Louth GAA: Late surge sees O'Raghallaigh's topple Clans

CTI Business Solutions Intermediate Football Championship 2023

CLAN NA GAEL 0-16
O'RAGHALLAIGH'S 1-15

O’Raghallaigh’s late surge saw them topple Clan Na Gael in Tallanstown to reach the final four of the Intermediate championship on Sunday evening.

The winners struck four unanswered points after the Dundalk side lost Robbie Curran to a black card.

At that stage, the Clans looked destined for the semi final berth after hitting four on the trot themselves.

With a two point lead and the time dwindling, Curran’s cynical play was punished most severely.

The Drogheda men took their opportunities and succumbed the Clans to another season of heartache.

Cornerback Emmet King set the ball rolling overlapping on the outside. Straightaway that extra body was accounted for. Ruairí Moore then showed his class to level.

Ben Rogan capped a fine performance to send Ronan Philips side on their way and Eoin Moore sealed it with the games final point.

The thrilling spectacle really could have gone either way but O’Raghallaigh’s ability to adapt won out. That wiliness could be invaluable as we reach the business end of the season.

Remarkably the Clans showed huge spirit to rise from the canvas when it looked like Ben Rogan’s 40th minute goal would push the game beyond them.

Rogan was expertly teed up at the back post by the excellent Kyle McElroy.

Alan O’Neill’s side did not panic and struck six of the next seven scores. Goalkeeper Seán Smyth also stepped up to deny Eoin Moore a certain clinching goal.

Conor Noonan's second score was a fine one from distance and Paul Crewe’s point at the end of the four to zip run looked to be a match winning one but the Drogheda men found a way.

Before the goal the sides were level on eight occasions, six in the first half but Rogan nudged O’Raghallaigh’s ahead at the interval with a punishing score to leave it 0-8 to 0-7.

Rogan was alert to any mistake the Clans made and his presence alone forced errors and with that anxiety on the wet ball, Rogan pounced time after time. Kyle McElroy was a telling foil also.

The former county panelist showed the kind of form that Mickey Harte will be endeared to take another look, especially when you look at the age profile of the Louth under 20 starl and his return from recent injury that forced him out of the Mattock Rangers loss.

The first half however belonged to Robbie Curran, the midfielder kicked all but one of his side's points in that tense opening period.

Curran’s ball striking was sublime from both play and placed balls in the drizzly conditions.

However, the quarter final would cruelly hinge on Curran’s late black card. Clans dejected once more, O’Raghallaigh’s didn’t hesitate and duly seized the day.

CLAN NA GAEL: Seán Smyth; Gerard Curran, Brian McDonnell, Conor Smith; Jack Callan, Paul Crewe 0-1, Conall McKeever; Conor Noonan 0-2, Robbie Curran 0-8 (5f, 1'45); John Byrne, Craig Long, Gavin Gaffey 0-2; Seán O’Hanlon 0-2, Billy Smith 0-1 (1f), Jason Cullen. Subs: Shane Carroll for Long (41), Craig Callan for Smith (42), Ciarán O’Connor for Cullen (47), Mark McGeown for Gaffey (52).

O RAGHALLAIGHS: Joe Flanagan; Emmet King 0-1, James Moonan, Eseosa Omoregbe; Ewan Sweeney, Chris Smith, Stephen Murphy; Alan Doyle, Ben Sweeney 0-1; Cillian Curran, Ruairí Moore 0-3 (1f), Danny Morgan; Ben Rogan 1-4, Kyle McElroy 0-4 (1m), Eoin Moore 0-2. Sub: Daniel Reilly for Doyle (36).

REF: David J McArdle (St Bride’s)