Three Late Two-Pointers Earn Cooley Dramatic Draw With St Josephs

Anchor Tours Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final

At Páirc Naomh Bríd, Dowdalshill

St Josephs 0-17 Cooley Kickhams 0-17

Cooley Kickhams produced yet more late drama to rescue a draw against an outstanding St Josephs side at Dowdalshill, with three late two-pointers turning what looked like a deserved victory for the Joes into a replay.

St Josephs made the brighter start and quickly established a commanding lead. Craig Doherty and Conal Smyth opened their account before Ben McKeown struck a superb two-pointer. Doherty added another before Joseph Hanlon finally got Cooley on the scoreboard.

Conall McCaul responded for the Joes as they raced into a 0-6 to 0-1 lead after just 10 minutes.

Pearse Grimes Murphy (St Josephs) evades the challenge of Enda O’Neill (Cooley Kickhams)

Pearse Grimes Murphy and Alan Quigley continued to find the target for St Josephs, while Michael Rafferty and Cian Connor added scores for Cooley. Ben Collier and Gabriel Bell also got on the scoresheet, with Doherty adding another as the Joes continued to dominate.

Cooley did manage a late response through Connor, but St Josephs remained firmly in control at the interval.

Half Time – St Josephs 0-11 Cooley Kickhams 0-4

Cooley emerged with renewed purpose after the break, with Tiarnan Hanniffy, Rafferty and Hanlon all reducing the deficit. Oisin Reidy, Smyth and Quigley kept the Joes ticking over, however, leaving St Josephs seven ahead at 0-14 to 0-7 after 40 minutes.

Rafferty then added another before Connor converted a 45′, while Sean Hoey’s score brought Cooley to within four with 10 minutes remaining.

St Josephs looked to have done enough when Conall McCaul and Pearse Grimes Murphy added scores, followed by another from Collier.

But Cooley had other ideas, once again.

Conall McCaul (St Josephs) rises highest

Rafferty got them moving again before Jack Long landed an inspirational two-pointer greeted by an enormous first pump. Rafferty then struck for another two-pointer, and with the clock ticking down, Cian Connor’s two-point free was deflected over by the Joes’ to complete an extraordinary late surge.

Three two-pointers in the closing stages had transformed the contest, with neither side able to find a winning score, despite chances to do so.

They will do it all again, next weekend.

Full Time – St Josephs 0-17 Cooley Kickhams 0-17

Man of the Match – Ben McKeown (St Josephs)

An outstanding middle-third display from Ben McKeown who covered almost every blade of grass. Kicked a monster two-pointer and won several kickouts.

Ben McKeown (St Josephs) taking on Fearghal Malone (Cooley Kickhams)

St Josephs team: Aaron Gray; Cian Sheridan, Aidan Kieran, Rian Devlin; Cormac McKeown, David Kieran, Ben McKeown (0-2, 1tp); Conall McCaul (0-2, 1f), Gabriel Bell (0-1); Oisin Reidy (0-1), Ben Collier (0-2), Pearse Grimes Murphy (0-2); Alan Quigley (0-2, 1f), Craig Doherty (0-3), Conal Smyth (0-2, 1f).

Subs: Michael O’Brien for Rian Devlin 59 mins.

Cooley Kickhams team: Niall Brady; Ian Arnold, Darren Marks, Ronan McBride; Tiarnan Hanniffy (0-1), Fearghal Malone, Niall Morgan; Jack Long (0-2, 1tp), Paul Brennan; Dean McGreehan, Gerry Malone, Enda O’Neill; Cian Connor (0-5, 1tpf, 1f, 1’45’), Michael Rafferty (0-6, 1tp), Joseph Hanlon (0-2).

Subs: Gerard Hanlon for Niall Morgan 39 mins, Sean Hoey (0-1) for Enda O’Neill 41 mins, Oran McAnerney for Paul Brennan 43 mins, Emmett Duffy for Dean McGreehan 51 mins, Michael Carron for Gerry Malone 54 mins.

Referee – Stephen Johnson (Glen Emmets)

Photos – Ciaran Culligan

Pearse Grimes Murphy (St Josephs) on the forward charge