Carrick's smash & grab raid as Moreton's late, late goal breaks Cluainin hearts

Leitrim hurling finals have become known for their dramatic finishes but few can match the drama of Sunday's latest edition when Colm Moreton smashed the ball to the net over three minutes into added time to wrestle the Stephen Dorrigan Cup from the grasp of a shell-shocked Cluainin in Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada.

Carrick's wild celebrations were mixed with disbelief that they had snatched victory from the jaws of defeat to complete the Leitrim Senior Football and Hurling Championship double to halt Cluainin's bid to win back to back titles for the first time in almost ten years.

Carrick Hurling celebrates dramatic last gasp County Final victory - GALLERY

Carrick-on-Shannon left it very, very late as an injury time goal from Colm Moreton snatched victory from the grasp of Cluainin in Sunday's dramatic Leitrim Senior Hurling Championship Final in Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada on Sunday. Observer photographer Willie Donnellan was there to capture some great images from the celebrations ... see who you can spot!

If there was disbelief in the Carrick camp, it was nothing compared to what Cluainin players were feeling as, with one hand virtually on the Cup, they saw victory snatched away from them in the cruellest fashion and not even the deserved Man of the Match award for Cluainin keeper Peter Poniard could lessen the disappointment in the Manorhamilton camp.

Analysing this game will take some going - keeper Peter Poniard winning the man of the match award with at least four wonder saves might suggest Cluainin were lucky to be ahead when the late denouement broke their hearts but for most of this game, Cluainin were the more precise, clinical and focussed team and should have been much further ahead on the scoreboard.

Indeed, they led by four points with almost five minutes to go but missed a couple of crucial chances that might have extended their lead to uncatchable levels.

Carrick players were quick to admit that they were fortunate to win the title but had they not, the inquest would have started with those missed goal chances or miraculous Poniard saves depending on your point of view and a succession of missed chances from play and placed balls.

Yet while it is hard to avoid the conclusion that Carrick were blessed to win the title, Poniard had only moments earlier denied Enda Moreton with a spectacular save that could have given Carrick the lead.

Cluainin's Gavin O'Hagan strikes for a score despite an attempted block Picture: Willie Donnellan

For the Moretons, the match winning goal was a family affair to finish a great weekend for the family with their brother Liam married on Friday before the three remaining brothers Enda, Donal and Colm combined for the dramatic winner. Enda Moreton, on at halftime, made a surging run and found his brother Donal, also on as a sub.

Donal's pass across the face of the goal saw Cluainin defenders desperately charging towards Colm who, instead of taking the sliothar in his hand, a move that would have surely seen his swallowed up by the opposition, brilliantly executed a smash on the flying sliothar, sending it to the net to break Cluainin hearts.

It wasn't the only spectacular goal in the game - Cluainin's three pointer was a score of beauty as Martin Feeney fielded some 40 yards out before lofting a ball into the path of Pearse Dolan in full-stride. The Aughawillan gathered without breaking step and blasted a wonderful shot past Carrick captain Lorcan Donnellan in the goal.

Fans out in force for Leitrim Senior Hurling Final - GALLERY

Carrick-on-Shannon claimed a dramatic 1-12 to 1-11 victory to dethrone champions Cluainin in Sunday's closely contested Leitrim Senior Hurling Championship Final and Observer photographer Willie Donnellan was in Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada to capture some images of the fans cheering on their heroes .... see who you can spot!

Conor Beirne opened the game with a spectacular point from just outside his own fifty, initially struggling to control a pass before launching a monster point over the Cluainin crossbar. Gavin O'Hagan replied with a free after a foul on Alan McSharry but when Patrick Clerkin saw a shot blocked, Sean O'Riordan fired over from out on the left sideline.

Peter Poniard gathered a Brendan Delaney shot before making a hugely impressive catch from a long range Beirne effort despite the blinding sun and Cluainin broke with Martin Feeney scoring a nice point on the turn.

Carrick almost had a goal when Colm Moreton fielded a long delivery and shot powerfully at the goal only to see his shot come rebounding off the post. Fortunately for Carrick, James McNabola gathered to fire over. Again Cluainin responded with Feeney firing over his second on nine minutes.

Clement Cunniffe robbed a defender to solo in to fire over the bar while Niall McLoughlin did incredibly well to haul down a high crossfield past to score seconds later. 

Cluainin keeper Peter Poniard was fast becoming the game's dominant figure - first making a spectacular catch from a long Conor Berine delivery. The keeper was fouled but his clearance was off-target and it seemed as if Cunniffe, who intercepted the sliothar, must surely find the net as he launched a low rocket of a shot straight at goal but Poniard launched himself to make an almost unbelievable flying save at the expense of a fifty.

Cian Mallon charges clear with the sliothar Picture: Willie Donnellan

Sean O'Riordan put the resulting 65 wide while Feeney was also off target with an effort while a defender blocked a goal bound effort from Diarmuid Kelleher, O'Riordan converting the 65. Cluainin responded again with Gavin O'Hagan scoring a fine effort from the wing before O'Hagan and O'Riordan swapped frees.

With the scores level, Cluainin looked to have struck a major blow when, seconds before halftime, Martin Feeney lofted a wonderful pass into the path of Pearce Dolan and the Leitrim footballer blasted the sliothar to the net. Clement Cunniffe responded with a fifty as Cluainin led 1-6 to 0-7 at the break.

Carrick made changes at the break with Enda Moreton and Thomas McNabola entering the fray and Cunniffe cut the gap to a point from a free after a foul on Enda Moreton inside the opening minutes. Both teams had wides, Cluainin more wasteful with three to Carrick's one and it proved costly as another Cunniffe free tied the scores on 38 minutes.

Good work from Pearce Dolan set up Fergal Rooney for a fine point and it seemed as if Cluainin were surging clear for victory as Gavin O'Hagan converted a free on 14 minutes before making an amazing contested catch from the resulting puckout and firing the ball straight back over the crossbar.

O'Hagan stretched the lead to four points after a pull on Dolan but Cunniffe responded a minute later. With less than six minutes to go, O'Hagan fired over another free to leave Cluainin four clear and it looked as if they had gone five clear when Pearce Dolan scooped the ball over the bar after a long run but he was penalised for over-carrying.

Diarmuid Kelleher cut the gap back to a goal with a good score from play but the nerves were beginning to show for both teams. O'Hagan and Dylan McDermott both had wides either side of a missed Cunniffe free but the long serving Carrick man converted a free to leave two points in it in the first minute of added time.

From the puckout, Carrick gained possession and worked the ball to Enda Moreton as he bore down on goal but Poniard stood tall to deflect the ball out for a 65. And when Cunniffe's effort, initially waved as a point, was correctly ruled wide, it seemed as if luck had run out for Carrick.

But little did we know - Cluainin went long with a clearance but Carrick worked the ball back up to Enda Moreton who broke a tackle and went off on a run. He found his brother Donal out on the left wing charging towards goal. The Cluainin defence was unbalanced as they went towards the youngest Moreton and his pass found his brother Colm in space but not with a lot of time.

The elder Moreton batted the ball first time to the back of the Cluainin net about 20 seconds after the announced three minutes of added time had elapsed and when the sliothar was pucked out, referee Gus Chapman sounded the final whistle to bring to an end a dramatic final.

Grounds for concern "weather" we like it or not

THE LAST POINT

CARRICK-ON-SHANNON

Scorers: Clement Cunniffe 0-6, 5f; Sean O’Riordan 0-3, 1f, 1 65; Colm Moreton 1-0; Diarmuid Kelleher, James McNabola & Conor Beirne 0-1

Team: Lorcan Donnellan, Robbie Casey, Hugh Glancy, Cian Ffrench, Shane Crowe, Conor Beirne, Conor Hackett, Brendan Delaney, Cian Mallon, Sean O’Riordan, Clement Cunniffe, Diarmuid Kelleher, James McNabola, Colm Moreton, Liam Phelan. Subs: Enda Moreton & Thomas McNabola for J McNabola & Ffrench (HT); Donal Moreton for Phelan (39), Gavin O’Brien for O’Riordan (51)

CLUAININ

Scorers: Gavin O’Hagan 0-7; 5f; Pearce Dolan 1-0; Martin Feeney 0-2; Ferghal Rooney & Niall McLoughlin 0-1

Team: Peter Poniard, Patrick Clerkin, Kevin Clerkin, Mark McHugh, Conor O’Hagan, Aaron McDermott, Ethan Clancy, Niall McLoughlin, James Rooney, Gavin O’Hagan, Alan McSharry, Pearce Dolan, Dylan McDermott, Martin Feeney, Ferghal Rooney. Subs: Declan Ryan for E Clancy (21); Cian McManus for McSharry (52)

Referee: Gus Chapman (Sligo)