Agony and ecstasy as McWeeney breaks Drumkeerin hearts
The pain of defeat and the joy of victory were evident in equal measures immediately after the sounding of the full-time whistle in Cloone on Sunday last as Aughnasheelin ended a 43 year wait for success at intermediate level.
GWP INTERMEDIATE FINAL
AUGHAWILLAN 0-12
DRUMKEERIN 1-8
Gavin McWeeney's dramatic last minute point meant that there was heartbreak for the Drumkeerin players and management team who more than played their part in what was a thoroughly absorbing game.
The game ebbed and flowed on numerous occasions with Aughnasheelin's surge prior to the interval seemingly setting them on their way to victory.
When Jason Byrne goaled for Drumkeerin midway through the second half, the momentum immediately switched in favour of the men in maroon and it seemed as though the least they would get from the tie was a draw.
However, there was a final twist in the tale as Aughnasheelin showing tremendous character rallied from two points down with three minutes remaining to clinch victory in the last minute of injury time.
It would be impossible not to have sympathy for the Drumkeerin players who were understandably in a state of shock but it is hard to begrudge Aughnasheelin their glory.
The victors played with tremendous character and passion and refused to accept defeat even when it seemed a very real prospect.
From the start it was evident that both sides were intent on playing open attacking football when the opportunities arose.
Jason Byrne, the lively Drumkeerin wing-back gave an indication of his attacking quality as he launched a counter-attack from deep in his own half.
The opening score of the game came courtesy of Gabriel Prior following a clever pass from man of the match Barry McWeeney in the second minute as the contest got off to a flying start.
Not to be outdone Drumkeerin replied quickly with a pointed free from the boot of Edward McTiernan as both teams quickly found their feet and gave the large attendance plenty to cheer about.
Points from Michael Creamer and Gavin Sammon helped Aughnasheelin open up an early lead but Drumkeerin weren't going to let their opponents build up an early lead and a great ball from John Cullen gave Stephen Gilhooly the opportunity to reduce the deficit and he made no mistake in doing just that.
A Damien Gilheaney free extended Aughnasheelin's lead to two points again midway through the half but a sublime effort from Ciaran White seven minutes later brought the deficit back to just the bare minimum once again.
Understandably the unrelenting pace of the opening exchanges relented slightly and both sides were guilty of some wayward shooting, although over all the finishing was of a high standard.
Drumkeerin levelled matters through Damien McPadden four minutes before the break but that was the cue for Aughnasheelin to launch an unrelenting period of dominance in the closing stages of the half as they pointed four times without reply to leave the score at the interval 0-8 to 0-4.
They added to that lead when Damien Gilheaney pointed from a free seven minutes into the second half but that was the cue for Drumkeerin to emerge from their slumber and drive forward with renewed purpose.
It was Stephen Feeney who scored that memorable equaliser against Dromahair and his lung bursting run and well taken point were the catalyst for Drumkeerin to get themselves back into contention.
With the deficit back to four points Drumkeerin struck for the game’s only goal. John Cullen whose energy and constant movement couldn’t have been anything but an inspiration for the younger players took a quick free and picked out the unmarked Jason Byrne. With time to compose himself, Byrne buried the ball beyond Sean Mahon and once again the contest was well and truly alive.
With 16 minutes of the game remaining, the Drumkeerin players knew that they were now well and truly back in the game, while the Aughnasheelin players were rattled by the blow of conceding a goal and were having difficulty containing the Drumkeerin forwards.
John Cullen scored two wonderful points, both from difficult angles to give Drumkeerin the lead for the first time in the game and with only nine minutes remaining, the nerves of the supporters were being tested to the limit.
Knowing that they were under pressure and in real danger the Aughnasheelin management team introduced Niall Murray and Brendan JMulvey and its fair to say that they helped steadied the ship but not before Drumkeerin extended their lead to two points.
Colm Clarke did very well to find team mate Aidan Dolan and having beaten his marker, Dolan struck to extend his side’s lead. With only three minutes remaining, victory was now almost within their grasp.
That two point lead was cut in half almost immediately as Barry McWeeney scored a great point which was then bettered within a minute by Brendan Mulvey to leave the sides level as the game entered injury time.
Aughnasheelin had the better of the chances in injury time but failed to take them as both Barry McWeeney and Damien Gilheaney saw their frees sail harmlessly wide and it was looking as though the sides would have to do it all again.
However, there was still a minute of injury time remaining and Drumkeerin sensed that the game was there for them to win. They launched one final attack, but crucially threw too many men forward and when a misplaced pass was pounced upon they were hopelessly exposed at the back. Brendan Mulvey raced forward with the ball and with men in support it seemed inevitable that Aughnasheelin would score.
The ball was played to Gavin McWeeney and he fisted the ball over the bar to spark scenes of mass hysteria and despair. The full time whistle sounded upon the restart of the game and Aughnasheelin were able to celebrate a long overdue Intermediate Championship title.
Aughnasheelin now make the step-up to the Senior Championship for the first time in their history next year and with their status in Division One, these are heady times for a club long in the shadow of their neighbours.
With a very young side and one brimming with talent, Aughnasheelin have the ability to make an impact if they can establish themselves at Senior level. They only have to look at the example of neighbours Aughawillan and Kiltubrid to see what can be achieved if you are lucky enough to stumble across a bumper crop of talented footballers.
Of course, luck has little to do with it as Aughnasheelin, the same as Drumkeerin, are bearing the fruits of a lot of work at underage level.
The task for Drumkeerin is to pick themselves up from this disappointment. It won’t be easy and, in a perverse way, they probably would have prefered to suffer a heavy defeat rather than lose in the heart-breaking manner they did last Sunday in Cloone.
But in the cold light of day, Drumkeerin will realise that they too have made great strides - that they fell just short at the final hurdle does not take away from their achievement of rising from Division Three League football this year to going within seconds of achieving Senior status last Sunday.
But they would be wise to heed a warning of expecting things to happen in the year ahead. Success will now be expected of this young side and other teams will be gunning for them and if they need any convincing of that, they need only look at an Aughavas team who contested last year’s Intermediate Final but were relegated to the Junior ranks in 2008.
You have to take your chance when you get it and that is exactly what Aughnasheelin did last Sunday to deadly effect.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Weather for Carrick-on-Shannon, Ireland
Tuesday 22 May 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 11 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South
