Spa made the short journey to Glenflesk on Saturday evening and secured an extra two points ahead of the final round of the Intermediate group stages next weekend.
The home side were faster off the mark, with Darragh Roche putting three early points on the board, and keeper Marc Kelleher doing well to get a hand to Spa’s first attempt on goal. Mike Stam O’Donoghue opened Spa’s account in the 14th minute and a moment later David Spillane collected the rebound, after his first shot was blocked, and ran in towards goal to rattle the back of the Glenflesk net. By the water break, it was all to play for at 1-1 to 0-3.
Play started just as it had finished before the break, with David Spillane running through the Glenflesk defence yet again and netting his second goal. The celebrations were short-lived however, as a minute later Glenflesk’s Padraig Healy broke down a high ball into the path of Darragh Roche whose shot finished in the back of the Spa net. Two minutes later and the ball was back at the other end again, but Dara Moynihan was fouled as he reached the small square, Marc Kelleher saving Evan Cronin’s penalty shot. Darragh Roche added two more for Glenflesk but Spa responded well, a superb point from Niall McCarthy, Niall O’Mahony punching the ball over the crossbar and Liam Kearney fielding the ball in the middle and playing to Dara Moynihan who kicked straight between the posts. At the half time whistle, Spa held a narrow lead at 2-4 to 1-5.
Spa hit their purple patch in the third quarter, hitting an unanswered 1-7, although a black card saw Glenflesk reduced to 14 men early in the half. Ciaran Spillane, Evan Cronin and Niall O’Mahony all added points within the first five minutes to extend the Spa advantage before Glenflesk were reduced to 14. David Spillane scored, followed by a great long range shot from Dan O’Donoghue. In the 10th minute, a hop ball scramble resulted in a loose ball rolling towards the Glenflesk goalmouth, which Dara Moynihan duly finished to the back of the net to make it 3-9 to 1-5. Dara Moynihan and Evan Cronin added more points either side of the water break before Daniel O’Brien was on target for Glenflesk’s first score of the half after 21 minutes. Ciaran Spillane had a lovely shot curl just inside the post but Glenflesk were quickly attacking at the other end, Darragh Roche and Jeff O’Donoghue (2), and a final Spa point from Conor Stack, closing out the game. Final score Spa 3-13 Glenflesk 1-9
Spa Team: James Devane, Eoin Fitzgerald. Brian Lynch, Shane Lynch, Shane Cronin, Dan O’Donoghue (0-1), Gary Vaughan, Liam Kearney, Ciaran Spillane (0-2), Niall O’Mahony (0-2), Michael O’Donoghue (0-1f), Dara Moynihan (1-2), Niall McCarthy (0-1), Evan Cronin (0-2), David Spillane (2-1). Subs: Eric O’Donoghue, Eoin Cronin, Mike McCarthy, Conor Stack (0-1), Cian Tobin
Glenflesk Team: Marc Kelleher, Gearoid O’Leary, Chris O’Donoghue, Shane Courtney, Kieran A O’Donoghue, Brian O’Donoghue, Denis O’Connor, Daniel O’Brien (0-1), Conor O’Donoghue, Padraig Healy, Ian Roche, Jeff O’Donoghue (0-2), Sean Doherty, Darragh Roche (1-6 (6f)), Patrick D’Arcy. Subs: Alan Murphy, Danny Lucey, Dara Fleming, Peter Cronin
Referee: Ian Liston (Finuge)
Next game is Spa v Na Gaeil (in Spa) next weekend for the battle for top place in the group. Fixture details to be confirmed.
(Photos: Anne Holland)
