Fighting Cocks into Leinster semi-finals after extra time drama
Aaron Dowling converts an early first-half penalty for the Fighting Cocks against Clann na nGael in the Leinster Junior Football Championship at COE Fenagh.
The Fighting Cocks will play Longford side, St Brigids, Killashee in the semi-final of the AIB Leinster Junior Football Championship semi-final after they produced a scintillating performance to knock out the Meath champions at The Training Centre on Saturday after extra time.
This was an all-round performance as the home side got off to a great start when Aaron Dowling converted a penalty after he himself had drawn the foul.
With Tomás Doyle calling the shots for the visitors, they went on to take a narrow 0-9 to 1-4 lead at the interval.
A second Dowling goal in almost Cock’s first attack of the second half restored their lead. In a ding-dong battle, where Cillian Fagan scored three points for the home side, it took a two-point free out on the right by Alan Quigley to bring the game to extra-time when the sides were tied at 2-11 to 0-17.
Tomás Doyle for the visitors was dangerous from beginning to end.
When Ben Corkery swooped for a Clann na nGael goal in the first half of extra-time, it looked to be decisive but Quigley’s second two-pointer and a point from play by Dowling pushed the Carlow side two clear with time just up.
Right at the end, Clann na nGael did have a chance from outside the D but a two-point effort drifted just wide of the right-hand upright and a Carlow football side had recorded a famous victory over Meath opposition.
A Dowling 2-3 (1-0 pen), A Quigley 0-7 (45 2-2pfs), C Fagan 0-3, B Molloy, W Kelly, B Nolan, P Eustace, L Sheppard, M Dowling 0-1 each.
T Doyle 0-7 (3fs 1-2pf), C Smith 0-4 (1-2pfs 2fs), B Corkery 1-0, D Doherty, C Smith (2fs), L Kelleher 0-2 each, D Griffin, R McNamee, S Og Tiernan, J McGrath 0-1 each.
Darragh Byrne; Conor Ruane, James Hickey, Dylan Ruane; Billy Molloy, William Kelly, Billy Nolan; Cormac McElligott, Liam Sheppard; Matthew English Hayden, Jack McDonald, Emmet Moran; Cillian Fagan, Alan Quigley, Aaron Dowling.
Sean McGrath for Hickey (39), Padhraig Eustace for D Ruane (56), Mattie Dowling for English Hayden (47), Trevor Watchorn for McDonald (60).
Eoin Griffin; Philip Garry, Jack Doherty, Darragh O’Reilly; Diarmaid O Donnchadha, Cormac Smith, Paul Tuite; Darragh Griffin, Sean Og Tiernan; Liam Kelleher, Darragh Swaine, Dylan Doherty; Andrew Smith, Gerry O’Sullivan, Tomás Doyle.
Ben Corkery for Smith (37), Ryan McNamee for Swaine (38), Liam McNamara for Doherty (52), Josh McGrath for Tiernan (54), Daragh Brogan for O’Sullivan (54), Eoin Kelleher for L Kelliher (62), Eugene MacNamara for Garry (67).
Stephen Fagan (Wicklow)
