Valley Rovers 1-12 Carrigaline 1-11
JJ Hurley
Valley Rovers just managed to claim a victory as Carrigaline pushed them all the way in the SEU21A Football Championship in Brinny on Saturday.
With four minutes remaining in this game, Ciaran Kearney hit his second 2point score of the game, as the Carrigaline side hit the front by a single score.
However, to their credit Valley Rovers levelled proceedings going into injury time, thanks to a Sam Browne point, but the final act of the drama came from the boot of the outstanding Sean McEntee as he fired over the winning point.
Played in what were not ideal conditions, this game opened with Carrigaline taking an early lead-with two, two-point scores from Ryan Delaney and Ciaran Kearney- as Sean McEntee replied with an early free.
By the 11th minute, Evan O’ Shea had hit the back of the net, before the next piece of action had O’Shea setting up McEntee for a point.
While a Delaney free levelled the game at 1-2 to 0-5 on 18 minutes, McEntee had three scores in quick succession to give the home side breathing space.
Approaching the short whistle, Kieran Crotty and the hard-working Delaney had a point a piece to leave only a point between them at the break, 1-5 to 0-7.
Two early points in the second half from Evan O’ Shea and Cian Johnson looked like giving an early advantage but a Ciaran Crotty point followed by a goal on 41 minutes had his side in front.
The lead did not last long as McEntee fired over on 43 minutes to level the tie at 1-8 to 1-8, as Ryan Delaney was unable to connect properly with a pass and he punched wide.
Two scores entering the last ten minutes from McEntee and Adam Casey put Valleys back out in front, and McEntee almost finished the tie as he danced through the Carrigaline defence, only for Peter Laverty to provide a sensational block.
Kearney’s two-point score looked to have secured the win, only for Sam Browne and the majestic McEntee to blunt Carrigaline’s success.
Scorers: Valley Rovers: S McEntee 0-7 (1F), E O Shea 1-1, C Johnson, A Casey, S Browne 0-1 each.
Carrigaline: R Delaney 0-05 (2p, 1f), C Crotty 1-2, C Kearney 0-4 (2 pt).
Valley Rovers: L Dineen; N Daly, C O’Sullivan, T McGrath; L Casey, C Johnson, B Lordan; O McCarthy, J O’Leary; S Browne, S McEntee, C Murphy, A Casey, E O’Shea, Shane Ryan.
Carrigaline: C Laverty; E Murphy, P Laverty, B Murphy; R Kenneally, T Foley, K McNulty; R Delaney, O O’Connell; S Horan, D Sutton, C Ryan; C Crotty, C Kearney, T Vaughan. Subs J Connolly for S Horan (40), D Mulchinock for C Ryan (53), A Crowley for T Vaughan (55).
Referee: Alan O’Connor, Ballygarvan
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