This article is from page 97 of the 2009-05-05 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 97 JPG
THE mist came down on Lisdoon- varna on Monday afternoon, making visibility something of a problem – maybe it was just as well because this was a dour low-scoring affair served up by two promotion candidates.
There was nothing between the sides before the ball was thrown in – each lumped on five points from five games – maked it six from six after a forgetable encounter that failed the set football pulses racing.
Not the St Breckan’s minded as Michael McGann’s final whistle drew
closer. A Pat Nagle free as the game entered injury time inched St Breck- an’s 1-4 to 1-3 ahead and looked like being the decisive score.
However, Clondegad were not to be denied and grabbed a levelling score to make the long journey home to the shores of the Shannon estuary more palatable, the score coming from the flying boot of full-forward Shane Brennan.
St Breckan’s had had the better of the first half, despite only registering two scores. They were playing with the slight wind advantage and hit the front in the fifth minute thanks to a
point from play by Denis O’Driscoll.
Gary Brennan, who turned out to be the game’s most influential per- former levelled matters in the eighth minute before the game descended into a foul-ridden affair.
At least one of the many did yield a score, albeit it came after a 14 minute lull in the scoring. Full forward Pat Nagle was fouled in the 22nd minute, but picked himself up off the floor and fired the penalty low to Kenneth Breen’s right for a goal. Kenneth Kelly pulled one back for Clondegad in the 24th minute to leave St Breck- an’s 1-1 to 0-2 ahead.
A point from play by Paudge Mc- Mahon edged Clondegad closer sev- en minutes after the resumption but Pat Nagle put St Breckan’s ahead by two once more with a point in the 40th minute.
However, the game turned in Clon- degad’s favour in the 44th minute when Gary Brennan’s long delivery was flicked to the net by Kenneth Kelly on the edge of the square.
Minutes earlier Eoin Griffin had crashed a pile-driver off the upright, but St Breckan’s recovered their composure and pointed frees from Pat Nagle in the 49th and 61st min- utes seemed to tip the scales in their ee aVolene
However, in the third minute of 1n- jury time as Clondegad chased down an equaliser, the ball broke outside the large square from where Shane Brennan first-timed the ball over the bar for the equaliser.
It means that both sides still have everything to play for, Clondegad starting on Wenesday night when they take on St Senan’s Kilkee.