Aherlow Gaels 2-16 Rockwell/Rosegreen 1-15 (after extra-time)
In what was an exciting game throughout, with neither side ever able to take full control, a Cillian Barlow goal midway through the second half of extra-time eventually steered the contest the way of Aherlow Gaels.
The opening quarter belonged to Aherlow Gaels, with Mark Flangan’s goal helping them to a four-point advantage midway through. The half turned on its head when Joe Lawrence lobbed the Gaels 'keeper for a goal and with Cian O’Brien in fine form, they took charge of the remainder of the half.
The second half saw Aaron Brazil tie up the game early on and it remained close from there to near the end, when it looked as if Aherlow Gaels had snatched it with points from Paddy Chapman and Sean Bourke. However, a score from Cian O’Brien and a Luca Fitzgerald injury-time point ensured extra-time.
With scores hard to come by in extra-time, the turning point came midway through the second half when Cillian Barlow goaled, from which Rockwell/Rosegreen could find no way back.
Aherlow Gaels were off the mark early, with Aaron Brazil pointing in the second minute. Aherlow Gaels were the better team in the opening quarter, owning a lot of the possession, but they kicked a number of wides. Stephen Carey doubled that lead five minutes later. However, Cian O’Brien soon had the sides level with the first two-pointer of the game.
Early in the second quarter Liam Carew kicked Aherlow back into the lead. The game really started to come to life after this. Mark Flanagan goaled ten minutes before the break after Stephen Carey broke a high ball on the edge of the square. Just before that Liam Carew saw his penalty saved by Rockwell/Rosegreen 'keeper Eoghan Doyle, after Sean Bourke had been fouled. Aherlow Gaels now led 1-3 to 0-2 but were outscored 1-5 to 0-1 for the remainder of the half.
The half changed with a Rockwell/Rosegreen goal. Cian O’Brien had kicked a point and from the resulting kickout Joe Lawrence claimed possession, and with the goalie off his line he kicked the ball over the 'keeper's head and into the net to tie the game. They went from a team struggling to find their way to a team full of confidence and taking the game to their opponents. Cian O’Brien kicked another two-pointer, followed by points from Conor Moloney Ryan and Patrick Colville, to open a four-point advantage. Max Reardon replied late in the half after covering a lot of ground to leave three in it at the break, 1-7 to 0-4.
Aherlow Gaels were on level terms six minutes into the half with Aaron Brazil added four points to his tally, including a two-pointer free, while Cian O’Brien added to his account at the opposite end.
Another Brazil two-pointer had Aherlow Gaels two up heading towards the three-quarter mark. Rockwell/Rosegreen now started to find their shape again and two Cian O’Brien points, including one from a placed ball, tied the game for the fourth time.
Liam Moloney briefly gave Rockwell/Rosegreen the lead but Darragh O’Brien got up from defence to level, before Paddy Chapman scored to give the Gaels the lead. This was followed by a deserved point from Sean Bourke and it looked as if Aherlow Gaels would push on.
However no one could fully stamp their authority on the contest. Colin Burke reduced the deficit before, in injury time, Luca Fitzgerlad tied up the game after Aherlow seemed to have control of possession but were overturned in their own half. Rockwell/Rosegreen may have won it but Gaels goalie Shane O’Brien came to the rescue.
The first half of extra-time saw just one score that before the break when Joe Lawrence kicked Rockwell/Rosegreen into the lead and that’s how they went in at the changeover, 1-14 to 1-13.
Twice in the first three minutes Aaron Brazil had flipped that one-point deficit into a one-point advantage The winning score came in the fourth minute when Cillian Barlow finished a chance to the net. Rockwell/Rosegreen lost their shape after this, taking numerous wrong options. Late in the half and with just a goal in it, Aaron Brazil kicked his tenth point and the insurance score for Aherlow Gaels.
Best for Aherlow Gaels were Darragh O’Brien and Paddy Chapman in defence, while Stephen Carey and Gary Quirke got on a lot of ball. Liam Carew was the link-up man from which a lot of ball went through. Sean Bourke got through an amount of work while Aaron Brazil put in a superb shooting display.
Rockwell/Rosegreen were best served by Aaron O’Dwyer and Peter Heney, while Joe Lawrence go on a lot of ball as the game progressed. Jack McGonigle covered a lot of ground and won a lot of possession while Cian O’Brien kept the scoreboard moving with some excellent scores.
Scorers:Aherlow Gaels: Aaron Brazil (0-10, (2x2pt f), Mark Flanagan (1-0), Cillian Barlow (1-0), Liam Carew (0-1), Sean Bourke (0-1), Max Reardon (0-1), Darragh O’Brien (0-1), Paddy Chapman (0-1), Stephen Carey (0-1).
Rockwell/Rosegreen: Cian O’Brien (0-8, (2x2pt f 0-2f)), Joe Lawrence (1-1), Patrick Colville (0-1), Colin Burke (0-1), Conor Moloney Ryan (0-1), Jack McGonigle (0-1), Liam Moloney (0-1), Luca Fitzgerald (0-1).
Aherlow Gaels: Shane O’Brien, Michael Russell, Darragh O’Brien, Max Reardon, Adam Lohan, Paddy Chapman, Pauric O’Brien, Gary Quirke, Stephen Carey, Anthony Murphy, Liam Carew, Mark Flanagan, Tom Bradshaw, Aaron Brazil, Sean Bourke.
Subs: Killian Peters for Michael Russell, Donnacha O’Shea for Anthony Murphy, Cillian Barlow for Max Reardon, Max Reardon for Cillian Barlow, Cillian Barlow for Donnacha O’Shea, Conor Grogan for Sean Bourke.
Rockwell/Rosegreen: Eoghan Doyle, Ronan O’Carroll, Aaron O’Dwyer, Gavin Ryan, William Colville, Peter Heney, Andrew Tobin, Joe Lawrence, Luca Fitzgerald, Patrick Colville, Colin Burke, Conor Moloney Ryan, Cian O’Brien, Jack McGonigle, Liam Moloney.
Subs: Kieran Moloney for Andrew Tobin, Conor Hennessy for Liam Moloney.
Referee: Richie O’Connor (Arravale Rovers).
