Lucky Ferbane get out of jail as gutted Shamrocks let golden opportunity slip

FERBANE used up all their nine lives, maybe more, as they survived mainly on their wits to qualify for a Senior Football Championship semi-final clash with Edenderry in a thrilling quarter-final in O'Connor Park on Sunday afternoon.

Tullamore Court Hotel Senior Football Championship quarter-final

Ferbane 3-15

Shamrocks 2-17

It was one of those rare games where the best side lost and Ferbane were certainly fortunate to make the semi-finals but that won't worry them. 2-15 to 2-9 behind twelve minutes into the second half, Ferbane outscored Shamrocks by 1-6 to 0-2 from here to the final whistle, with some of their big game players standing up to be counted when it really mattered.

It was a terrifically entertaining game of football, fiercely contested and the best of the championship so far by a distance. A shock loomed large almost the whole way and Shamrocks will be wondering how they didn't get across the line.

Some big decisions went against them. A Ferbane two pointer from Adam Egan in the first half looked to be inside the one point arc, a second half point from the same player was waved wide before being given after a linesman called the referee. Other debatable frees were not given or awarded against Shamrocks and they will foster a sense of injustice this week but they also imploded to a considerable extent.

The losers have to look within as they contributed significantly to their own downfall. They went from the 42nd to 57^th minute without scoring and that was a cardinal sin with the wind on their back but it was deeper than this.

One 14 metre free was awarded at a crucial stage in the second half when a Shamrocks mentor was carded by referee Chris Dwyer for comments made when he awarded a free to Ferbane after a melee of players. Another crucial one was awarded for a three man breach in the 56^th minute with Cathal Flynn opting to bring the ball out to the arc and slotting over a superb two pointer. Ferbane hero Jack Clancy then edged them in front when scoring his third goal in the 58^th minute while Shamrocks spurned up a great opportunity to win it deep in injury time. Shane O'Toole-Greene was sent in on goal – he could have fisted it over and forced extra time but got bottled up as he tried to manufacture a shot for the goal and Ferbane cleared.

It was an extraordinary game, full of talking points. Shamrocks did not deserve to lose but it has happened and they have to deal with that.

Ferbane have not been firing on all cylinders all year and this was very much the case again here but they have serious character and this saw them win it.

We knew we were in for a hell of a game from the opening exchanges. Shamrocks had 1-1 on the board almost in the blink of an eye, Andrew Delaney blasting home a sensational goal just over a minute in. That Adam Egan two pointer was a big talking point and it got Ferbane going as they levelled it up at 0-4 to 1-1 after ten minutes and then took the lead with a super Jack Clancy goal a minute later.

Ferbane got three of the next four points to lead by 1-7 to 1-2 after 19 minutes but Shamrocks were brilliant from here to the interval. Darragh Bryant and Nigel Dunne settled them with nice points and then Darragh Bryant, a first cousin of county player Jack Bryant, brought the crowd to its feet with a magnificent goal – racing onto a ball in space and launching a piler driver into the net to level it up in the 22^nd minute.

Shamrocks went on to lead by 2-8 to 1-8 at half time and were in a very strong position. Jack Clancy got a great goal seconds after the restart and Darragh Flynn's free put them ahead. Shamrocks once again rallied, playing some breathtakingly effective football in the next few minutes. Johnny O'Toole-Greene got two points, Darragh Bryant tapped over two frees, Nigel Dunne curled over a super two point free and Shane O'Toole-Greene got forward for a point to give them a 2-15 to 2-9 lead with 42 minutes gone.

Shamrocks were in complete control at this stage, Ferbane were very close to being a beaten docket but then it changed. Shamrocks stopped attacking and creating chances. They stood back off Ferbane, and the winners accepted the invitation to attack but still struggled to close the gap. Shamrocks were still four points up, 2-15 to 2-11 with just five minutes left, still looking good.

That 14 metre free for dissent on the Shamrocks sideline was a game changer. Oisin Kelly was magnificent in the closing ten minutes, fielding great ball and launching attack after attack. Cathal Flynn's two point free for that three man breach brought it down to a point in the 56^th minute and Shamrocks were suddenly praying for the end.

Jack Bryant looked like he might have won it for them with an excellent 57^th minute point. It was a serious score from a player who hadn't been going well but Ferbane got the break they needed when Jack Clancy blasted home the rebound after Sean O'Toole made a great save from Ronan Flynn – O'Toole had made an earlier fantastic double save from Paddy Clancy and Cian Johnson.

Clancy's goal gave Ferbane the lead and he then fisted over to give them a two point cushion. Nigel Dunne's free reduced it to one in the third minute of injury time – Shane O'Toole-Greene had that last chance to win it or force extra time and Ferbane's relief at the final whistle was palpable.

For Shamrocks, the plaudits about their best game of the year and how well they played will ring hollow but they can take pride in their display – the absence of the injured Kieran Dolan saw Shane O'Toole-Greene and David O'Rourke brought back to defence with a regular corner back, Sean Mooney moved into foreign territory at corner forward where he played his heart out before being replaced.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Jack Clancy (Ferbane): Jack Clancy played such an intelligent, constructive game for Ferbane. He scored three goals and that is a match winning contribution every day of the week. He hung in close to goals, patiently waiting for his opportunities and he was deadly when they did arise. He was a match winner while Oisin Kelly and Cathal Flynn were also superb for Ferbane when the gun was to their head, showing the leadership they required and taking on Shamrocks at every chance.

Shane O'Toole-Greene would have been man of the match if Shamrocks had won. He was immense for a lot of it at centre half back, his ball carrying was excellent and it was a pity that it was him who missed that late chance. Shamrocks had several players who performed at a high level. Darragh Bryant was super in their attack in the first half, Nigel Dunne so composed and solid in the way he operated. There were defenders who were stretched at times but David O'Rourke also put in a great shift back there with Johnny O'Toole-Greene immense at midfield. Sean O'Toole had kickout problems in the first half but he made three super second half saves and Shamrocks can be very proud of the way they played.

THE SCORERS

Ferbane: Jack Clancy 3-1, Darragh Flynn 0-4 (1f), Adam Egan (1 x 2p) and Cathal Flynn (1 x 2pf) 0-3 each, Cian Johnson 0-2 (1f), Brian Carroll and Paddy Clancy 0-1 each.

Shamrocks: Darragh Bryant 1-4 (2f), Nigel Dunne 0-6 (1 x 2pf and 2f), Andrew Delaney 1-0, Johnny O'Toole-Greene and Alan Heffernan (2p) 0-2 each, Shane O'Toole-Greene, Jack Bryant and Jack Watkins 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

FERBANE: Adam Nugent; Ciaran Cahill, Aaron McCabe, Conor Dunican; David Nally, Mark Wren, Kevin Nugent; Conor Grennan, Cathal Flynn; Brian Carroll, Adam Egan, Paddy Clancy; Cian Johnson, Jack Clancy, Darragh Flynn. Subs – Oisin Kelly for Grennan, inj. (23m), Patrick Taaffe for Carroll (HT), Ronan Flynn for Egan (49m),

SHAMROCKS: Sean O'Toole; Adam Keyes, Padraig Cantwell, Gary Hutchinson; Alan Heffernan, Shane O'Toole-Greene, David O'Rourke; Johnny O'Toole-Greene, Scott Delaney; Andrew Delaney, Nigel Dunne, Jack Watkins; Darragh Bryant, Jack Bryant, Sean Mooney. Subs – David O'Toole-Greene for Watkins (39m), Dan Heffernan for Mooney (39m), Dara Bates for Darragh Bryant (54m),

Referee – Chris Dwyer, Clara.

REFEREE WATCH

Chris Dwyer ended up a central figure and there were certainly talking points, probably too many of them, even if he got the vast majority of things right. The two pointer he awarded Adam Egan in the first half did look to inside the circle from my vantage point – it would have to be viewed a second time to make a definitive judgement of that. The Clara man was well positioned but that two point call was a big source of discussion at the venue and plenty felt a mistake was made with it. A second half point from the same player was initially waved wide before being awarded after linesman Adam Kinahan called the referee.

Dwyer was right to punish the Shamrocks' mentor for comments made from the sideline. More referees need to do this as the volume of abuse or comments from the sideline is getting out of hand but too many referees don't enforce this rule. Referees need to help themselves to eradicate this blight on the game.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Jack Clancy's third goal was the big one for Ferbane.

VENUE WATCH

This was the fifth game in a busy weekend for O'Connor Park and the pitch held up very well. The wind was a big help in this and all games were hosted well. The PA system wasn't working correctly some of the time and some of the announcements were a bit distorted.

WHAT'S NEXT

Ferbane play Edenderry in the semi-final.

STATISTICS

Wides: Ferbane - 5 (3 in first half); Shamrocks - 6 (3 in first half).

Yellow cards: Ferbane – 0; Shamrocks – 2 (Jack Bryant and Dan Heffernan).

Black cards: 0

Red cards: 0