St Finbarr’s Beat Clonakilty – Narrow Victory
St. Finbarr’s Edge Clonakilty in Tense County Championship Clash
Table of Contents
St. Finbarr’s secured a hard-fought victory over Clonakilty in a gripping county championship encounter, with a late surge proving decisive in a match that kept spectators on the edge of thier seats until the final whistle.
A Tale of Two Halves: Momentum Swings and Crucial Scores
The game was a true testament to the unpredictable nature of championship football, with both sides demonstrating periods of dominance.St. Finbarr’s, in particular, enjoyed a purple patch in the second half, extending their lead to four points.
Barrs Build a Lead
A well-taken point from William Buckley, followed by a converted free from the influential S. Sherlock, opened up a two-point advantage for the Barrs.This momentum was further capitalized upon with additional scores from substitute Fionn Crowley and another Sherlock free from play. By the 52nd minute, St. Finbarr’s had established their largest lead of the contest, with the scoreboard reading 1-12 to 1-8.
Clonakilty Fight Back
However, Clonakilty refused to be deterred. A Gough free and a crucial two-point free from Dara Ó Sé narrowed the deficit to just a single point with five minutes remaining, setting up a nail-biting finish.
Late Drama and Decisive Moments
As the game entered its final stages, the tension was palpable. A couple of S. Sherlock frees from St. Finbarr’s drifted wide, a testament to the defensive pressure applied by Clonakilty, who remained firmly in contention. The sides traded points, with St. Finbarr’s holding a slender 1-13 to 1-12 lead heading into added time. The opportunity to level the scores fell to Luke Griffin,but his effort was heroically blocked by Sam Ryan of St. Finbarr’s, a defensive intervention that ultimately proved vital.
Scorers for St. Finbarr’s
S Sherlock: 0-6 (0-4 f, 0-1 45)
C Dennehy: 1-1 (0-1 f)
W Buckley: 0-3
J Wigginton-Barrett: 0-2
F Crowley: 0-1
clonakilty Scorers
C Daly: 1-1
D Gough: 0-4 (0-1 f)
D Ó Sé: 1-2 (1 2pt f)
S White: 0-2
R Mannix: 0-1
S mcevoy: 0-1
D Lowney: 0-1
Team Line-ups
St. Finbarr’s: D Newman; B Hennessy, A O’Connor, S Ryan; B O’connell, J Burns, E Dennehy; I Maguire, E Twomey; W Buckley, C Doolan, C Dennehy; J Wigginton-Barrett, S Sherlock, B Hayes. Subs: F Crowley for B O’Connell (45), R barrett for C Dennehy (50), L Hannigan for B Hayes (53), C Barrett for W Buckley (56).
Clonakilty: M White; C Kenneally, D Darragh, D lowney; M Shanley, T Clancy, J O’Mahony; B Ridgeway, D Ó Sé; S McEvoy, S White, R Mannix; D Gough, C Daly, L Griffin.
Subs: –
Referee: Conor Lane (Banteer).