O’Hanrahans 0-7

24 June 2008: Senior Football League Division Four FINAL

Clonmore ran out one point victors in the Senior Football League Division 4 final at a damp Dr Cullen Park on Tuesday evening last when they defeated O’Hanrahans in a lively encounter.

It was Clonmore’s first piece of silverware since 1999, when they won the Senior League Divison 2, and in spite of reaching numerous finals & semi-finals, their first Junior success since 1994. The red and green Clonmore men got a great start when Keith Pollard goaled in the first quarter and points from Willie Rooney & Dara Conway gave them a lead of 1-2 to 0-3 at half time, the O’Hanrahans scores coming from Mark Davis, Jimmy White and Dale Lacey. However, the Blues were dealt a severe blow when impressive midfielder David Hayden had to retire with a facial injury following an accidental collision before half-time.

In a highly entertaining second half, the O’Hanrahan’s men came storming back and points from Mark Davis (2) and Andrew Maguire cancelled out points from Clonmore’s Clive Lambe and Keith Pollard to leave the sides level at 1-4 to 0-7 with ten minutes to go. With the slippery conditions making it unpredictable, the play swung from end to end and it looked as if the game might see another day with the sides deadlocked coming close to the long whistle.

The atmosphere in the stand was very tense at this stage and both sides created and missed chances, especially the Blues who saw a shot for a point hit the post and another good opportunity punched wide. But with the game well into injury time up popped Clonmore substitute, Michael Smyth, to drive a shot over the bar from 25 yards to earn the men in red & green the spoils and a long awaited victory. Final score: Clonmore 1-5 O’Hanrahans 0-7.

County Board official Martin Barry presented the cup to Clonmore’s long-serving Captain Damien Lyons who made a rousing victory speech heralding major celebrations in Hacketstown afterwards.

Clonmore: Stephen Byrne, Ger Doyle, Damien Lyons, James Doyle, Mick O’Neill Con Cashin, Shane Murphy, Ray Mulvany, Niall Byrne, Willie Rooney (0-1), Dara Conway (0-1), Clive Lambe (0-1), Denis Quigley, Ray O’Neill, Keith Pollard (1-1). Subs: Alan Byrne, Michael Smith (0-1), Niall McCarney.

O’Hanrahans: Anthony Core, Danny Rea, Leo Whelan, Paul Condron, Pa Hutton, Michael Thompson, Denis Lyons, Philip McEvoy, David Hayden, Martin Doyle, Andrew Maguire (0-1), Mark Davis (0-3), Paul Lyons, Jimmy White (0-1), Dale Lacey (0-1).