasloe were not finished as McCormack pulled back one before Gary Canavan shot the levelling point to send the game into extra time.

In the first period, Ballinasloe shot three points from Kelly, Eoin McCormack and Darragh McCormack while Kelliher struck Oranmore-Maree’s only score when he shot over the bar with the goal at his mercy.  Subsequently, it was all Ballinasloe as they scored 1-3 without reply to advance to the quarter-final on a final score of 1-18 to 1-10.

The second game in Corofin on Sunday between An Spideal and St Brendan’s followed the recurring trend of nail-biting thrillers over the weekend. Another to reach extra-time, this game wasn’t settled until Galway goalkeeper Maghnus Breathnach showed calmness to send over a free and win it for the men from the Gaeltacht.

An Spideal started on the back foot as the Ballygar side raced into an early 0-4 to 0-0 lead by the sixth minute. Francis Ferguson and Thomas Finneran gave St Brendan’s a healthy advantage before the hard working Fiontan O Cuanaigh raised the first white flag for An Spideal. Subsequetly, Breathnach got his first of the day and An Spideal were off and running.

Tomas O Conghaile then pointed before Shane Delaney set up Eric Walsh who rifled an unstoppable shot to the An Spideal net. Tomas O Fátharta then sent over a free and An Spideal went in 1-7 to1-6 ahead at the break after Sean O Curraoin and Brian O Conghaile did the spadework for Tomas O Conghaile to finish to the net.

The second-half was a sloppy affair and saw the tie end in stalemate. Enda Fitzpatrick raised another green flag for St. Brendan’s and though Tomas O Conghaile was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence, points from Tomas O Fatharta as well as a sublime effort from Breathnach forced extra time.

Breathnach started this period like a man possessed and three wonder scores later, An Spideal were leading on a scoreline of 1-14 to 2-9, Shane Delaney getting the St Brendan’s point in reply. Fiontan O Cuanaigh added to An Spideal’s tally before Conor Greally offloaded to the on-rushing Eric Wash who rattled the An Spideal net once more.

The teams were now level on a scoreline of 3-9 to 1-15 entering the second half of extra time and the game was there for the taking. Aodan O Curraoin found Cormac O Laoi who sent his team back into the lead and despite Pat Cunningham’s reply, it was left to the fantastic Breathnach to settle the tie with a pointed free in the final minute.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.