Honours even after a tense contest between Cahir and Aherlow in the final round clash

FBD Insurance Senior Football Championship - Group 1 - Round 3

Aherlow 1-13  

Cahir 1-13

By John O’Shea

Aherlow, last year’s Intermediate champions, are through to the quarter final of the FBD Insurance County Senior Football Championship following a late plundered goal from Micheál Elligott in added time at the end of this Round 3, Group 3 game against Cahir at Pairc na nGael, New Inn on Saturday afternoon. 

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This was a game that had everything: six 2-point frees in total, a black card, a saved penalty, and the ball being moved up to the attacking 20-meter line following dissent from team management. In that context, referee Willie Fitzharris wasn’t afraid to make the big calls.

Having fallen behind to the South men after the concession of a 51st-minute goal, they trailed by three points, four minutes into added time, before a floated 45 into the Cahir goalmouth by Liam Carew was finished to the net to bring the sides level for what was the fifth time in the game.

This was a game that would decide the path forward for the remainder of the season for both teams. Cahir needed an outright victory, while a share of the spoils was sufficient for Aherlow to advance to the knockout stages.

In a first half dominated by 2-point frees, the sides went in at the break on level terms at 0-7 each, with no real pattern having emerged. After the restart, Aherlow got the perfect tonic when they converted their third 2-point free to go back in front. Heading towards the end of the third quarter, they were awarded a penalty, which was saved, with the rebound shot coming off the crossbar. This was a huge let-off for the South team, who then grabbed a 51st-minute goal to take the lead. Two further minors eased their advantage out to three with four minutes of normal time remaining.

Those final minutes plus added time provided real edge-of-the-seat stuff for the small crowd. Aherlow reduced the deficit to the minimum from a 2-point free before Cahir again stretched the lead out to three in added time. Four minutes into added time, a Liam Carew piledriver came back off the crossbar before being deflected out for a 45. In the 65th minute, Carew floated the resulting free kick high into the goalmouth where Micheál Elligott out-jumped the defence to divert the ball to the Cahir net to tie the game for the fifth and final time.

The earlier rain had cleared prior to the throw-in in this eagerly awaited Group 1 game, where both sides knew what was required for advancement to the knockout stage. On their first attack, Cahir drew a free, which Conor O’Brien converted at the village end. Aherlow replied through Liam Carew, who had been put through by Jack O’Halloran. Dylan Butler eased the South men back in front with a shot from the open side that curled inside the post. Liam Carew landed the first of six 2-point frees from outside the arc on 7 minutes. What followed was a lot of broken play, with both defences on top.

Kevin Grogan landed a 2-point free for Cahir at the beginning of the second quarter before Sean Bourke brought the sides level on the next attack. Twenty minutes into the game, Cahir’s Jake Kiely was black-carded following consultation between the linesman and the referee. Liam Carew kicked over his second 2-pointer from the resulting free, before Kevin Grogan cancelled with six remaining before the break. Darragh O’Brien made a 70-meter run from his own defence before slotting over at the far end, before Jack Buckley, from a free, tied the game in added time to leave the half-time score, Aherlow 0-7, Cahir 0-7.

Aherlow attacked from the restart and a Diarmuid Looby 2-point free restored their advantage. Ger Quinn, from a 45, and Dylan Butler landed minors either side of a Liam Carew point from open play. Carew then took advantage of the ball being moved up the field to the attacking 20-meter line by the referee, following dissent by the Cahir management, to stretch the lead out to two.

Aherlow had a chance to stretch their lead when they were awarded a penalty on 44 minutes. However, Liam Carew’s well-struck shot was saved by Mark Cagney, with the rebound coming back off the crossbar. This was a let-off for Cahir, but Cagney received an injury in making the save and had to leave the field of play late in the game.

Cahir were given a lifeline on 51 minutes when Stephen Grogan goaled after a high ball into the goalmouth was knocked down by Kevin Grogan. Cahir were back in front by the minimum, and when Colin McInery and Ger Quinn added minors they had gone three up with four minutes of normal play remaining. Liam Carew landed his third 2-point free before Colin McInery put two between the sides on 60 minutes.

Jack Buckley stretched the lead to three when he put over a free from the 20-meter line, after the referee had moved the ball up following dissent from the Aherlow sideline. The real drama was yet to emerge as Aherlow went in search of the equaliser. Liam Carew’s piledriver came back off the crossbar before being deflected for a 45.

The resulting free kick was floated into a crowded goalmouth, where Micheál Elligott rose highest to steer the ball into the net for the equalising score that put Aherlow into the quarter final and consigned Cahir to the relegation play-off.

Aherlow: Gary Quirke; Morgan O’Brien, Darragh O’Brien (0-1), Tom O’Donoghue; Tadhg Carew, Laurence Coskeran, Jack O’Halloran; Stephen Carey, Diarmuid Looby (0-2, 1x2ptf); Mark Russell, Liam Carew (0-9, 3x2ptf, 0-1f), Ben Carey; Sean Bourke (0-1), Micheál Elligott (1-0), Bernard O’Brien.

Subs used: Cathal Dillon for Sean Bourke (45).

Cahir: Marc Cagney; Pa Meehan, Eoghan Kelly, James Walsh; Jake Kiely, Jesse Kiely, Colin McEniry (0-2); Stephen Grogan (1-0), Eoin Wyse; Kevin Grogan (0-4, 2x2ptf), Ger Quinn (0-2, 0-1 45), Niall McKenna; Conor O’Brien (0-1f), Dylan Butler (0-2), Jack Buckley (0-2f).

Subs used: Craig Guiry for Niall McKenna (HT); Ian Flannery for Jake Kiely (37); Adam Hennessy for Conor O’Brien (45); Paddy O’Donovan for Marc Cagney (55, inj); Nicholas Reidy for Dylan Butler (56).

Referee: Willie Fitzharris (Fr. Sheehy’s)

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