Clonmore 1-9
Grange 1-6
By Kevin Regan
Bizarre is definitely a word that could be used to describe the second of Thursday’s IFC encounters.
Walking out the gate of Netwatch Cullen Park at 22:10 was definitely an unusual scenario, but secondary in comparison to how this game ended.
When half time substitute Owen Coleman put Clonmore into a 1-7 to 0-2 lead early in the second half, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was game over, such was the foothold that the winners had on the game up to that point.
This looked increasingly likely up until the 53rd minute when Alan Fleming's goal brought it back to 1-8 to 1-4.
Time for a slight rewind here. Early in the first half the supremely talented Ciaran Pender looked like he was going to put on an exhibition when he scored a point, set up one for Ned Pender and then saw an audacious left footed effort hit the post.
Thereafter for a long spell they struggled to get ball in to him and John Murphy in what definitely would be as potent an inside line as you will get in this grade.
It was all Grange in those early stages but they only led 0-2 to 0-0 after 9 minutes.
From there to half time Clonmore scored 7 unanswered points to lead by 5 at the break.
And the majority of those scores were out of the top drawer, with Shane McGrath (3), Luke Connolly, Aaron Kelly, Matt Cullen and Billy Lawlor raising the white flags.
Now back to those last 10 minutes including stoppages!
The physicality stakes had raised massively in the second half and coming down the home stretch was no different as Grange sensed a comeback.
John Murphy scored a free and then blazed one over the bar a minute into injury time and now we were at 1-8 to 1-6.
It must be stated that just before this Sham Hegarty saved from Eoin Connolly and it wasn’t the last one he would make.
Substitute Cormac Connolly made it 1-9 to 1-6 just after Murphy’s blazed effort, but in came a high ball moments later and time seemed to stand still.
John Murphy rose highest, got a sweet connection with the fist, but somehow the ball didn’t cross the line for the equaliser.
Instead, Clonmore went down the other end and won a penalty for themselves.
Up stepped Shane McGrath, across lept Sham Hegarty and off blew the full time whistle.
The final score somehow remained 1-9 to 1-6 and Clonmore were victorious.
CLONMORE: Jordan Kane; Rory Maguire, Shane Murphy, Anthony Byrne; Billy Lawlor (0-1), Matt Cullen (0-1), Eoin Connolly; David Mulvany, Luke Connolly (0-1); Rob Bulmer, Shane McGrath (0-4, 1f), Enda McGrath; Tom Pollard, Con Murphy, Aaron Kelly 0-1.
Subs: Owen Coleman (1-0) for C Murphy (HT), Cormac Connolly (0-1), for Maguire (50 mins), Oisin Doyle for A Kelly (54 mins).
GRANGE: Sham Hegarty; John Doyle, Tom Kealy, James Hickey; Tom Dillon, Cillian Murphy, Henry Hegarty; Cathal Bailey (0-1, 45), Fionn Murphy; Shane Cormican, Paddy Hickey, Ned Pender (0-1); Davy Moran, Kieran Pender (0-1 mark), John Murphy (0-3, 2f).
Subs: Alan Fleming (1-0) for K Pender (47 mins), Emre Yilmaz for Cormican (52 mins), Gavin Lawlor for H Hegarty (59 mins)
Referee: John Hickey
