Goals bring St Breckan’s back into Clare SFC race

*Joe McGann. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill

Four green flags were the difference between the sides as St. Breckan’s got their Clare SFC bid back on track.

St. Breckan’s 4-9
Kildysart 0-9
Venue: Gurteen

Kildysart were competitive throughout the game but will need to learn some lessons if they’re get over St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield in two weeks’ time.

St. Breckan’s manager Declan O’Keeffe said hunger may have been a factor in his side’s Round 1 defeat. Boosted by the return of captain Cian Burke to the starting line-up, there was plenty of desire on show in the first half.

Kildysart started the game with the wind at their backs and kept their kickouts short. They hustled in midfield and were direct in attack. Luke McGrath kicked their first two scores of the game and Emmet McMahon put them in front after twelve minutes.

St. Breckan’s looked to get into their shape early with Robert O’Connell and Rowan Danaher hugging the wings to create space inside. They had plenty of movement on their kickout, but not every gamble into the wind paid off.

Both sides were over-ambitious at times in attack. Breckan’s were overworking the ball inside while Kildysart were taking shooting options from too far outside. David Butler’s men were creating plenty of chances, but seven wides in thirty minutes put their scoring effectiveness at 36%.

Simple as it sounds, this game really did come down to goals. Joseph McGann linked well with Jamie Stack to shoot for goal. His effort was well saved by Kieran Eyres but the rebound fell kindly for the tap in after 22 minutes.

Oisin Coyle was alert to snuff out Breckan’s next attack and it led to Diarmuid O’Donnell pulling one back for Kildysart, calling the mark and swinging one over off his left. They had a goal chance of their own too, Conor Cusack fisted a half-chance wide.

For Breckan’s, Jamie Stack was growing into the game and they used the space in front of the full-back line to attack with tempo. Dale Masterson broke through and played a one-two with Joseph McGann. He drilled it left-footed into the far corner for the last score of the half and a five-point advantage at the break.

Kildysart tweaked their attack into the breeze. They had plenty of bodies in attack and four points in the first ten minutes of the second half. Fergal Ginnane got one from an attempt on goal. O’Donnell converted after a quick free. Keith O’Connor’s point make them look like a team on top and Luke McGrath curled an absolute beauty off the outside of his right foot.

But for all their efforts, they weren’t reeling in St. Breckan’s. The North Clare men opened the scoring for the second half when Jamie Stack took a diagonal ball inside off Robert O’Connell for a goal on the break. Stack’s next point broke up Kildysart’s scoring run and they took over the scoreboard altogether after 40 minutes with a run of 1-5.

On a day when St. Breckan’s were good enough not to need any luck, they got it all the same. Dale Masterson’s long-range effort looked good when it left his boot but the Gurteen breeze had other ideas. Kieran Eyres couldn’t gather it under his cross bar and Breckan’s fourth goal had them well in the clear.

Kildysart had to go for goal. Substitute Keith Murphy was a good target man but the high ball inside just wasn’t working and Breckan’s had men back to snuff out the room to shoot.

Jamie Stack finished the evening’s scoring with a point in added time, taking his tally to 1-7. The flick- up of the ball into his hands for the point outlined his class.

Kildysart had kept faith with the same starting fifteen from their Round 1 win over Corofin for this game and David Butler will have faith his side can pull it together for a round three outing against St. Joseph’s Doora Barefield. St. Breckan’s face Corofin knowing their fate is back in their own hands.

Scorers:
St. Breckan’s: J Stack (1-7 3f), D Masterson (1-2), M Byrne (1-00) J McGann (1-00),

Kildysart: L McGrath (0-3), E McMahon (0-1), D O’Donnell (0-02), F Ginnane (0-1) K O’Connor (0-01), K Leahy (0-1)

St. Breckan’s:
1. Tristan O’Callaghan

2. Paddy Doherty
3: Cian Burke (cap)
4. Conor Burke

5. Pádraig O’Dwyer
6. Alan Sweeney
7. Colm O’Brien

8. Liam Tierney
9. Denis O’Callaghan

10. Maccon Byrne
11. Dale Masterson
12. Robert O’Connell

13: Jamie Stack
22. Joseph McGann
15. Rowan Danagher

Subs:

19. Conor Shannon for M Byrne (50)
17. Thomas O’Dwyer for D Masterson (55)
18. Cathal Morgan for L Tierney (56)

Kildysart:
1. Kieran Eyres

2. Fergal Ginnane
3. Kieran Leahy
4. Stephen Sheehan