Graham Tarmac Antrim Junior Football Championship, semi-final (AET)
O’Donnell’s 0-18 Éire Óg 1-10
O’Donnell’s clinched the highly anticipated Junior Championship semi-final, after a victory on home soil over Éire Óg after extra time.
The game was a frantic and evenly contested affair that bled in from a brilliant atmosphere from the Whiterock crowd.
Kevin Clarke and PJ Toal opened the scoring for Éire Óg, silencing the support as the early pressure from the Derriaghy side produced two brilliant scores from the 21 and 35-yard line respectably.
O’Donnell’s star-man Cillian Walsh took out Toal after he wrapped his arm around the neck of the oncoming Éire Óg forward to which referee Colin Mallon brandished a yellow card early on, leaving the half-forward walking a tight rope for the remainder of the game.
The home side notched their first score of the game, after a series of wides, it was Padraig McKissock who scored a free from over 25 yards. This kickstarted their momentum as Walsh levelled the game instantly before scores from Scott Thompson and a brilliant score from Mark Close put O’Dees ahead.
With 10 minutes remaining of the first half, O’Donnells led 0-5 to 0-3, but a quick turnaround showed what Championship football is all about.
Darragh Doonan stunted the momentum of the men in maroon as Éire Óg scored back-to-back points from close range to level the game. Eventually, with five minutes from the break, it was Kevin Clarke once again who smashed the ball over to restore their lead.
Doonan once again beat the half-back line and pointed from the 21-yard line to extend the away side’s advantage going in at the break. The half-time score Éire Óg lead 0-7 to 0-5.
The second half started just like the first, early pressure from the Éire Óg cemented their lead as Kevin Clarke brushed off Caoimhin Doherty to put the game to a three-point advantage.
Full-back Kieran Ryan astonishingly cleared McKissock’s goal effort off the line much to the dismay of the onlooking home crowd.
O’Dees’ full-forwards Richard McAvoy and Padraig McKissock both linked up twice to reduce the lead after notching points from distance.
McKissock’s free put his side in the lead for the first time in the second half, but Oran McMeneman pounced for Éire Óg after PJ Toal’s looping free was not dealt with and a scramble amongst the back line was eventually slotted home to put the away side in front by a point once again.
It was Ciaran McKissock who rescued the game with three minutes to play after multiple O’Dees efforts whistled wide. McKissock’s point was nonetheless controversial, but it stood and the game was tied at 0-11 to 1-8.
No one seemed to be able to find the winner after five minutes of added time was played.
Play resumed, extra-time commenced and both sides hit a point apiece in the opening minutes before a poor challenge saw Éire Óg lose their star-man PJ Toal, the half-forward was taken off after five minutes off attention from the doctor.
O’Donnell’s took major advantage from the injury, as Richard McAvoy and Padraig McKissock both took a brace of points each as the maroon side stormed ahead in extra-time, before Mark Close ended the game as he dispossessed Jarlath Devlin and planted his effort straight between the posts to see O’Donnells through, which left their manager Joe Herald “absolutely buzzing with that performance, we have done the club so proud, and we look forward to the final next.”
Herald’s side will take on a strong Pearse’s side in the final after they dispatched St Malachy’s with ease on Saturday afternoon.
O’DONNELL’S: C Murphy, C Docherty, S Seawright, J McKenna, G McKernan, S Thompson 0-1, K Kennedy, J Rafferty, C Walsh, PJ Meehan, C Walsh 0-6(1 free), F McNerney 0-1, P McKissock 0-4(2 frees), C Ferran 0-1, R Mc Avoy 0-5
Subs: M Close, J Rafferty, PJ Meenan
ÉIRE ÓG: B Shannon, P Loughran, K Ryan, J Devlin, C Rice, R Donnelly, T Malone, C McKenna, P James Toal 0-2(2 frees), S Erskine, K Clarke 0-6, D Doonan 0-2, J George, D Murray, A McKinght
Subs: D Campbell, C Erskine, C McCann, O McMeneman 1-0
REFEREE: Colin Mallon (Aghagallon)
