Louth GAA: Glyde through to knockout stages after penalty shootout
DKIT Sport Junior Football Championship 2023
Glyde Rangers 0-07
St. Nicholas 0-07
(Glyde Rangers win 7-6 on penalties AET.)
Forget about Patrick Kielty’s much heralded debut as host, the real Late Late Show took place in Clogherhead on Friday night.
Glyde Rangers goalkeeper David Brennan held his nerve to deny St Nicholas’s forward Hayden Quinn in sudden death after both sets of five penalty takers were forced to go again.In dreadful wet conditions the strong arms of Brennan finally ended the saga between the two clubs in recent weeks.
The dramatic shoot-out finale and eighty minutes of action beforehand twisted and turned similar to the diplomatic appeals process.
Brennan put a full stop to it by fully graciously accepting the Olive branch and taking the second opportunity to advance to the mouth watering quarter final against old foes Lann Léire this Sunday.
Cruelly county star Niall Sharkey presented Con Sheehan the chance to win the tie for the Drogheda men when he blazed over the bar but Sheehan did the very same in the next kick.
The miss was tough and cruel one too on the impressive Sheehan as he held his nerve in normal time to slot over an awkward free to bring the game to extra time.
Overall the Nicks will feel they deserved the victory, they came with a plan and very nearly executed it. Against the odds and packed defence, Glyde went to the well again and found a way.
The fact that Kubie Downey’s side were without suspended duo Lee Kavanagh and Dylan Brogan after the Annaghminnon Rovers game and their prominent half back Rían Farrell makes the Nicks performance even more gutsy.
Glyde led with the wind and the downhill slope in the first half 0-6 to 0-1 at the interval with Niall Sharkey setting the tone with two long range efforts in the first five minutes topped up by the evergreen Brian Duffy.
Second half was a reverse of the first on the scoreboard, except Rangers looked really rudderless in front of goal.
That will be a worry down the line but Killian Scott’s late solitary score looked to be enough to hold off the unravelling feel to Peter Duffy’s side on the night.
Sheehan steered the thrilling comeback for the Rathmullen men in the second period. Two early free’s gave their spirit even more energy as the men in red defended with their lives.
Fionn Meagher dinked and orchestrated things on the counter attack with some clever play that Paudi Downey profited from.
Sheehan stepped up at the death with his fourth free to equalise.
Neither side could score in extra time. Alan Kirk was a really strong influence off the bench but Nicks looked to have the edge momentum wise.
Sharkey went close with two late attempts from distance, his first walloped the crossbar and came out enough for him to miss at the second attempt.
Penalties ensued and Glyde trudge on as Nicks exit heroically.
GLYDE RANGERS: David Brennan; Jack McKeever, Conor McCullough; Conor Sheridan; Ultan Larney, Niall Sharkey 0-2, Gerard Bourton; Dion Conlon 0-1, Ciaráin Sheridan 0-1; Tadhg Kellet, Aaron Devlin, Killian Scott 0-1; Oisín Lynch, Brian Duffy 0-2 (1m), Oisín Lynch. SUBS: Lee Finnegan for Devlin (49), Alan Kirk for Lynch (57), Aaron Myles for Bourton (71) Gerard Farrell for Larney (77).
ST. NICHOLAS: Shane Finegan; Stephen Finegan, Alex Finnegan, Owen McDonnell; Aaron Flanagan, Ruairí Hanlon, Caebhan Housidari; Brian Carter, Sam Reilly; Fionn Meagher, Phillip Kirwan 0-1; Hayden Quinn; Declan Heeney; Paudi Downey 0-2 (1m), Con Sheehan 0-4 (4f). SUBS: Tadgh Martin for Heeney (42), Cian O'Brien for Owen McDonnell (ft),
REF: Bryan Smith (O’Raghallaighs).