Published: Wednesday, 14th October, 2009 4:55pm

Keane has the edge as Villa fight back

St. Comans 1, Temple Villa 1

A second-half Jack Keane strike saw Temple Villa claim a hard-fought point against St. Comans at Kilmacuagh Avenue last Saturday morning.

Having taken the lead through a Niall Hanevy strike it looked as though St. Comans would go on to claim what would have been a much-deserved victory having been the better team for the majority of the game. But a late surge from Villa saw them grab the equaliser as well as going very close to snatching a victory.

St. Comans began the game well and looked the stronger team, dominating the early stages. Number four Niall Hanevy, one of the outstanding players from this game was at the heart of every St. Comans move as they searched in earnest for the opening goal.

Leon Harney was unlucky, on five minutes, not to connect with a probing Hanevy cross from the right wing.

Three minutes later Hanevy played Lorcan Daly through on goal but Temple Villa 'keeper Jack Connaughton moved swiftly from his line to avert the danger.

A minute after that, with Comans still pressing, a nice passing move involving Leon Harney and Lorcan Daly afforded Hanevy with the chance to shoot on goal, a shot which Connaughton blocked away. A goalmouth scramble ensued but Villa eventually managed to clear the danger.

With Comans knocking on the door, Hanevy again went close just before half-time, his shot flying over the bar on this occasion.

The half-time whistle provided some welcome respite for the Temple Villa players who, thus far, had done little to threaten Paul Kelly in the Comans goal.

Upon resumption of play St. Comans picked up where they left off, on top in the possession stakes. Goal chances were still hard to come by but Colin Boland went closest in the opening stages of the second-half, the number three shooting just wide.

Villa finally began to make some inroads on the Comans goal after six minutes of the second-half when Padraig Nestor saw his long-range effort saved by Paul Kelly.

But two minutes later, St. Comans finally hit the front. Niall Hanevy picked the ball up in midfield after a wayward Villa pass, went on a solo run before drilling the ball left-footed from outside the penalty-area to the far corner of the net. A deserved goal for Ronnie Coleman's team.

But if anything, the goal seemed to spark Villa into life. A Sean Clinton volley that hit the side-netting signalled the beginning of a surge that would eventually culminate in an equalising goal for the visitors.

The pressure was being piled on the St. Comans goal and with just five minutes remaining Temple Villa got their reward. Jack Keane latched on to a through ball and though still having some work to do, he did brilliantly to muscle his marker Keith Corcoran off the ball before firing the ball past Paul Kelly at his near post. One-all.

From the very next attack Villa were awarded a corner which James Kealy swung into the box. Sean Clinton rose highest in the area but saw his header rebound dramatically off the upright and away to safety.

Villa had all the momentum but the final two chances fell to Comans. The first, when Leon Harney ball across the face of the goal beat everyone and nearly sneaked in at the back post. Harney then had another opportunity right at the death when he connected with a Daniel Heavin cross. But his effort fell wide of the post and with that went the game's final action.

SQUADS

ST. COMANS: Paul Kelly, Lorcan Daly, Colin Boland, Niall Hanevy, Frank Hanevy, Daniel Heavin, Alan Henson, Aaron Coleman, Leon Harney, Kevin Temple, Eoin Heavin, Ciaran Hanevy, Keith Corcoran.

TEMPLE VILLA: Jack Connaughton, Charlie Parker, Neil Fleming, Sean McCabe, James Kealy, Padraig Nestor, Sean Clinton, Kevin O'Flaherty, Jack Keane, Sean Horan, Darragh Holmes.