Extra-Time Drama As McCaul Leads St Josephs Past Cooley
Anchor Tours Senior Football Championship
Quarter-Final Replay
At Páirc Naomh Bríd Dowdalshill
St Josephs 1-14 Cooley Kickhams 0-12 | After Extra Time
St Josephs finally got the better of Cooley Kickhams after another absorbing encounter at Dowdalshill, with Conall McCaul producing the decisive moments as the Joes prevailed 1-14 to 0-12 after extra time.
After last weekend’s thrilling 0-17 apiece draw at the same venue, another tight contest was expected and the replay proved considerably more cagey, with neither side willing to give an inch.
AERIAL DUAL | Jack Long (Cooley Kickhams) and Conall McCaul (St Josephs)
Cooley opened the scoring through a Fearghal Malone two-pointer after five minutes, but Ben Collier and Conall McCaul replied for the Joes to leave the sides level at 0-2 apiece after 10 minutes.
Cian Connor then edged Cooley ahead before Michael Rafferty converted a free and Connor added another, giving the Kickhams a 0-5 to 0-3 advantage after 20 minutes with Conal Smyth hitting the Dromiskin’s men third. Cian Connor added another free.
Just when Cooley appeared to have control, Pearse Grimes Murphy produced a moment of individual brilliance in the 32nd minute. The Joes forward embarked on a superb run before finishing to the top corner and sending the sides into the interval level.
Half Time – St Josephs 1-3 Cooley Kickhams 0-6
The Joes made the brighter start to the second half, with McCaul and Oisin Reidy putting them two points ahead by the 41st minute.
Rafferty responded for Cooley, but St Josephs continued to hold the advantage. Grimes Murphy added two further points, the second arriving with 11 minutes remaining to put three between the teams.
Jack Long (Cooley Kickhams) and Ben Collier (St Josephs) clash
Cooley needed something special and Cian Connor delivered, landing an excellent two-pointer from outside the boot to leave just the minimum between the sides with four minutes remaining.
The drama intensified in the closing stages. Niall Morgan then produced a contender for two-pointer of the championship, bending a superb outside-of-the-boot effort around the post from in front of the Joes dugout to put Cooley ahead with just two minutes played of the four minutes of added time.
But St Josephs had one final response.
Once again, Conall McCaul took responsibility, powering forward before finding the target with a composed left-footed effort under pressure in the dying seconds to force extra time.
Full Time – St Josephs 1-8 Cooley Kickhams 0-11
Extra time began with both sides trading scores, the returning Oisin McGuinness edging the Joes ahead before Rafferty levelled from a free.
McCaul then struck again for St Josephs, leaving the Joes 1-10 to 0-12 ahead at the interval of extra time.
Joseph Hanlon (Cooley Kickhams) is tackled by Cian Sheridan (St Josephs)
The influential Ben McKeown extended the lead after the restart before Conor Neary produced an excellent score to put two between the sides with four minutes remaining.
Cooley needed another late rescue act, but this time it was McCaul who delivered the knockout blow.
In injury time, the Joes go-to-man unleashed a phenomenal two-pointer to finally settle the contest and send St Josephs through to the Anchor Tours Senior Football Championship semi-final.
Full Time – St Josephs 1-14 Cooley Kickhams 0-12 After Extra Time
Man of the Match – Conall McCaul (St Josephs)
A really effective target for kick-outs and one a large percentage of his sides primary possession. He did his utmost to lead his team to the semi-final. Kicked 0-6 from play.
Conall McCaul (St Josephs) was in excellent form
St Josephs team: Aaron Gray; Cian Sheridan, Aidan Kieran, Cormac McKeown; Ben McKeown (0-1), Gabriel Bell, Michael O’Brien; Conall McCaul (0-6, 1tp), David Kieran; Oisin Reidy (0-1), Craig Doherty, Pearse Grimes Murphy (1-2); Alan Quigley, Ben Collier (0-1), Conal Smyth (0-1).
Subs: Oisin McGuinness (0-1) for Craig Doherty 23 mins, Conor Neary (0-1) for Michael O’Brien 45 mins, Jack Mulligan for Alan Quigley 48 mins, Rory McLoughlin for Conal Smyth 54 mins, Rian Devlin for David Kieran ET 69 mins, Alan Quigley for Jack Mulligan ET 70 mins, Cormac Marmion for Ben Collier 75 mins.
Cooley Kickhams team: Niall Brady; Ian Arnold, Patrick Hanlon, Ronan McBride; Tiarnan Hanniffy, Darren Marks, Jason Brady; Jack Long, Gerry Malone; Sean Hoey, Enda O’Neill, Cian Connor (0-5, 1tp, 1f); Michael Rafferty (0-3, 2f), Fearghal Malone (0-2, 1tp), Joseph Hanlon.
Subs: Gerard Hanlon for Jason Brady 39 mins, Michael Carron for Sean Hoey 48 mins, Brian Boyle for Fearghal Malone 54 mins, Niall Morgan (0-2, 1tp) for Darren Marks 54 mins, Paul Brennan for Enda O’Neill 54 mins, Oran McAnerney for Gerry Malone ET 67 mins, Emmett Duffy for Jack Long ET 69 mins, Fearghal Malone for Cian Connor ET 73 mins.
Referee – Stephen Murphy (Naomh Mairtin)
Photos – Ciaran Culligan
