Senior AFC: Knocknagree hold firm as Clyda Rovers' fire fades at the death
Knocknagree’s Tadc Mahoney leaps for possession against Clyda Rovers in Newmarket. Picture: Chani Anderson.
This was no procession, but neither were Knocknagree ever truly off the pace. Clyda Rovers brought their best football of the summer. Knocknagree had just that bit more in their Senior A Football Championship clash at Newmarket on Sunday.
By the 50th minute the gap was six, but it never felt settled. Conor Corbett clipped a two-point free. Pa Doyle missed a 45 he usually makes. Then Corbett, again, from just inside the arc. A point so stunning it cleared the net and landed in the trees, leaving three in it.
Clyda won the kickout and surged. David Cooney sent Cian O’Sullivan through. He found the net – or so it seemed. Side netting. Clyda’s roar turned to frustration. Knocknagree steadied through Niall O’Connor. Clyda brought everyone up for one last goal chance in the 61st minute, but committed one too many men forward
Anthony O’Connor nailed the late free and Gearóid Looney fisted one over, leaving the margin back to six.
Clyda were emptied. Knocknagree had survived.
The Mourneabbey men had been blistering when they countered. They mixed patience and precision. Corbett was lethal, David Walsh never tired. Kissane bossed the middle, Eoin Walsh was superb, and they had runners spinning off both flanks. Twice they cut Knocknagree apart in the first half. Twice they found goals.
The first after 14 minutes. Eoin Walsh, O’Sullivan, Kissane, Cian Walsh, Corbett. Goal. As quickly as you can say it. The second after 27, Corbett’s fisted effort came off the post, Cian Walsh buried the rebound. But each time they raised a green flag, Knocknagree answered in kind. Anthony O’Connor with the first. Gearóid Looney with the second.
The scoreboard told the story. Corbett’s goal had it at 0-4 to 1-2. Minutes later it was 1-7 to 1-2, Knocknagree punching back with ruthless efficiency. They put together three equally impressive two-pointers, and when they weren’t shooting from distance they were picking out a man inside.
And still Clyda kept coming. They landed three on the bounce, Knocknagree responded with two, but Walsh’s goal dragged it back to a two-point game. Knocknagree responded with six passes from the kickout, Looney finishing the move brilliantly into the net. A score for each left the five-point margin untouched at the break.
Daniel O’Mahony’s goal in the 37th minute pushed Knocknagree eight clear, their widest lead. It should have killed it, but Clyda refused to wilt.
Two from Corbett. Anthony O’Connor answered with a free, Corbett then turned provider for Eoin Walsh’s brilliant orange flag. That left it 3-13 to 2-11 after 43 minutes.
When Corbett lofted another orange flag on 51 minutes, the gap was four. But too many ambitious handpasses followed. Too many turned over. Knocknagree feasted on the scraps and by conclusion, the points were theirs.
Clyda’s spirit was immense, impossible not to admire. Had Knocknagree been any way off the pace, Rovers would have come away with two wins from two and a knockout spot secured.
But last year’s beaten finalists were not off the pace.
A O’Connor 1-7 (2 tp, 0-2 f), G Looney 1-1, M McSweeney (1 tp), N O’Connor 0-3 each, D O’Mahony 1-0, Denis R O’Connor, P Doyle (45), K Cronin 0-1 each.
C Corbett 1-9 (0-5 f, 1 tpf), E Walsh 0-4 (1 tp), C Walsh 1-0, B Nyhan 0-1.
P Doyle; M Mahoney, K Buckley, G O’Connor; G Looney, D O’Mahony, D Mahoney; David O’Connor, T Mahony; N O’Connor, E McSweeney, K Cronin; Denis R O’Connor, A O’Connor (c), M McSweeney.
M Dilworth for Cronin (41), T O’Connor for David O’Connor (54), P O’Connor for Mahony (58), D Twomey for Denis R O’Connor (60+2).
K Coffey; A Walsh, G Deane, M Forde; A Kelly, N Burke, C O’Sullivan; B Nyhan, D Walsh (c); K Graham, Conor Corbett, P O’Grady; C Walsh, E Walsh, P Kissane.
D Buckley for Burke, C Flanagan for C Walsh (both 39), C Kelly for O’Grady, D Cooney for Buckley (both 54).
C Dineen (Douglas)
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