Goals prove crucial for St Croans in Championship return
Wednesday, 7 July 2010
HANDS.....Kilbride's Darren Clabby and St. Croan's Brian Mullen in a tussle at Enfield on Saturday evening last.GOL2738
St Croans 2-13 Kilbride 1-11.
WHEN St Croans last played a senior championship game in 1990 it was hard to believe that they would have to wait twenty years before seeing senior club championship action again.
It would also be fair to say that some of the players who masterminded this excellent victory over a game Kilbride had not even been born when they were involved last. However, those players were part of history on Saturday evening last at Enfield when they produced a stirring performance in the battle of the last two intermediate champions.
Kilbride probably came into this game as favourites following their one point win over St Faithleachs but Croans were fired up and the large home support roared them on from the start. They were also supported by a strong breeze that was a factor in them opening up a good lead by half time. Shane Lannon was on form and he opened his side's account with a 45' with three minutes gone on the clock. The hard work of the midfield was also paying dividends but Kilbride were starting to gain control and Eddie Lohan was being his usual dependable self with two frees in the space of two minutes while John Donnelly added another to put Kilbride two points up after seven minutes.
Croans hit back with a Gerard Mockler point but at this stage Kilbride were the team dominating with Seamus O'Neill in midfield controlling all around him. Anthony McDermott's excellent point put two between the teams before Tommy Garvey collected a Mockler pass to close the gap once more.
As the first quarter drew to a close one could sense that a goal would change the direction of this game and after fifteen minutes Croans did exactly that. The warning signs were there following Jonathan Farrell's brilliant save from Martin Towey and the Kilbride keeper picked up an injury for his troubles. Two minutes later Shane Lannon picked the ball out at distance and sent in a shot that dipped dramatically at the last second and went in off the post and into the net.
There was little time for Croans to celebrate as Kilbride hit back with two Eddie Lohan frees but Lannon was also on fire from the dead ball and he maintained Croans lead with a free with seven minutes left in the half. Kilbride could have found the net themselves when McDermott collected a breaking ball only for it to go narrowly wide.
If the first goal was fortunate, the second was made out of pure class. A move that started with Eamon Towey going off on a run that covered most of the pitch ended with Martin Towey and Lannon combining to send Gerard Mockler through. The midfielder made no mistake with his shot and suddenly Croans were the team in control. A further point from Lannon just before half time put five between the teams and left Kilbride with a mountain to climb for the second half.
The Kilbride management sensed that something had to be done and decided to move Seamus O'Neill to full forward in an attempt to get a goal that would bring them back into the game. It paid off in the ninth minute when he collected a long ball from Gerry Lohan and fired home past Vincent Egan. Up to that point both teams had swapped scores with McDermott and Lohan both finding the posts for Kilbride and Eamon Towey scoring for St Croans. O'Neill's goal put Kilbride within a point of the leaders but they failed to regain the initiative as Croans once more charged forward with points from Keenan and Thomas Mockler and as the game reached the final quarter it was felt that St Croans would hold on for a famous victory.
Kilbride did everything possible but the midfield battle was going against them with the Croans tactic of breaking everything that came their way paying off. Lohan and Lannon again swapped points and as the game reached the final ten minutes the host side finally pulled away with points from Michael Holland and Shane Lannon to give St Croans the win and now pole position as they travel to St Faithleach's for their last game knowing that a win would put them into the quarter finals of the championship. Kilbride still have a chance of making the last eight should Croans win in Ballyleague but a Croans loss would then mean scoring difference would decide who went through leaving them in a perilous situation. This section is far from over.
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