Aloysius let big lead slip

With 15 minutes to go in this Connaught Colleges SF 'C' final, played at a blustery Knockcroghery last Saturday afternoon, holders St. Aloysius" College, Athlone, looked in pole position to retain their crown as they held an 8-point lead over challengers Scoil Mhuire, Strokestown. However, it was all about to go horribly wrong for the Shannonsiders, as a driven Black and Amber brigade gradually whittled away their deficit. There were five minutes of injury time surprisingly added on by the referee and it was in the final two minutes of this time that Scoil Mhuire added the priceless 1-1 which would force extra time in this contest (2-10 each). A visibly shell-shocked Aloysius team, again wind-assisted, kicked a total of six wides in the opening E/T period, with their slender 1-point lead eventually proving inadequate as a rejuvenated Strokestown took the lead for the first time in the game with a 69th minute goal by wing-forward Darren Clabby, while corner-forward Cathal O"Rourke brought his match total to 2-5 with the insurance point just on the long whistle, thus completing a Lazarus-like recovery for the Michael Moran managed side. It was, without doubt, an outcome which caused bitter disappointment to Bobby Purtill and Willie Hegarty"s charges, who had never been behind until that fateful extra-time denouement at a well prepared Knockcroghery venue. But, on reflection, they will ponder on how such a sizeable lead could be eradicated by opponents whom, to be fair to them, simply refused to countenance defeat, although there were question marks concerning at least one of the scores which left this final deadlocked at the end of normal time. A strong breeze favoured the Athlone lads in the opening half and they were forced to line out without influential wing-forward Neil Harney for whom David Reilly was called up, while, from the off, listed midfielder Daniel Qualter and full-forward Cathal Shine swapped positions. They made the perfect start when, from a lineball forced by centre-back John Harney, Dara Lennon split the uprights with a delightful sideline kick. Strokestown did give an early indication of their intent when centre-forward Daniel Connellan powered through for a 4th minute equaliser. Daniel Qualter, sited at full-forward, was causing huge problems to the Scoil Mhuire rearguard, aptly illustrated in a defence-splitting foray, also involving Dara Lennon and Donal Beirne, with the tall No. 8 dispatching a rocket to the Strokestown net. The East county side were dealt a blow when losing their midfielder and captain Paul Cox to injury, but overcame this in style when, following the dispossession of a St. Aloysius defender, eventual colossus Patrick Brogan started the move which resulted in Cathal O"Rourke"s equalising goal, awarded following some doubts regarding a square ball. Strangely, it was a number of minutes before Strokestown eventually replaced the injured Cox with Jason Hagan, but the Athlonians, from now until half-time, would take command, sending over a litany of points. Inspired by the very much on-form Dara Lennon, who would contribute four points (3 frees) in this golden spell, this was vintage football from the Shannonsiders. Midfielder Cathal Shine was playmaker-par-excellence, and with Kieran Brennan making many incisive runs, things looked good indeed for the defending champions. Strokestown made a bewildering series of switches including the siting of corner-back Gavin Tully at full-forward, but Aloysius were rampant. Five unanswered points - Dara Lennon (3, 2 frees), wing-back Phillip Lennon and Kieran Brennan - were on target during this fruitful period. Although Cathal O"Rourke"s pointed free (21st minute) broke this dominance, another Lennon free (punched over by a defender) and a point from wing-forward David Reilly gave the Athlone side a healthy 1-8 to 1-2 interval lead. With defenders Kevin Naughton, Andrew McNamara and John Harney providing stout resistance, St. Aloysius were in a strong position as they prepared to face the wind. Play resumed on a similarly profitable note for the Green and Gold. Dara Lennon pointed a brace of frees following fouls on Kieran Brennan and Aaron O"Connor respectively, but we then witnessed a mini-revival from the Black and Amber. Left half-forward Colin Compton, virtually anonymous in the opening moiety, but who would later emerge among their heroes, led this renaissance, with two points (1 from play) either side of a Cathal O"Rourke pointed free. Stephen Callan then drew a great save from Strokestown "keeper Nathan Hunt, but, following a foul on Kieran Brennan, Lennon again, with wing-back Niall Keenan surging forward, made the opening for a brilliant punched goal by Daniel Qualter, his second green flag of the match. Now 2-10 to 1-5 ahead, and 15 minutes left, the reigning champions appeared to have one hand on the cup. Events, however, were about to take a sensational turn at St. Dominic"s H/Q. Cathal Shine was temporarily replaced with a blood injury, but there seemed no immediate danger to the Athlone team. Ominously, however, and driven on by the truly inspirational Patrick Brogan from the pivotal defensive position, Scoil Mhuire would gradually assume almost total control, simultaneously crowding out their hitherto dominant opponents. By the end of the mandatory 60 minutes, and thanks to the scoring prowess of the now predatorial Compton (3 points from play) together with a pointed free from centre-forward Connellan, the St. Aloysius" lead had been reduced to four points. Now in added-on time, Strokestown piled on the pressure, and with Aloysius forced on the defensive, the challengers strove might and main for the levelling scores. Compton"s 64th minute free was waved wide by an umpire, but the referee over-ruled and awarded the point. Still, play continued - it was difficult to comprehend where all the injury-time came from - and still Strokestown attacked. The equalising goal arrived in the 5th minute of added-on time - it was almost inevitable that Brogan would be at the heart of this final flourish. The ball eventually reached Dara Jones, whose rifling shot was deflected upwards by goalie Naos Connaughton, who appeared to be impeded as the ball fell to corner-forward Cathal O"Rourke, whose critical touch found the net. It was, stunningly, 2-10 all, and extra-time. Such a scenario seemed unbelievable 20 minutes before, but St. Aloysius, who hadn"t scored since Daniel Qualter"s 45th minute goal, were again aided by the wind in the opening 10 minutes of E/T. Clearly shell-shocked by the bizarre turn of events at the end of the game, the holders experienced a torrid time in this spell. Six wides, many from scoring positions, ensued, and while Dara Lennon added a further two points (one free), bringing his afternoon total to a superb nine, a pointed free from Strokestown"s O"Rourke meant that St. Aloysius had only the minimum advantage at the turn-over. Both teams missed chances as the concluding 10 minutes wore on. Cathal O"Rourke hit an equalising point for Strokestown 3 minutes in, but there followed six scoreless minutes when a replay seemed likely. Strokestown, however, had other ideas. The mercurial Patrick Brogan, one minute from the end, sent over a probing cross-field ball which a hitherto quiet Darren Clabby punched to the Athlone net to give his side the lead for, amazingly, the first time in this final. And, just at the conclusion of the second E/T period, Cathal O"Rourke pointed from play to end the match with a personal total of 2-5, but, most importantly, confirming his side as the new champions in this grade. With Niall McAuliffe, Patrick Brogan, Diarmuid Connellan and Colin Compton, he shares the main honours in this stunning victory. St. Aloysius will reflect long and hard on where everything went so disappointingly wrong from that last quarter onwards. Let it not be forgotten that they played some terrific football en-route to the decider and for the greater part of the final. They were well served on Saturday by Naos Connaughton (he could do little about the shots that beat him), Kevin Naughton, Andrew McNamara, John Harney, Cathal Shine, Kieran Brennan, two-goal hero Daniel Qualter and scorer-in-chief Dara Lennon. SCORERS - Strokestown: C O"Rourke 2-5 (0-3f); C Compton 0-6 (2f); D Clabby 1-0; D Connellan 0-2 (1f). St. Aloysius: D Lennon 0-9 (6f, 1 sideline); D Qualter 2-0; P Lennon, K Brennan, D Reilly 0-1 each. Scoil Mhuire, Strokestown: Nathan Hunt, Gavin Tully, Niall McAuliffe, Leo Cox, Kieran Donoghue, Patrick Brogan, Kevin Brennan, Seán Donoghue, Paul Cox (capt), Darren Clabby, Diarmuid Connellan, Colin Compton, Martin McCaffrey, Dara Jones, Cathal O"Rourke. Subs: Jason Hagan for P Cox (inj. 13), Marcus McGuire for Brennan (63), Thomas Conway for McCaffrey (71). St. Aloysius College, Athlone: Naos Connaughton (capt), Daniel McCormack, Kevin Naughton, Andrew McNamara, Niall Keenan, John Harney, Phillip Lennon, Daniel Qualter, Kieran Brennan, Aaron O"Connor, Dara Lennon, David Reilly, Stephen Callan, Cathal Shine, Donal Beirne. Subs: Eoin Connaughton for Reilly (61), Dara Egan for O"Connor (70). Referee: M. Kenny (Mayo).