Clarke the hero as Shamrocks snatch second win

IFC round 2

Bailieborough 1-13

Drumgoon 0-15

Kevin Óg Carney at Hugh O'Reilly Park

Two late Philip Clarke points in the dregs of the second half were enough to ease Bailieborough Shamrocks over the line in a feisty IFC derby duel at Cootehill on Sunday last.

In what turned out to be a frenzied finale to an entertaining if sub-standard championship contest, Drumgoon appeared on the cusp of springing a shock win after Keith Fannin’s free (55) left Bailieborough trailing by 1-11 to 0-15.

However, the townies had a sting in their tail with the marauding Clarke rifling over a finely-judged shot just after the hour mark which proved to be the winning score.

In a tense climax to the game, Drumgoon pressed hard to get out of jail and their frustration was manifest in protestations by them about a perceived error by officialdom in the final seconds which were waved aside.

Drumgoon will look back on last weekend’s game as a major opportunity which went unseized and which leaves their IFC campaign in a perilous state.

Bailieborough weren’t at their best but must be given credit for the resilience and perseverance they showed against opponents who played with belief and ambition.

The underdogs gave the Shamrocks their fill of it in the first half in particular and points from the likes of Keith Fannin, Conor Moynagh and Dean Carroll (two) had Bailieborough trailing by the odd point in seven after 14 minutes.

Drumgoon continued to give as good as they were getting as the second quarter advanced despite playing against the wind into the town end of the park.

Bailieborough enjoyed a fair share of possession in the first half but they seemed ill at ease in being under pressure to make the elements count in their favour.

Bailieborough trailed by 0-3 to 0-7 after 19 minutes but great work by Brendan Argue set up the impressive Jack McGuinness and Ryan Coleman for a point apiece but better was to come for the would-be winners when, in the 26th minute, they hit the jackpot with a clever pass from Coleman putting Ronan Clarke through with his strike ricocheting off the legs of the advancing Corey Smith before entering the Drumgoon net.

Clarke’s major catapulted his side into a 1-5 to 0-7 lead and in a tit-for-tat run in to the half-way break, a two pointer from McGuinness left Drumgoon behind by a single point at the short whistle.

In a slow-to-the-boil type affair, the second half action was much more fiery and all-in with both teams holding genuine hopes of scooping the spoils.

Bailieborough worked harder against the wind and with McGuinness in inspirational form, the Shamrocks were still ahead (1-9 to 0-10) entering the final quarter.

Drumgoon hung in there and a two pointer from Matthew McDermott (50) levelled the game (0-14 to 1-11) before a Fannin free (54) had Bailieborough again looking to their laurels.

Bailieborough refused to panic though as the chequered flag came into view. Match-winner Clarke fired over the equaliser under pressure in the 55th minute and then six minutes again split the Drumgoon posts for what proved to be a dramatic winner.

Bailieborough Shamrocks: Conor Gilsenan; Conor Monaghan, Aidan Reilly, Oisin Fitzsimons; Philip Clarke (0-2), Aaron Reel, Noah O’Sullivan; Ronan Clarke (1-0), Cathal Keegan; Jack McGuinness (0-9, 2ptr, 2f), Brendan Argue (0-1), Ryan Gilmer (0-1); Shane Monaghan, Luke Gilsenan, Ryan Coleman.

Subs; Joe Farrelly for N O’Sullivan; Peter Clerkin for Shane Monaghan.

Drumgoon: Corey Smith; Andrew Murray, Dylan Hand, Euan Crossan; Donal Keappock, Darragh Lynch (0-1), John McDermott; Darren Lavery, Conor Moynagh (0-3); Ben Brennan, Matthew McDermott (0-3, 2ptr), Aogán Farrell; Keith Fannin (0-4, 2f), Dean Carroll (0-4, 1f), Conal Farrell.

Subs; Shane Shalvey for A Farrell; Liam Smith for K Fannin.