*Colin Crehan (left) scored the all-important goal. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
Decisive derby drama at the death as Colin Crehan’s 65th minute volleyed goal snatched an unlikely first victory for O’Callaghan’s Mills over heartbroken neighbours Broadford in O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge on Saturday evening.
O’Callaghan’s Mills 3-11
Broadford 0-18
Venue: O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge
It was the final twist of a compelling East Clare match-up that had seen Broadford seemingly hit the front for the first and ideal time with Oisin Kavanagh’s 59th minute point before the Mills search for an elusive late equaliser actually ended up with the bounty of a winning goal.
In truth, considering the five glorious goal opportunities created in the opening half of which they took two inside nine minutes of the throw-in through Colin Crehan and Bryan Donnellan, nothing but a Mills win appeared on the cards for the majority of this tie.
Five points clear by the turn of the opening quarter, the Mills were a transformed side from previous outings as they ravenously hunted in packs and threatened to open up a pressured Broadford rearguard with almost every attack while Jacob Loughnane was unerring from placed balls.
However, despite being at sea, Broadford did manage to get into the dressing rooms only four in arrears by the break at 2-7 to 0-9 and with a reshuffling of their pack, most notably the lift that Darren Chaplin provided to the heart of their defence, the gap incrementally narrowed.
Initially, the Mills resisted but with just a goal between the sides entering the final ten minutes, Broadford crucially gathered momentum with a five point unanswered haul through talisman Niall O’Farrell (3), Kavanagh and the heartbeat of their side Paddy Donnellan to soar 0-18 to 2-10 clear entering four minute of additional time.
Conor Henry stopped the rot with an injury-time point to leave only the minimum between the sides. However, when the Mills earned a contentious lineball on the 20 metre line, Cormac Murphy’s superb effort for a point went outside the post but was kept in and not cleared, leaving an opening for Crehan to plunder for the pivotal winning goal.
It means that the Mills, who contested last year’s relegation series, are safely into the senior B championship with a game to spare whereas it’s now down to a winner-takes-all final found showdown between Broadford and Clarecastle to decide who finishes bottom of this fascinating group.
Scorers for O’Callaghan’s Mills: Colin Crehan (2-1); Jacob Loughnane (0-6, 5f, 1’65); Bryan Donnellan (1-0); Gary Cooney, Aidan O’Gorman, Cormac Murphy, Conor Henry (0-1 each)
Scorers for Broadford: Niall O’Farrell (0-7, 3f, 1’65); Craig Chaplin, Stiofan McMahon, Paurig Taylor, Paddy Donnellan (0-2 each); Sean Phelan, Diarmuid Moloney, Oisin Kavanagh (0-1 each)
O’Callaghan’s Mills
1: Killian Nugent
2: Michael Cotter
3: Conor Cooney
4: Gerry Cooney
5: Sean O’Gorman
6: Aidan O’Gorman
7: Kevin O’Callaghan
8: Conor Henry
9: Cormac Murphy
10: Patrick Donnellan
11: Bryan Donnellan
12: Aidan Fawl
13: Gary Cooney
14: Colin Crehan
15: Jacob Loughnane
Substitutes:
18: Fionn Hickey for B. Donnellan (42)
21: Niall Donovan for S. O’Gorman (53)
20: Sean Cotter for P. Donnellan (58)
19: Colm Cleary for Cotter (66)
Broadford:
1: Cian O’Brien
5: Paddy Donnellan
3: Eoin Donnellan
2: Mark Moloney
7: Shane Taylor
9: Diarmuid O’Brien
6: Paurig Taylor
4: David Boland
8: Craig Chaplin
14: Stiofan McMahon
12: Niall O’Farrell
10: Paul Moloney
13: Oisin Kavanagh
15: Sean Phelan
11: Diarmuid Moloney
Substitutes:
18: Cian Cremins for Moloney(HT)
17: Darren Chaplin for Boland (HT)
20: Padraig Hickey for Phelan (42, inj)
22: Cathal Chaplin for Hickey (63)
Referee: Niall Malone (Éire Óg)
