St Mary's survive Ruislip test with two injury time goals

They may have shortened the life spans of their supporters with their late heroics in McGovern Emerald Park in Ruislip last Saturday but St Mary’s Kiltoghert secured their place in the AIB Connacht Club SFC Semi-Finals after a bitterly hard fought victory over St Kiernans.

Two dramatic injury time goals from sub Jack Barnes and captain Nicholas McWeeney ended St Kiernan’s hopes of making history by becoming the first London team to win a game in the provincial club championship and boy did they come close.

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Twice Kiernan’s had this quarter-final by the throat, but were unable to close the door on a spirited young St Mary’s Kiltoghert side. The Leitrim champions refused to go quietly into the November Ruislip night, and both times fought their way back to parity.

The second of those comebacks culminated in the 60th minute when Paul Keaney held his nerve to land the game levelling free to make it 1-8 a piece. But with extra-time beckoning Jack Barnes lobbed Dan McDonagh for St Mary’s crucial second goal.

And then with Kiernan’s committed to all-out attack, St Mary’s hit the Barnet side with a swift length of the field counter and captain Nicholas McWeeney provided the coup de grâce. Cue the celebrations for the visitors and their travelling support, who now advance to a Connacht semi-final with Sligo kingpins Tourlestrane next Saturday.

Kiernan’s will feel it could, and maybe even should, have been them. Not to labour the point, but twice Cathal Og Greene’s side had this tie in the palm of their hand, but couldn’t seal the deal. Credit for that must, of course, go to Alan Flynn’s charges but Kiernan’s will see this as a opportunity to make history which slipped through their fingers.

Sr Mary’s needed just 17 seconds to open the scoring at Ruislip. Gavin Reynolds won the throw in and Jack Casey finished off a slick move. It was a warning for Kiernan’s. But Kevin McCarthy won a free which Chris Farley dispatched to bring the London champions on level terms.

The St Mary's Kiltoghert team who defeated St Kiernan's in the opening round of the AIB Connacht Club SFC last Sunday in Emerald McGovern Park Ruislip

Paul Keaney proved he’s far more than just a freetaker with a beauty to edge the visitors back in front shortly afterwards.

Kiernan’s would then enjoy a purple patch that would see them rack up 1-2 without reply, and suggest that this game was theirs for the taking. After Oran Kerr had fired wide, Marcus Mangan won Sean Reynolds’ kick-out and linked up superbly with Tom Waters to carve a way to the St Mary’s goal. Mangan’s shot flew over the bar, but it could easily have nestled in the net.

Sean Reynolds sent his subsequent kick-out straight down Mangan’s throat, and Kiernan's talisman again weaved a way to goal only to see his shot come back off Reynolds’ post. The rebound broke perfectly for Kenny O’Connor who smashed it to the net.

Reynolds’ next kick-out ended with Farley pointing – and Kiernan’s had milked the St Mary’s kick-outs for 1-2 in the space of two minutes to lead by 1-3 to 0-2.

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Kiernan’s were forcing turnovers galore as Eoin Walsh’s dipping shot came back off the crossbar and James Moran fisted the rebound straight into the grateful arms of Reynolds in a real let-off.

Kiernan’s sensed blood and Mary’s were bobbing on the ropes. From Keaney’s driven low ball Casey pointed, but Kiernan’s were so in control that the biggest danger seemed to be from their own complacency and true enough a strangely ponderous Kiernan’s attack was turned over. 

James McGrail came up with it and a sweeping move ended with Diarmuid Kelleher lifting the goal off its hinges at the clubhouse end. Kiernan’s failure to build on O’Connor’s goal had come back to bite them.

The loss at this point to injury of Kevin McCarthy cannot be underestimated either. The ex-Kerry star has been a source of scores for Kiernan’s and his absence would be felt particularly in the second half.

A spate of yellow cards punctuated the minutes up to half-time but even before Gavin Reynolds struck the game levelling point to make it 1-4 a piece at half-time, it was Mary’s who were in the ascendancy as the half came to a close.

Conor Hackett opened the second half scoring for St Mary’s after Keith Curran had kept alive Keaney’s free attempt which looked to be curling wide. Curran obviously didn’t get a call, and Hackett was the beneficiary. It mattered not as Farley immediately landed a 33rd minute free to bring Kiernan’s level. It was Kiernan’s first score since the 15th minute and was much needed by the London champions.

A Mangan free fell short, but Kiernan’s had managed to apply a stranglehold and when another free was marched forward by referee Jerome Henry, O’Connor edged the home side back in front. The momentum had shifted back to Kiernan’s and O’Connor produced the score of the match from beneath the McGovern Stand.

It was all going Kiernan’s way now and Curran came up with a turnover that sent Kerr tearing down field. The midfielder was eventually fouled and Farley pointed to put Kiernan’s up by 1-8 to 1-5 with 11 minutes gone in the second half.

Kiernan’s had their foot on St Mary’s throat for a second time but incredibly, the Londoner’s wouldn’t trouble the scoreboard again. Consciously or maybe subconsciously, Kiernan’s seemed to be showing an inclination towards seeing the game out with the lead they had.

David O’Connell came off the bench to point and a Keaney free left the bare minimum between the sides with 11 minutes of normal time still to go. As legs tired, Keaney levelled the game with a 60th minute free just as three added minutes was announced over the tannoy.

It was now there to be won by either side and Brian Ruttledge shot wide for Kiernan’s and Keaney did likewise with a free you’d have put your mortgage on him landing.

It mattered not, though, as Barnes came up with a block to turn the ball over on halfway before linking with Casey, and the substitute dinked the ball over McDonagh to goal.

Daire Farrell’s black card gave Kiernan’s an opportunity to launch one last Hail Mary free into the mixer. But St Mary’s cleared and down field they went and Brian Farrell teed up McWeeney to finish to an empty net, with McDonagh out of his goal.

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ST MARY’S KILTOGHERT

Scorers: Paul Keaney 0-3, 2f; Nicholas McWeeney, Diarmuid Kelleher & Jack Barnes 1-0 each; Jack Casey 0-2; Gavin Reynolds, Conor Hackett & David O’Connell 0-1 each

Team: Sean Reynolds; Conor Farrell, Mark Diffley, Gavin Reynolds; Conor Hackett, Nicholas McWeeney, Adam Reynolds; Paul Keaney, James McGrail; Daire Farrell, Diarmuid Kelleher, Kyle McCrann; Jack Casey, Oisin Bohan, Cian Singleton. Subs: David O’Connell 0-1 for McCrann (45), Jack Barnes for Singleton (52), Brian Farrell for Hackett (58)

ST KIERNAN’S

Scorers: Kenny O’Connor 1-2, 1f; Chris Farley 0-4, 3f; Marcus Mangan & Oran Kerr 0-1 each

Team: Dan McDonagh; Geoff Kingston, Caoimhin Carty, Keith Curran; David Carrabine, Marcus Mangan, Dave Rogers; James Moran, Oran Kerr; Tom Waters, Chris Farley, William Brazil; Kevin McCarthy, Kenny O’Connor, Eoin Walsh. Subs: Joe Rock for McCarthy (23), Mark Mulholland for Rogers (50), Sean Tucker for Kerr (54), Brian Rutledge for O’Connor (58), Shane McManus for Brazil (59)

Referee: Jerome Henry (Mayo)