Spa had to work very hard to secure victory in Kenmare on Sunday afternoon in Rd2 of the Senior Club Championship. We were trailing by 5 points late in the first half, and were still 5 points behind as the game moved into the final quarter. Some fine battling in the final minutes of the game, even though Spa were reduced to 14 men in the 56th minute, gave us a valuable two points ahead of the third and final round next weekend.
Within the first minute Kevin O’Sullivan called a mark to put Kenmare on the board. Evan Cronin responded with a free shortly after when Liam Kearney was fouled, and followed again with the same two minutes later. Kenmare soon replied however, their own sharpshooter Sean O’Shea with a free from 45 yards out to make it 0-2 apiece after just six minutes. Mike McCarthy and Sean O’Shea swapped scores before Spa’s only real goal chance of the day - the ball worked between Dara Moynihan, Evan Cronin and Liam Kearney with Liam racing towards goal just inside the end line, his effort knocked out for a ‘45. Sean O’Shea added two pointed frees for the home side before the first water break, Kenmare now leading by 0-5 to 0-3.
Spa were quickly on the attack but Dara Moynihan, who put in a great performance on Sunday, had his attempt well blocked. It was full advantage to Kenmare as Sean O’Shea, Shane O’Sullivan and Dara Crowley extended that lead to move ahead 0-8 to 0-3. Niall McCarthy got the final touch on a lovely team play but it was quickly cancelled out with a Sean O’Shea ‘45. Two points late in the half, Shane Cronin on a burst forward punching over the bar and Dara Moynihan with a lovely score after Spa won the kick out, made it Kenmare 0-9 Spa 0-6 at the half time whistle.
Evan Cronin reduced the gap with a Spa free but at the other end Paul O’Connor was bearing down on goal, James Devane with a brilliant save. Another free from Sean O’Shea quickly followed, before Paul O’Connor once again charged at the Spa goal, his shot bouncing off the top of the crossbar and raising the white flag. Another Sean O’Shea free, his 8th score of the day, extended the Kenmare advantage to 0-12 to 0-7 with less than twenty minutes left to play. Spa however were starting to take some control and some excellent defending soon reduced the Kenmare threat. Corner-back Shane Lynch added one for Spa before an Evan Cronin free left just the three points between the sides at the second half water break, Kenmare still ahead at 0-12 to 0-9, but the momentum had swung in Spa’s favour.
Evan Cronin chipped away at that lead with another free before Ciaran Spillane added a Spa score a minute later. With five minutes left Spa were reduced to 14 men as Mike McCarthy was shown black. Shane Cronin levelled the game at 0-12 apiece in the 59th minute, but with two injury delays in the second half, one for each team, there was always going to be plenty of time added at the very end. The Spa defence were letting nothing pass them, while our forward line were relentless in attack. A great long range free from Evan Cronin edged Spa ahead in the 64th minute, before a second long range free in the 67th minute, our seventh score without reply, gave Spa a two-point advantage. There was time for one final attack from Kenmare, Mark Crowley’s shot looking to drop in towards the goalmouth but dropping between the posts instead, with full time called and Spa with the win by 0-14 to 0-13.
Well done to our team & management, and wishing a speedy recovery to our injured players.
We go into the third and final round at home to Templenoe next Sunday at 2.30pm, Group 2 still with everything to play for. After the first two rounds, all Group 2 teams have won a game and lost a game, so next week’s results will be the decider in who progresses to the semi-finals (top 2 in the group) and who is in a relegation battle with Legion (bottom of the group). If two teams finish on level points, the result of their head-to-head will be first in deciding position on the table.
Spa: James Devane, Brian Lynch, Eoin Fitzgerald, Shane Lynch (0-1), Shane Cronin (0-2), Dan O’Donoghue, Gary Vaughan, Liam Kearney, Ciaran Spillane (0-1), Niall O’Mahony, Michael McCarthy (0-1), Dara Moynihan (0-1), Niall McCarthy (0-1), Evan Cronin (0-7f), Cian Tobin, Subs: Cian Murphy, Ryan O’Carroll, Mike Foley
Kenmare: Kieran Fitzgibbon, Dara Crowley (0-1), James McCarthy, Cian O’Sullivan, Dan McCarthy, Dara O’Shea, Shane O’Sullivan (0-1), Griffin Wharton, David Hallissey, Tom Murnane, Sean O’Shea (0-8(6f)), Kevin O’Sullivan (0-1), Micheál McCarthy, Paul O’Connor (0-1), Stephen O’Brien. Subs: Mark Crowley (0-1), Matthew Murnane, Tommy Cronin
Referee: Eddie Walsh (Rathmore)