Spa 1-15 Glenbeigh/Glencar 2-11
Spa and Glenbeigh/Glencar met in Beaufort in Rd2 of the Intermediate Championship, and with the wind and rain making conditions less than ideal, Spa snatched victory right at the very end with a late late goal.
Daniel Griffin kicked the opening point before Liam Kearney sent a long high ball in towards the square. The keeper, however, had his goal well covered to deny Andrew Garnett an early opportunity. Kearney and Mike McCarthy were dominating the centre and set up Mike O'Donoghue for three further Spa points. Playing with the strong breeze, Spa closed in on goal a second time, but Ryan O'Carroll's effort was well blocked before Mike O'Donoghue kicked his fourth point.
Another long effort was sent in to Garnett, and this time the ball came off the crossbar and was cleared before Evan Cronin kicked over Spa's fifth point.
Glenbeigh/Glencar, against the wind, slowly worked the ball up the field where a free from Tommy Cahill in the 15th minute dropped short, the bounce catching the Spa defence off guard and the ball crossed the white line after a scramble in the goalmouth. Andrew Garnett kicked the next score, and at the end of the first quarter, Spa led 0-6 to 1-1.
Darran O'Sullivan and Fergal Griffin points levelled the game shortly after, but Spa quickly replied with two more from Mike O'Donoghue. Daniel Griffin added a last score for Glenbeigh/Glencar before Ryan O'Carroll (2) and an outstanding Mike McCarthy point made it 0-11 to 1-4 at the break.
Caolim Teahan and Mike O'Donoghue swapped points early in the second half and the introduction of Gavan O'Grady certainly turned the game. Evan Cronin added to the Spa lead to make it 0-13 to 1-5 before a great turnover in the middle almost finished to the net, Andrew Garnett's shot just shy of the post.
Glenbeigh/Glencar, taking full advantage of the wind, soon took control of the game and points from Darran O'Sullivan and Gavan O'Grady (2) helped pick away at the Spa lead, despite some outstanding defending by Dan O'Donoghue. O'Sullivan came close on goal at the end of the third quarter, but was unlucky when he made a run forward and his effort crossed just inches in front of goal, going harmlessly wide. Glenbeigh/Glencar were dominating the play by now, with two additional shots landing short in to David Carroll and cleared by the Spa defence.
Tommy Cahill added another for Glenbeigh/Glencar before Caolim Teahan's shot finished to the back of the net in the 54th minute to edge them ahead by two, Spa 0-13 Glenbeigh/Glencar 2-9. Gavan O'Grady and Ryan O'Carroll exchanged points as the game approached full time and then O'Grady added another for Glenbeigh, an outstanding high ball curling in the wind and right between the posts.
After two added minutes, Ryan O'Carroll was bearing down on goal but the shot went high and over the crossbar. The last kick out was won by Spa in the middle and followed with a brilliant run in by Shane Cronin. He passed it in to Evan Cronin and, despite the awkward angle, Evan's shot rattled the net in the 64th minute before the referee blew for full time. The game finished Spa 1-15 Glenbeigh/Glencar 2-11.
Spa play Laune Rangers at home next weekend in the third and final round of the group stages.
Spa: David Carroll, Eoin Fitzgerald, Dan O'Donoghue, Bryan Russell, Shane Cronin, Niall O'Mahony, Eoghan Cronin, Liam Kearney, Andrew Garnett, Ryan O'Carroll, Michael McCarthy, David Spillane, Niall McCarthy, Mike O'Donoghue, Evan Cronin. Subs; Ciaran Spillane, Gary Vaughan, Cormac Cronin
Glenbeigh/Glencar: Rory O'Connor, Sean Roche,Ciaran Doyle, Oisin O'Connor, Jack Brosnan, Shane Riordan, Stephen O'Sulivan, Colin McGillycuddy, Fergal Griffin, Daniel Griffin, Caolim Teahan, Dara Casey, Darran O'Sullivan, Kieran Courtney, Tommy Cahill. Subs: Caoilte Purcell, Gavan O'Grady, Jason McKenna
Referee: Seamus Mulvihill (St Senans)
*Game was played in Beaufort as Glenbeigh/Glencar pitch currently undergoing development*