Crusheen claw back into championship as O’Donnell’s last gasp goal beats Broadford

*Crusheen duo Jamie Fitzgibbon and James O’Sullivan chase after Broadford’s Conor O’Donnell. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.

CRUSHEEN have kept their championship hopes alive with teenager Rian O’Donnell goaling in the final seconds of additional time to see them beat Broadford.

Crusheen 3-14
Broadford 2-16
Venue: Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg, Ennis

Teenager Rian O’Donnell is the toast of Crusheen this week. In the final seconds of the third minute of added time, the substitute struck for a goal which keeps their championship ambitions for 2026 alive.

In addition, the score also keeps Scariff’s hopes of progressing in the championship alive and these sides now meet in the final group game in two weeks time when both will need victory to have a chance of advancing in the competition.

Crusheen’s never say die spirit was evident as this game progressed at Cusack Park on Sunday. Despite amassing a total of nineteen wides, they refused to concede and were rewarded at the death when O’Donnell pounced.

Forced out of their first round game through injury, he didn’t start this week but five minutes from the end and his side trailing by four points, he was sent into the game. With his first touch he threatened danger when he made a fine run down the right wing before being dispossessed.

Having led all the way, Broadford were stunned into silence in that final minute. When they look back on this, they will rue some missed chances in that second half when they had five wides.

They got off to a great start and they led 1-2 to 0-0 after five minutes, the goal coming from Michael Vaughan. From the word go Diarmuid Moloney caused problems for the Crusheen defence.

Broadford were the sharper outfit and when Niall O’Farrell found the net at the end of the opening quarter the East Clare side were 2-4 to 0-2 ahead.

Crusheen didn’t panic and a goal from Breffni Horner who was in the side for the first time this season having returned from overseas closed the gap to four with as many minutes remaining in the half. When the half time whistle sounded the margin between the sides was five pints with Broadford leading on a score of 2-9 to 1-7.

The East Clare men had the opening two points of the new half but a Crusheen goal from Fergus Kennedy after good work by Breffni Horner, proved a big boost for Crusheen. Luke Ketalaar followed with a brace of points and now the margin between the sides was down to two.

Points were exchanged twice leaving the margin still at two as the game entered the final ten minutes.

Diarmuid O’Brien and Diarmuid Moloney hit the target for Broadford to push then four clear with five minutes remaining and this was still the position with three to go.

Ross Hayes converted two frees to close the gap to two as three minutes of ‘added time’ were signalled. The game was in the final minute when Rian O’Donnell got inside the Broadford defence and he drilled the ball low past Jack Lovett for what proved to be the winning score.

Scorers Crusheen: Ross Hayes (0-5, frees); Jamie Fitzgibbon, Luke Ketalaar (0-3) each; Breffni Horner, Fergus Kennedy, Rian O’donnell (1-0) each; Oisin O’Donnell, Cillein Mullins, James O’Sullivan (0-1) each.

Scorers Broadford: Niall O’Farrell (1-5); Diarmuid Moloney (0-6, 2f); Diarmuid O’Brien (0-3), Michael Vaughan (1-0); Shane Taylor, Cian Mulqueen (0-1) each

All photographs by Gerard O’Neill.