Loughrea supporters in Pearse Stadium on Sunday were less than impressed with their team’s enervated first-half performance.
At first they were bemused by the lack of energy and cutting in their side, but by the time Loughrea were behind by 2-7 to 0-7, with the clock ticking away nicely in the second half, that bewilderment had turned to real anger and genuine concern. They were right to be alarmed.
In that first 30 minutes there was a real lack of fire and brimstone, and only for the accuracy of young Neil Keary’s free-taking, they could have found themselves with a very steep hill to climb in the second half.
Having lost three county title jousts since 2003 to Portumna, and with their nemesis out of the equation, they did not want to contemplate the pain of another final defeat to different opposition.
When Clarinbridge’s Mark Kerins waltzed through the Loughrea defence with abandon just before half time to majestically finish to the net, there was only one team playing championship hurling.
Loughrea’s team manager Joe Sweeney summed up the mood of the town supporters and mentors at that juncture when he reflected after the game. “We were thinking, ‘Jesus’, we have to do something here. They are tearing us apart and that goal was the hammer blow.”
Clarinbridge were flying and Loughrea were just about hanging onto their coat tails.
David Forde was mopping up an ocean of ball at centre-back and his raking diagonal deliveries were setting up scoring opportunities for the lively Paul Coen and Eoin Forde.
Mark Kerins was also having a huge game at centre-forward and putting Nigel Shaughnessy under considerable pressure.
However Loughrea have been around the block and they know the taste of defeat. And with that acid taste starting to rise up their throats, they shook themselves and swallowed hard.
Led back from the abyss by the defiance of brave men - Johnny Coen, Damien McClearn, Gavin Keary and the introduction of Tom Regan, Greg Kennedy and Kenneth Colleran - they smothered Clarinbridge’s oxygen supply and reined them in.
The game, which had been scrappy for long periods, burst into life in the last few minutes and when Johnny Coen, who showed nerves of steel, rattled in a penalty after a harsh call on the Bridge’s swarmed rearguard, it looked as if all Clarinbridge’s early good work was to be undone.
Two big calls
Referee Michael Dolan had made a big decision with the penalty, and he made another one almost immediately after with a debatable free for an illegal handpass which gave Clarinbridge and Mark Kerins a life-line.
Kerins, who was selected as man-of-the-match, hit his ninth point, levelled the game, and handed a huge financial boost to the hurling board (and the Dept of Finance if the local Gardai continue with their over-zealous ticketing ) with another big crowd likely in 10 days’ time.
There was still a chance for a winner, but a terrific block-down by Jamie Cannon on Johnny O’Loughlin meant we will be back in Pearse Stadium for the second course.
Joe Sweeney, the Loughrea manager, knows his side was lucky.
“We probably got out of jail – five points down in the second half. We got a little break with the penalty and it set us up. We thought that we might go on and take it, but Clarinbridge had other ideas.”
He also praised his three substitutes who made solid contributions, and there will be a few difficult decisions to be made to pick the starting 15 for the replay.
Clarinbridge selector Tom Helebert, an All-Star back in 1996, felt it was always going to end in a tight finish despite their big lead at one stage in the second half.
“Those guys are battle hardened and we knew they weren’t going to let us run away with it. Each team will feel they could have had it. It is unfortunate that a county final comes down to a few tight critical calls, but it is what it is, and we are back to play another day.”
Loughrea: N Murray; B Mahony, D McClearn, E Mahony; P Hoban, N Shaughnessy, V Maher; E Mahony, G Keary; J Coen (1-2, 1-0 pen ), J Maher (0-1 ), J Regan; N Keary (0-11, 0-10 frees ), J O’Loughlin, T Hoban. Subs: T Regan for E Mahony (half time ), K Colleran for J Regan (39 mins ), G Kennedy for N Shaughnessy (48 mins ).
Clarinbridge: L Donoghue; C Forde. B Burke, P Callanan; M Donoghue, D Forde, E Collins; B Daly, J Cannon; S Burke, M Kerins (1-9, 0-6 frees, 0-2 65s ), S Forde; E Forde (0-2 ), A Kerins, P Coen (1-0 ). Subs: E Murphy for E Collins (42 mins ), A Armstrong for B Daly (54 mins ).
Referee: Michael Dolan (Kilconeiron ).
