Shelmaliers 2-10 – Geraldine O'Hanrahans 1-7 (aet)
October 12, 2008
Venue St. Patricks Park, Enniscorthy
Extra time was needed before the Shels Junior Football team earned a place in the semi-final of this year championship.
Despite kicking 14 wides from play in normal time and generally dominating for most of the match, the Shels found themselves two points down with time running out in the second half. Joe Kelly landed two pressure kicks from frees to drag the over the water side level and send the match into extra time.
The Ross team grabbed an early lead in the match with a 45 metre free kick and could have had an early goal had it not been for the cat-like reflexes of Colm Parker in the net. Daren Malone responded for the Shels and John Veale put the black and amber team in front with a well taken point. Then a mistake in the Shels defence gifted the Ross team the opportunity to snatch a well taken goal against the run of play. While that score rocked the Shels for a period they showing great spirit in responding with a well worked goal of their own which was punched to the net by Jamie Horan following some good combined attacking play. The Shels then dominated the rest of the first half but poor finishing led to seven wides – many from scorable positions including two frees.
Joe Kelly grabbed the first score of the second half from a pointed free but the Shels couldn't correct their scoring radars registering another six wides over the next twenty minutes. While the Shels were squandering their scoring chances the Ross team managed to tally three more points over the same period. With the game heading into the last 5 mins and it looking like the Shels had wasted their best chances Joe Kelly provided the lifeline that the Shels needed to bring this game to extra time when he slotted two fine free kicks.
The first period of extra time was another close affair with both sides very evenly matched and points from Joe Kelly (free) and sub Cormac Smith kept the Shels level with their opponents. Then with three minutes to play in the first period of extra time the deciding score arrived, Andre O'Brien played a long foot pass to Chris McGrath who beat his man to draw the inside cover before passing to Brian Doyle who in turn drew the last defender before finding Cormac Smith with only the keeper the beat and the super sub made no mistake when rounding the keeper and then blasting the ball to the roof of the net.
At this point New Ross hearts were broken and the Shels added three more points from Chris McGrath, Adrian Veale and Cormac Smith to seal the victory and a semi-final place.
Best for the Shels were Andre O'Brien, Daren Malone, Joe Kelly, Dessie Kehoe, Cormac Smith and Chris McGrath.
1. Colm Parker, 2. Niall Kelly, 3. Vinny Parker, 4. Conor O'Shaughnessy, 5. Brian O'Shaughnessy, 6. Andre O'Brien, 7. Shamie Harding, 8. Daren Malone (0-1), 9, Dessie Kehoe, 10. John Veale (0-1), 11. Jamie Horan (1-0), 12. Brian Doyle, 13. Joe Kelly (0-4, 4f), 14. Adrian Veale (0-1), 15. Denis Kelly.
Subs: Chris McGrath (0-1) for Jamie Horan (1-0), David Kehoe for Dessie Kehoe, Dessie Kehoe for David Kehoe, Cormac Smith (1-2) for John Veale.