Injury time goal sees us pip Clyda in championship hurling
August 07, 2022
A goal in the sixth minute of injury time, scored by Eddie Cotter saw Killavullen defeat Clyda in a tough, uncompromising game of hurling last night in Glantane. Since Killavullen won promotion to the Junior A ranks of Avondhu hurling in 2018, this was our first victory against Clyda, and boy, was it hard earned.
Killavullen were first to score in the opening minute, from a Mikey O Connor shot, from out on the wings. We created a goal scoring chance shortly their after, in the 5th minute when Jamie bore down on goals, but as we were to discover over the hour, Clyda do not let you in easily, and we had to settle for a pointed free, from Jamie, as a result of a foul. We got some reprieves from possible scoring situations for Clyda, when their free taker, so unerringly accurate against Castletownroche, in the previous game, dragged a few wide, but that happens. Eoin Walsh, then scored a fine point for Clyda from his half back berth, and over the hour, this young player, and his even younger brother inside him, were to have good games. Clyda scored another point from play in the 11th minute, but we regained the lead when Padraig Looney scored in the 14th minute. The physicality of the Clyda team, and they some years older than Killavullen in a lot of positions was a factor, and several ruck situations developed throughout the game, that Clyda were winning, and coming out with the ball from. Clyda got a goal in the same minute, from a familiar route to them. A high ball into the goal area was caught, high above everyone else by Big Dan O Callaghan, and he offloaded the ball to Cian Walsh who scored well into our net. We replied with a pointed free from a very tight angle, on the far wing, right on the touchline, scored by Jamie, that TJ Reid in his finest hour, would be happy with the conversion. There is no doubt that big Dan was causing us no end of problems, and he is such a charismatic figure for Clyda that one of his scores seems like two, and he fetched another high ball and sent it over the bar, in the 18th minute. We replied with another Jamie free, after a hard won effort from Gary Lane, and then we created another goal chance that we did not convert when Michael Cagney ran hard at the Clyda rear guard. Michael’s shot was half-hooked, and was gathered up by Conor Roche in the Clyda goals.
Our prospects of a win were dealt a mortal blow in the 25th minute when Dan caught another centre and off loaded it to Kevin Coffey to goal. We replied with another free from Jamie, who was unerring over the entire game and his movement and general play was causing problems for Clyda. Clyda got another point from a close in free, just before the break to leave the half time score, Killavullen 0-06 to 2-04 for Clyda.
We sprung Barry Murphy, the man that looked best of all the Clare players, at the 25th anniversary of the 1997 All Ireland Triumph on the day of the Hurling All Ireland, on the 17th of July last, to replace Gary Lane, to try to resurrect our championship aspirations. However Conor Corbert was sprung from their bench by Clyda, and he made an instant impact with a fine point from play, in the first minute of the half. Next play, big Dan, enjoying himself no end, at the edge of the square caught another centre and scored a goal himself to open up a decisive 8-point advantage, 3-05 to 0-06 with just two minutes gone in the second half. Surely that was our race run, and it was damage limitations time, but the precipice staring the Killavullen players in the face, galvanised them.
Padraig Looney ran straight at the Clyda rear guard, up the centre, where you know you will be hit and hurt and knocked down, and Jamie scored the resultant free, in the 3rd minute. Clyda replied with a free of their own but Jamie replied with another, in the 6th minute. It was tough, and not so pretty, and anything got was hard earned. Colm Looney tried to get in on their goals, but while he evaded two men, the 3rd in, fouled him, and Jamie scored again, and then another free after Darragh O Grady was fouled. The frees were keeping us in the game, and slowly eroding the Clyda lead. Our momentum was checked by a Clyda score from play in the 10th minute from Dan again, but then, Ronan Barry, now operating at full back got to grips with the play of Dan, and the Clyda scoring threat eased up somewhat. We got two more points back when Mikey O Connor and Michael Cagney were fouled in quick succession, and Jamie was not in the form for missing.
We came thundering right back into the game when Eddie Cotter, now operating at midfield went on a dazzling run down the middle of the Clyda defence, who backed off momentarily, drawn by movement of our other forwards, and that was all it needed for Eddie to find the top right hand corned of the net. That was in the 8th minute of the half, and Darragh O Grady scored another point for us, in the 19th minute. Conor Corbert replied with another fine long range point for Clyda to satisfy their large and vocal following. However, the Killavullen crowd in the fine attendance responded with aplomb, and gusto, when Colm Looney followed in, a high delivery by his brother, and Colm never took his eye off the ball, to connect with it, in the air, and goal.
Ding Gong game now, with Killavullen leading by a solitary point, after a spirited come back, and 9 minutes of regular time to play. The next 5 minutes proved to be scoreless, but no less intense with Killavullen backs now tigerish in their tackling and blocking and hooking, matched only by a wolfish tackling of the Clyda backs. Several times the referee had to stop the play and throw in the ball. It was energy sapping , and the deadlock was broken in decisive manner by a well worked Clyda Goal, that they worked through the hands to their inside forward Kevin Coffey, who goaled. Killavullen responded with a point free from Jamie when Barry Murphy was fouled with two minutes to go, but we needed a goal. That task seemed ominous when we were deemed to have fouled the ball in a skirmish situation, when the Killavullen line felt the player in possession was pushed and held on the ground. Clyda scored the resultant in the 3rd minute of stoppage time to open up a two point lead again. We pressed and pressed but Clyda were resolute until Jamie Magner caught and turned magnificently. He was fouled before he got two far. He took a billowing shot himself for goals, to try and rescue the game, but the goal area was more crowded than the main stage area, at the Independence festival in Mitchelstown last week. However Jamie’s shot was parried out, and Eddie Cotter swung one handed with his hurley at the ball and connected, and it ended in the back of the net. It would be a good tennis shot, but this was hurling, of the intense variety.
Clyda pucked the ball out, long towards big Dan, but giving away inches, but not spirit Sean Bartley gathered it, and was fouled, and the game was over. Final score : Killavullen 3-14, Clyda Rovers 4-10.
Tough, tough game. Afterwards both players exchanged words and hand shakes and collectively breathed again – it was that testing.
The team was;
- Michael Cronin
- Sean Bartley
- Brian Cotter
- Kian Lane
- Fionn Magner
- Liam Cronin
- Eddie Cotter (2-00)
- Michael Cagney
- Ronan Barry
- Gary Lane
- Padraig Looney (0-01)
- Mikey O Connor (0-01)
- Jamie Magner (0-11, 0-09F)
- Colm Looney (1-00)
- Darragh O Grady (0-01)
Substitutes
- Barry Murphy for Gary Lane
Before the game, a perfectly observed minute of silence was observed for Dillion Quirke, of Clonulty Rossmore, in Tipperary who sadly died on the field on play in Semple Stadium on Friday night. All Gaels offer their sincere condolences to his family, his club and friends.