*Tadhg Lillis. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
TADHG LILLIS’ goal in the third minute of additional time rescued a draw for Doonbeg against Lissycasey and means Group 2 of the TUS Clare SFC goes down to the wire.
Doonbeg 1-12
Lissycasey 0-15
Venue: Hennessy Memorial Park, Miltown Malbay
The Clare Echo’s online coverage of the Clare SFC is with thanks to The Shannon Springs Hotel
A draw was no more than Doonbeg deserved, they plundered three great goal opportunities earlier in the game.
Behind throughout they never gave up and Lissycasey were the ones leaving Miltown relieved to have got away with a point, a result which leaves them top of the group with one round remaining in the group stage.
Both Kilmihil and Ennistymon are on two points with Doonbeg on one which makes for a fascinating final round in this group.
Lissycasey were 0-3 to 0-1 in front after eight minutes but by that time Doonbeg had missed two great goal opportunities, shooting wide on each occasion.
It was 0-4 to 0-3 to Lissycasey at the end of the opening quarter but Lissycasey had the better of the next ten minutes firing over 0-5 without reply to open a six point advantage.
Doonbeg finished the half strongly with points from Mikie Tubridy and Rory Walsh to trail by four at the interval, 0-5 to 0-9.
Each side added four points to their half time tallies in the third quarter, a two pointer from Daire Culligan being part of Lissycasey’s tally.
Just before Culligan struck for the game’s only two pointer, Michael Meaney had denied Doonbeg a goal when he made a goal line save.
A Diarmuid McMahon point at the turn of the final quarter put Lissycasey five clear but Doonbeg landed the next three to leave two between the sides with eight minutes to play.
The Magpies were dominating possession and the Lissycasey defence was struggling to deny them scores.
Another Diarmuid McMahon point put Lissycasey three clear in the first minute of ‘added time’ but Doonbeg refused to accept defeat and they forced a ‘45. The ball was floated into the Lissycasey goalmouth where Tadhg Lillis rose highest to punch to the net to the delight of the Doonbeg following.
Lillis, Cathal and James Killeen and team captain Mikie Conway led the Doonbeg charge on the day.
Michael Meaney and Diarmuid McMahon were prominent throughout for Lissycasey on a day when Matt O’Shea, Niall Kelly, Luke Griffin and Daire Hill also got through some good work.
Scorers; Lissycasey; Diarmuid McMahon (0-4), Daire Culligan (1tp), Aaron Griffin (0-3) each; Darren Keane (0-2); Matt O’Shea, Conor Finnucane (free), Darragh Killeen (0-1) each,
Scorers Doonbeg; David Tubridy (0-4, 3f, 1’45); Mikie Tubridy (0-3), Tadhg Lillis (1-0);, Cathal Killeen (0-2), Darragh Burns, Rory Walshe, Paul Dillon (0-1) each
Lissycasey;
1: Thomas Collins
5; Daire Hill
3: Ryan Griffin
22: Michael Meaney
6; Connor Meaney
18; Niall Kelly
7; Darragh Killeen
8; Matt O’Shea
12; Shane Griffin
10; Luke Griffin
15; Aaron Griffin,
9; Darren Keane;
14; Conor Finnudane
14; Diarmuid McMahon
11; Daire Culligan
Subs:
25; Adrian Meaney for Conor Meaney (46)
17; Cian Meaney for D. Keane (58)
Doonbeg;
1; Eamonn Tubridy;
2; Shane Bermingham,
4; Jason Linnane
5: Cian O’Mahoney;
3; James Killeen,
6: Tadhg Lillis
10; Mikie Tubridy
12; Eoin Conway
9: Kevin McInerney;
20; Rory Walsh
11; Caathal Killeen,
22; Eoin Killeen
13; Darragh Burns
14; David Tubridy
15; Paul Dillon
Subs:
17: Brian Behan for P. Dillon (45);
7: Gavin O’Shea for E. Conwy (45)
18: Cian Clancy for R. Walsh (45)
Referee: Niall Quinn (St Joseph’s Miltown)
