Hosey the hero as his late point sees Emo past The Heath and into Laois GAA SFC 'B' final

Emo are through to the Senior ‘B’ Football Championship final, thanks a late fisted point from Paddy Hosey. The Heath had led by seven points with 20 minutes to go, but Emo outscored them 1-8 to 0-3 to seal their place in the final.

Referee Brendan Hickey was kept busy throughout as he showed two black cards and two red cards, one for either side.

The first-half was dominated by The Heath as they led 1-6 to 0-4. Sean Kirby (free), Paddy Fitzpatrick (three frees), Leon Holland and Sam Rooney scored the points with Sean Kirby’s attempt for a score dropping under the crossbar to raise a green flag. Paddy Hosey scored two points for Emo, with Ross Meredith scoring two points. Emo’s Shane Murphy was also shown a black card after 12 minutes for a foul on Sam Rooney.

Brian Ging and a fourth Fitzpatrick free pushed them seven points ahead at the start of the second-half before Emo sprung into life and scored 1-3 without reply with an extra man to get back within a single point. The Heath’s Dylan Kavanagh was shown a black card in the 42nd minute. Frees from Meredith and Lawlor while Hosey scored from play. Lawlor was the creator of their goal as he squared the ball for Brian Gorman to palm it into The Heath’s net.

Kirby and Meredith traded frees before Ging pushed The Heath one up with eight minutes to play. Kavanagh returned to the field in the 53rd minute and at the same time, Emo’s Cian Langford was shown a red for striking out at Jimmy Nerney after he was awarded a free. The Heath didn’t have an extra man for long as Kavanagh was shown a yellow card two minutes after returning from his black card, which saw Brendan Hickey produce his second red card in two minutes.

Lawlor pointed a free before Hosey put Emo in front for the first time with five minutes to play. Darren Strong was then played through on goal and you would have put your house on him finding the net, but JP Nerney denied him one-on-one. Meredith pushed Emo two points when he scored a free from out on the sideline.

Brian Ging’s equalising point looked to be sending the game to extra-time, but up popped Hosey to race along the end line and fist the ball over Nerney’s crossbar. 

Emo will face Stradbally in the final, in what will be their second clash in this year’s championship after Emo defeated them in a Round 2 Qualifier.

FINAL SCORE

EMO 1-12

THE HEATH 1-11

SCORERS– Emo: Paddy Hosey and Ross Meredith (frees) 0-5 each, Brian Gorman 1-0, Paul Lawlor 0-2 (frees). The Heath: Sean Kirby 1-3, Paddy Fitzpatrick (frees) 0-4, Brian Ging 0-3, Sam Ging 0-1.

EMO: Eoin Butler; Shane Murphy, Eoin Montague, James O’Rourke; Eibhan Joyce, Darren Strong, Cian Langford; Sean Greene, Brian Gorman; Ruairi Bourke, Nigel Murphy, Charlie Hand; Ross Meredith, Paul Lawlor, Paddy Hosey. Subs: Jack Murphy for Hand (HT), David Gorman for Bourke (41 mins).

THE HEATH: JP Nerney; Neil Keane, Alan Whelan, Gary Roe; PJ Daly, Dylan Kavanagh, PJ Larkin; Aaron Thornton, Ciaran Booth; Sean Kirby, Paddy Fitzpatrick, Jimmy Nerney; Brian Ging, Leon Holland, Sam Rooney. Subs: James Phelan for Holland (39 mins, inj), Denis Booth for C Booth and David O’Brien for Roe (51 mins).

Referee: Brendan Hickey (Graiguecullen)