High drama as Tang complete the great escape
Tang 1-17 St Malachy's 0-20 (AET, Tang win 3-1 on penalties)
By John Dingle
A remarkable week for Tang was crowned in most dramatic fashion as the men in maroon and white salvaged their senior status with a penalty shootout victory over St Malachy's.
Having earned a possible lifeline to safety seven days earlier when beating Garrycastle, Tang now faced St Malachy's in a winner takes all contest at Ballymore last Sunday afternoon.
The losers would go down to the intermediate ranks in a contest that had more twists and turns than a rollercoaster. Tang defied all the odds as they somehow survived extra-time with just 13 players and then further stunned St Malachy's in the penalty shootout where goalkeeper Owen Coughlan proved to be the hero.
Returning to the venue where both teams had started their Championship campaign, St Malachy's were looking to claim another win over Tang and got off to a good start with the first two scores. Morgan Gavigan found the range with a 45’ with the midfielder also popping over a free kick.
Tang opened their account with a point from Tom Lennon and then went ahead with a fine two-pointer from John Rock. Shane Corcoran levelled matters with a point but Lennon edged Tang back in front midway through the half. A two-pointer free kick from Aidan Burke after 21 minutes increased the lead to three points.
The eventual winners were dealt a major blow four minutes later when they were reduced to 14 players. Jason Coughlan was shown the red card for an off the ball strike following a kickout.
St Malachy's tried to take advantage as their first score in 20 minutes from Corcoran reduced the deficit. Tang though were not about to collapse after losing a man and a fine two-pointer free from goalkeeper Coughlan made it double scores. The last kick of the half left a goal between the teams at the break as Adam Cassidy popped over a close in free to leave Malachy's trailing by 0-8 to 0-5.
When play resumed Gavigan reduced the deficit to two with another free but Burke's two-pointer from play increased Tang's lead to four. St Malachy's extra man was not obvious as they struggled to make inroads into the Tang lead. Johnny Bermingham and Corcoran both sent over points to leave it 0-10 to 0-8, but Jack Keenan restored the four-point lead with another two-pointer.
The first score in the last quarter saw Tang stretch the lead to six as another fine two-pointer from Rock left it 0-14 to 0-8. However, Tom Browne's charges recovered to draw level at the finish. A free and a point from play from Cassidy left Malachy's four behind but another Burke free made it 0-15 to 0-10 heading into the last ten minutes. It was the last time though that Tang would raise a flag as Malachy's scored five points without reply to force extra- time.
Two points from Shane Clavin and one from Bermingham left it a two-point game heading towards the closing stages, but the lead should have then swung the Saints' way only for a brilliant save from Coughlan. Corcoran set up Morgan Gavigan who seemed set to score but his shot was pushed behind by the Tang keeper. Gavigan made amends of sorts after 58 minutes when popping over the resulting 45’ to reduce the deficit to the bare minimum.
There was a further blow for Stephen Coy's men in stoppage time when Rock was shown a second yellow card to reduce Tang to 13 players. In spite of this numerical disadvantage, they still looked like holding out when Cassidy sent a free wide but, in the last minute of additional time, he made amends with a point from play. It ended at 0-15 each with extra-time and maybe more now needed to decide a winner.
After a lengthy discussion and consultation with the rule book, it emerged that Tang would still have to play extra-time with a numerical disadvantage. It surely would lead to only one outcome, a St Malachy's win, and after the first period of extra-time it certainly looked that way.
Four unanswered scores including a two-pointer free from Morgan Gavigan left the Castletown Geoghegan side hot favourites to hold onto their senior status leading by 0-20 to 0-15.
Tang had failed to score in the first period and it did not improve in the first five minutes of the second period. Keenan looked merely to have given Tang some consolation with two points but there was late drama to follow. Substitute Fergus Farrell sent the ball into Jack Keenan in the eighth minute and the game's only green flag was raised to draw the sides level at 1-17 to 0-20.
There was a further twist for the penalty kicks when Malachy's replaced veteran Alan Mangan between the posts with Liam Varley, but all the accolades were earned by the opposing keeper. Owen Coughlan fired Tang in front from the first penalty and then saved three kicks when back in goal.
Although Tang missed the fourth penalty after being successful with their first three, Coughlan again saved to complete an amazing comeback for the 13 men and leave Tang still in the top flight for next year.
Man of the match: Owen Coughlan (Tang). Although the three penalty saves in the shootout will grab the headlines, the Tang goalkeeper also pulled off a great save late in the second half to keep his side in contention.
Scorers – Tang: J Keenan 1-4 (1tp); A Burke 0-5 (1tp, 1tpf, 1f); J Rock 0-4 (2tp); T Lennon and O Coughlan (1tp) 0-2 each. St Malachy's: M Gavigan 0-7 (2 45s, 1tpf, 2f); S Corcoran and A Cassidy (2f) 0-4 each; S Clavin 0-3; J Bermingham 0-2.
Tang - Owen Coughlan; Kieran Duncan, Eoghan Bannon, David Marlow; Jason Coughlan, Ciaran Clear, Tommy Lennon; Aidan Burke, Callum McGarry; Ronan Hanley, John Tumelty, Jack Keenan; Andrew Gill, Shane Keenan, John Rock. Subs: Conall McKiernan for Lennon (42 mins), Fergus Farrell for S Keenan (49).
St Malachy's - Alan Mangan; Stephen Fagan, Naoise McKenna, Eoin Kiernan; Liam Varley, Shane Clavin, Aaron Glennon; Morgan Gavigan, Johnny Bermingham; David Maloney, Jack Gallagher, Peter Murphy; Odhran Gavigan, Adam Cassidy, Shane Corcoran. Subs: Ryan Boyne for Clavin (E-T 1), Fergal O’Brien for Bermingham (E-T 2).
Referee - Sean Carroll (The Downs).