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*Doonbeg goalkeeper, Eamon Tubridy. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
BRIAN Shanahan lamented Doonbeg’s concession of five second-half two-pointers when reflecting on their first round loss to St Joseph’s Miltown in the Clare SFC.
Despite leading by three points at the interval, Doonbeg manager Brian Shanahan admitted his side’s inability to contain Miltown’s long-range threat proved decisive as they slipped to defeat in their opening Clare SFC outing.
“It was a game of two halves really. The first half we were very good. We won the first half, they won the second half, so basically their shots went over the bar and ours didn’t. That was the story of the game really. They got five two-pointers, three of them were kind of given away from indiscipline, but there’s a lot to build on for the next game,” he reflected.
Miltown overturned the deficit almost immediately after the restart, with Cian Mahony inspiring a blistering spell that saw the eventual winners race into a two-point lead inside the opening three minutes of the second half. “We went in at half-time three points up, two and a half minutes into the second half we were two points down. They scored five points there in the first two minutes and that’s ultimately where the damage was done. We know the two-pointers are massive scores and, to be fair, he [Mahony] had his shooting boots on. When a forward is on form, he’s on form. We didn’t help ourselves standing off him”.
Although Cormac Murray’s late goal added further gloss to the scoreboard, Shanahan felt the final six-point margin did not accurately reflect the contest. “I don’t think they were six points better than us. Our shot selection was poor basically. We had nine very bad misses in the second half and there were easily two of those that were goal chances. A six-point loss wasn’t a fair reflection on the game, I don’t think,” he stated.
The Magpies now face reigning champions Éire Óg before a final-round meeting with Cratloe, with Shanahan viewing their round two clash is a free shot ahead of what he expects to be the decisive group fixture. “We have a free crack at Éire Óg now next, the result is irrelevant whether we win or lose. Ultimately it’ll come down to the last game with Cratloe with three teams coming out of our group. We’ll just try and improve things for Éire Óg. There’ll be no pressure, it doesn’t make a difference whether we win, lose or draw. It’ll come down to that last game”.
