Daniel O'Keeffe goal sees Dromtarriffe edge relegation playoff with St Vincent's
Dromtarriffe's Ray Daly takes on St Vincent's Luke Callnan during the McCarthy Insurance IAFC relegation play-off game at Macroom. Picture: David Creedon
Salvation for Dromtarriffe as they defeated St Vincent’s in their McCarthy Insurance IAFC relegation play-off at Macroom on Saturday.
They can thank their half-time substitute for the huge part he played in their win. Daniel O’Keeffe is just back from a year in Australia and he scored 1-4 after the break, as well as setting up their other goal to help seal the win for his side.
It was touch and go for most of the half and late on, when Shane Duggan goaled for Vincent’s it looked like they were going to win by the narrowest of margins.
But Seamus O’Callaghan played O’Keeffe in for a crucial goal to put his side back in front.
Vincent’s can’t be faulted for their efforts and a late two-pointer free from Blake Murphy put one between the sides, but time ran out as Dromtarriffe stay in the grade and Vincent’s go down.
Vincent’s got off to the perfect start when Blake Murphy and Brandon Hornibrook combined to put Anthony Harte through for the game’s opening goal.
Derry Quinn added a point from the restart as they led 1-1 to no score after two minutes.
Murphy turned provider again to see James Price point and he added their third himself to increase their lead with Dromtarriffe yet to get off the mark.
It took 10 minutes for them to register their first score, with Evan Murphy on target and he got their second, from a 45, to narrow the gap.
Hornibrook set up Benjamin Long for Vincent’s fourth point, with Andrew Healy and Evan Murphy replying at the other end, to make it 1-4 to 0-4 after 17 minutes.
Harte and Blake Murphy increased Vincent’s lead, but Dromtarriffe finished the half strongly and were in front by the break.
With 24 minutes gone Conor O’Callaghan set up Mark O’Connor for their goal, and from the restart the former regained possession to score a two-pointer and suddenly the sides were level.
With 29 minutes gone Dromtarriffe took the lead for the first time when Evan Murphy pointed from a free and Michael O’Callaghan added another to make it 1-8 to 1-6.
Dromtarriffe were unlucky not to score a second goal just before half time, with Tomás Howard’s effort coming back off the bar to see then lead by two points at the break.
Two frees from Blake Murphy had the sides level, before O’Keeffe got the first of his two-pointers to put two between them again.
After 39 minutes, he was also involved as O’Connor got Dromtarriffe’s second goal, to make it 2-12 to 1-9.
Again, Vincent’s responded with Blake Murphy hitting three points (one a two-pointer free), along with Shane Duggan to make it a two-point game again.
With 56 minutes gone Harte set up Duggan for Vincent’s second goal and it looked like they were going to come out on top, 2-13 to 2-12.
But Dromtarriffe worked the ball down the pitch to see O’Keeffe score their third goal, with O’Callaghan adding a point from the restart to put three between them, 3-13 to 2-13.
Blake Murphy scored a late two-point free, but time ran out on Vincent’s to the delight of Dromtarriffe, after a tense and highly entertaining game.
D O’Keeffe 1-4 (2 2pt), M O’Connor 2-0, E Murphy 0-4 (0-2 f, 0-1 45), C O’Callaghan 0-3 (1 2pt), A Healy, M O’Callaghan 0-1 each.
B Murphy 0-9 (2 2pt f), A Harte 1-2, S Duggan 1-1, D Quinn, B Long, J Price 0-1 each.
D Mann; D Dennehy, M Dennehy, R Daly; B Murphy, S Howard, A Daly; T Howard, J Kelleher; E Murphy, J Murphy, M O’Connor; M O’Callaghan, C O’Callaghan, A Healy.
D O’Keeffe for M O’Callaghan (ht), S O’Callaghan for A Daly (53).
D Clarke; C Lynch, A O’Callaghan, K Murphy; A Harte, A Sorenson, G McCarthy; L Callnan, W Long; J Price, B Murphy, C O’Neill; D Quinn, B Hornibrook, B Long.
S Duggan for J Price (33), C Desmond for A O’Callaghan (39), K O’Connor for C O’Neill (43), C Leonard for D Quinn (57).
Niall Hayes (Carbery Rangers).
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