This article is from page 108 of the 2009-03-03 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 108 JPG
MAYBE The Avenue thought the hard work was done with back-to- back wins in consecutive weeks against Bunratty that seemed to tee up their season in both cup and league competition.
On the march in the cup and their league fate in their own hands with three games in hand on leaders Bun- ratty and only five points adrift.
The gap was expected to be down to two points come lunchtime on Sunday – second from bottom Moher Celtic were not about to spoil The Avenue’s recent spurt of form.
However, no one told the mercu- rial Dessie Molohan about the script prepared beforehand, or maybe they did.
Regardless, the Miltown man just tore it up thanks to a stunning hat- trick that has finally kick-started Mo- her’s league season.
And, Molohon’s influence was such that he had a notable assist in Mo- her’s fourth goal too, for it was his free kick that was turned into his own net by Avenue midfielder An- thony Whyte.
The biggest talking point, however, was Molohan’s winner in the second minute of injury time. It provoked a welter of controversy when he beat the offside trap, lobbed the advanc- ing Avenue keeper Shane O’Connell from outside the area and then fol- lowed up to slam the ball to the net from three yards.
Avenue screamed offside and had a case, but only a minute earlier were charmed when Killian Malone was harshly blown up for offside when clean through on O’Connell’s goal.
The moral of the story is an old cli- ché, but one that certainly held true for this dramatic finale – you win some and you lose some.
And, in truth this was a victory that Moher deserved, not only for the bril- liance of Molohan who was giving his second man-of-the-match display
in the space of 24 hours. On Saturday he worked the oracle for St Joseph’s Miltown Malbay in the Cusack Cup – this time his three goal salvo gave a new purpose to Moher’s season that looked to have reached an endgame when they were whipped 5-1 by Lif- ford in the cup the previous Sunday.
There was a dour opening to this one, and little by way of a hint to- wards the dramatic second half that EM AUIS Ke) ues
Avenue had the better of the early
exchanges, albeit they didn’t threaten Conor O’Loughlin’s goal. But the big breakthrough came 20 minutes in when Anthony Whyte’s through ball was clipped invitingly into the path of Davide Ghilardi by Mikey Mahony – the Frenchman did the rest when sidefooting the ball home from seven yards.
With Eoin Glynn and Gary Flynn industrious in midfield and Mahony buzzing up front, Avenue should have built on this start but gradually
allowed Moher gain a foothold.
Alan Clohessy’s free from outside the area forced Shane O’Connell into a fine fingertip save in the 35th minute, but five minutes later O’Connell was left stranded when Whyte headed Molohan’s inswing- ing free from just outside the area into his own net.
Moher were back in the ball game but 40 seconds into the second half gifted Avenue the lead once more when Conor O’Loughlin allowed
Eoin Glynn’s speculative toe-poke from outside the area go through his as
It looked like being the decisive blow of the second half before the game came alive in the final 20. Im- pressive substitute Killian Malone whipped in across 1n the 72nd minute and Molohan headed home.
Ten minutes later Diarmuid Daly threaded a ball through Avenue’s de- fence and into Molohan’s path – he was coolness personified in rounding O’Connell and rolling home the lead goal.
Avenue were now desperate to save the game and threw everything at Moher. They were rewarded in the 88th minute when David Herlihy’s cross from the byline was turned into his own net by Dara Blake.
Now Avenue hunted down the win- ner and substitute David Smith came close in the 89th minute when firing over the top from outside the area.
A share of the spoils seemed in store until Molohan stepped up to win the day for Moher.
Don’t know if he did try to keep the match ball for himself.