Tommy Durnin’s Late Heroics Send Westerns Into Semi-Final

DKIT Sport JFC Quarter-Final

At Páirc Baile Fiach, Hunterstown

Westerns 2-17 O’Connells 0-22

Westerns produced a remarkable second-half turnaround to snatch a dramatic victory over O’Connells, with Tommy Durnin holding his nerve to land a sensational late two-pointer and complete an extraordinary comeback.

O’Connells looked firmly in control for much of the opening half, responding brilliantly after Killian Crosbie and Durnin had given Westerns an early advantage.

Durnin opened his account with back-to-back two-pointers from frees inside the opening nine minutes, leaving Westerns 0-5 to 0-1 ahead after a bright start.

But O’Connells soon found their rhythm.

Justin Cooney (O’Connells) tussles with Oisin Drumgoole and Jack Martin (Westerns)

Robert Quigley became increasingly influential from placed balls, while Niall Conlon and Jackie Agnew chipped in as O’Connells reeled off a succession of unanswered scores. Quigley added a two-pointer before further points from himself and Conlon put O’Connells firmly in the ascendancy.

Crosbie and Oisin Drumgoole managed scores for Westerns, but Quigley continued to punish every opportunity from frees, including another two-pointer, as O’Connells went into the interval with an 0-11 to 0-7 advantage.

Half Time – Westerns 0-7 O’Connells 0-11

The gap was stretched further almost immediately after the restart when Evan Kearney struck a two-pointer, putting O’Connells seven clear and seemingly in complete command.

Tom Maguire fires home the Westerns opening goal

Tom Maguire, who was floating between midfield and full forward, produced the first major breakthrough when he found the net in the 33rd minute. He followed that with another point seven minutes later as Westerns began to eat into the deficit.

O’Connells continued to find scores, with Kearney particularly effective, but Westerns refused to go away.

Jack Martin converted frees at either end of the second half while Kearney added another two-pointer, with the momentum steadily swinging with the Castlebellingham men.

Maguire continued to drive them forward and a moster two-pointer from the Westerns man brought the deficit down to just three points with seven minutes remaining.

O’Connells then pushed their lead back out, with Jackie Agnew, Cian Doyle and Conor Culligan all finding the target, leaving Westerns 0-22 to 1-11 behind with less than nine minutes remaining.

Remarkably, and more importantly – somehow, Westerns had one final surge.

Martin reduced the gap from a free before Maguire struck another two-pointer. Then, with the pressure mounting, Cathal Kennedy found the net to bring the sides within a single point.

The comeback was now complete in all but name.

O’Connells had led by seven, but Westerns had clawed their way back to the brink of victory. And in the dying moments, the ball found its way into the hands of the man who had started the night so brightly.

Tommy Durnin stepped up and delivered.

His late two-pointer sent Westerns into a 2-17 to 0-22 lead and sparked remarkable scenes as they completed one of the most dramatic comebacks of the championship so far.

Tommy Durnin (Westerns) hit the winner with a remarkable two-pointer

Full Time – Westerns 2-17 O’Connells 0-22

Man of the Match – Tom Maguire (Westerns)

Tom Maguire hit 1-3 in a Man of the Match display for Westerns

Westerns team: Anthony Durnin; Roan Gallagher, Mick Martin, Joe Duffy; Killian Crosbie (0-2), Finn Duffy, Darragh Osbourne; Tommy Durnin (0-6, 1tp, 2tpf), Matthew Kane (0-1); Conor Smith, Ciaran Scriven, Emmet Smith; Oisin Drumgoole (0-1), Tom Maguire (1-3, 1tp), Jack Martin (0-4, 4f).

Subs: Cathal Kennedy (1-0) for Emmet Smith 41 mins, Ryan Duffy for Killian Crosbie 41 mins.

O’Connells team: Bernard Osborne; Joshua Horwell, Jack McGeough, Sam Shearman; Emmet Byrne, Conor Culligan (0-1), Justin Cooney; Cailum Woods, Sean Cairns; Harry Kierans, Evan Kearney (0-6, 2tpf, 1tp), Adam Flynn; Jackie Agnew (0-2), Niall Conlon (0-3, 1f, 1m), Robert Quigley (0-9, 2tpf, 2f).

Subs: Cian Doyle (0-1) for Harry Kierans 53 mins, James Walsh for Cailum Woods 62 mins.

Referee – Stephen Murphy (Naomh Mairtin)

Photos – Ciaran Culligan