Feis na nGleann – Senior Football Final
Saturday July 13
Rasharkin 3-20 All Saints 3-17 (aet)
It took an additional ten minutes of extra time to decide where the Senior Feis Cup would lay for 2019. After a hugely entertaining encounter and a ding dong battle, it was Rasharkin who outlasted All Saint’s to win by three points.
No one could have foreseen what was about to transpire with a little over five minutes of normal time remaining. Jack Quinn had just bagged Rasharkin’s third goal of the contest and opened up what they would have though and unassailable seven point lead. All Saint’s came roaring back however and with the Kavan Keenan penalty in the fifth minute of injury time, tied the sides to force extra time.
It was the second time during the second half that the Ballymena side clawed their way back into the game. Conor McFerran top scored for the St Mary’s men with 1-8 to his name and his 45th minute goal had opened a seven point lead but a youthful All Saint’s side showed tremendous spirit and desire to remain in the final. Emmett McAllister’s 54th minute major coming moments before Quinn’s three pointed. Rasharkin controlled the two five minute periods of extra time with Tiernan O’Boyle, McFerran (two) and Shane Hasson raising white flags with Diarmuid McNally’s fourth free out of 0-6 overall the only response for the Ballymena men.
With both sides showing plenty of changes from their recent league matches, the first half was a wrestle for supremacy. The Ballymena men took an early two point lead before Shane Hasson opened Rasharkin’s account with a fourth minute free. Brendan McDonnell’s first of five points opened the two point lead once again before Gerard O’Hagan landed the opening goal of the contest in the 15th minute to give the men from Dreen the lead for the first time in the match. The remainder of the half was tit for tat scoring. Shane McBride, McDonnell, Connell Lemon and McNally firing over for All Saint’s with O’Boyle, Conor McFerran, Shane and Andre Hasson finding the target for Rasharkin to leave the men from Dreen ahead by the minimum at the interval.
Half time: Rasharkin 1-6 All Saints 0-8
Both sides started the second half brightly but when Damien Casey scored All Saint’s first major of the match after six minutes, it looked like they would push on after opening a two point gap once again. That wasn’t to be however with that major being their last score for ten minutes. In that same space of time, Rasharkin rallied to score 1-7. Shane Hasson (free), Pearse Kelly and Gerard O’Hagan accompanying an electrifying spell from Conor McFerran. The Rasharkin man’s 46th minute penalty rounding off a seven minute scoring burst where he hit 1-3 out of his sides 1-7 in ten minutes.
McDonnell stopped the rot for the Ballymena men with fine scores either side of Shane Hasson’s first from play but when McFerran took his tally to 1-6 for the match in the 49th minute, the St Mary’s men led by seven with a little over ten minutes remaining.
Substitute Emmett McAllister gave them a brief glimmer of hope when he bagged his sides second major of the match but for Jack Quinn to respond with a major of his own immediately after the restart. The All Saints men laid siege on the Rasharkin goals in the time that remained, however. Points from Damien Kelly and three frees from McNally brought them to within a goal of Rasharkin with Keenan’s 65th minute penalty forcing extra time.
Full time: Rasharkin 3-16 All Saint’s 3-16
Having watched the Feis crown slip from their grasp in the closing stages, Rasharkin could have been forgiven for giving up the ghost. Not so. They landed the only two scores of the first five minutes of extra time with O’Boyle and Conor McFerran and while McNally’s fourth free of the final halved the deficit soon after the restart, Rasharkin ensured they would be celebrating at the final whistle with Shane Hasson and Conor McFerran adding the final touches.
An entertaining game in which Rasharkin did enough to edge. Both sides were missing regulars but Rasharkin had a little more knowhow and experience where it mattered most.
TEAMS
Rasharkin: Ryan Doherty; Daniel McGurk, Dominic McFerran, Pearse Kelly; Donagh Quigg, Conor Hasson, Killian O’Boyle; Jack Quinn, Thomas McMullan; Shane Hasson, Andrew Hasson, Fergus Quigg; Gerard O’Hagan, Tiernan O’Boyle, Conor McFerran.
Scorers: Conor McFerran 1-8 (1f); Shane Hasson 0-5 (3 f’s); Gerard O’Hagan 1-1; Tiernan O’Boyle 0-3; Jack Quinn 1-00; Andrew Hasson 0-2 (2 f’s); Pearse Kelly 0-1.
All Saints: Steven McAvoy; Aiden O’Connell, Ronan Ward, Damian Kelly; Kavan Keenan, Ciaran Shannon, Ciaran McGarry; Connell Lemon, Emmett Killough; Diarmuid McNally, Brendan McConnell, Shane McBride; Ciaran McLarnon, Damian Casey, Lee Kirk.
Scorers: Diarmuid McNally 0-6 (4 f’s); Brendan McDonnell 0-5; Kavan Keenan 1-1; Damian Casey 1-00; Emmett McAllister 1-00; Connell Lemon 0-2; Shane McBride 0-1; Emmett Killough 0-1; Damian Kelly 0-1.
