After the disappointment of the defeat to Round Towers Clondalkin two weeks ago, The St Brendan's Football 1st Xv, Sponsored by Michael Cox Furniture, travelled to Glenauline Park in Palmerstown to take in St Patricks Palmerstown knowing its win for go home. Both teams battled it out to see who would reach the Quarter Finals of the goaheadireland.ie Intermediate Club Championship.
What we have for you is the mother and father of all thrillers, so strap yourself in and read on!
In the opening minute John Feeney brilliant provoked his marker into overcarrying, the free in was won by Conor 'The Tuam Jaguar' Doherty who drove through the Palmerstown defence and finally onto Cillian 'Return of The Mack' Morrisson and hit the opening score.
Jason Clarke won a free out and played to Luke 'The Miracle Worker' McDonagh, Both Doherty and Morrisson were also involved in the move which led to John Burns pointing for The Dark Force and a two point to no score lead.
The home side opened their account with a point, St Brendan's dealt a blow with Fintan Cultane falling awkwardly when winning possession, The Civil Defence jeep did not come into the field this time and despite continuing on for two more minutes, he finally succumbed and replaced by The Wexican Oisin Carley.
The home side took the lead after a shot was saved by Mr Twitter Eoghan Clogher, but the clearance reached the 20 meter line and worked back in and over the bar for a 3 point to 2 lead. After a Burns wide, He won the Palmerstown kick out himself, passed onto Lorcan Bannon and finally Doherty again to level the contest gain at three points each.
Palmerstown made the most of the Advanced Mark and after a turnover, they won the Advanced Mark and the move went all the way into the St Brendan's net with Eoghan Clogher furious with his backs. 1-3 to 0-3.
But there was a good response from St Brendan's when Morrisson drove through the defense and kick a straightforward shot over the bar. Colm Harte won a free in after a push in the back and that allowed John Burns to score a free to put one between the sides again, 1-3 to 0-5.
St Patrick's Palmerstown were furious before the first half water break when a shot they thought was over the bar was adjudged to have gone wide by the referee and were still complaining as they were taking their drinks.
The home side were fired up, but unfortunately for them, so too was Eoghan Clogher and a shot was deflected off his thigh and cleared by Frankin 'Kepa' O'Reilly. Luke McDonagh lost possession after a hard shoulder but Burns swept up the ball and played the ball to John Feeney and kicked a good point to level the match once again 1-3 to 0-6.
Another Clogher saved this time from the hands but Palmerstown regained possession and got their noses in front once again with a point. Indeed they hit three points on the spin, but also hit two sides as well to put three between the sides with three minutes to go.
Despite picking up a yellow card, Liam 'Oisin Mullin' Atkinson supplied the final pass to Conor Doherty for another point and a two points deficit.
St Patrick's Palmerstown were dealt with a blow when, despite winning their own kick out with Mark, the Mark winner lashed out on Lorcan Bannon and was given a straight red card. However the home side did kick a point from an Advanced Mark to leaf the contest at half time on a score of 1-7 to 0-7.
Now, strap yourself in, because the second half is about to get started.
With the church bells ringing within the vicinity, St Brendan's got the second half going when Ger Bannon was challenged late when kick passing to brother Lorcan, a free in from where the ball landed, and Lorcan fround the other brother Phil and finally onto Conor Doherty and the Tuam Jaguar kicked another wonderful score.
6:47 gone and St Brendan's found themselves with a massive mountain to climb when Palmerstown beat Eoghan Clogher for a second goal. Time to dig deep, real deep.
And dig deep The Dark Force did. Lorcan Bannon was arm dragged when in a good position, and John Burns stepped up to take the free and lo and behold, the ball dipped under the crossbar and into the net to half the deficit. Lorcan Bannon was involved again when supplying the final pass to Cillian 'Return of the Mack' Morrisson, to move this way and that and was bundled off the ball as he pulled the trigger. A Penalty was awarded and Morrisson himself stepped up, like he did against Round Towers Clondalkin two weeks ago and promptly buried the ball in the Palmerstown Net, 2-8 to 2-8 after 9:47. Game On!
However, St Patrick's Palmerstown, remember playing with 14 men, got their noses in front with a point, indeed hit three more points on the spin to make it 2-8 to 2-11 at the second half Swig of the Magic Bottle. However, the St Patrick's Palmerstown goalkeeper decided not to take in water and got goalkeeper advice from their coach.
And that advice came in handy when Stephen Durcan saw a goal bound shot saved, but Ger Bannon turned over possession and found John Burns who saw his shot curl over at the last moment and a two point game as a contest.
Durcan could have rued those misses goal opportunities as St Patrick's Palmerstown opened up a four point lead 2-13 to 2-9 as Mr Twitter Eoghan Clogher employed short kick outs to to Harte, Clarke and O'Reilly and it was the short kick out to O'Reilly's that lead to another twist in this contest. O'Reilly played the ball to Lorcan Allen and onto Phil Bannon and back to Conor Doherty and for the third time, the ball crashed into the St Patrick's Palmerstown, 2-13 to 3-9, this game is not over yet!
7 minutes to go and the sides were level again when Cillian Morrison won possession and got fouled in the process and raised his hand for the Advanced Mark, Morrisson took the free and got the point and a level game once again.
2 minutes to go and both sides traded points to make 2-14 to 3-11, which would suffice for St Brendan's to reach the Quarter Finals, Sub James McGee was on hand to allow Luke 'The Miracle Worker' McDonagh to make yet another miracle happen for side with an equalising point.
Morrisson wanted the win and his shot was saved for a 45 which John Burns converted to give St Brendan's a one point lead, but there were a few more twists in the closing stages.
Stephen Durkan saw a shot fall short and St Patrick's Palmerstown worked the ball up field to hit and equalising score, St Brendan's were getting desperate and had 13 men behind the ball as St Patrick's Palmerstown tried to seize victory, they dropped two free in's short and a shot was saved for a 45. St Patrick's Palmerstown, thinking it was the last kick of the game three minutes into injury time, took his shot and riled on by the massive home support, the ball sailed over the bar to send the home side into raptures and St Brendan's hearts broken.
But there was still 30 seconds left in injury time. Eoghan Cloghers kick out was crucial and kick a pin point shot to John Burns who won the Mark. Seeing Conor Doherty on his own and unmarked and with the adrenaline pumping, Burns played his shot at Doherty.
Then time stood still.
Conor Doherty went one on one with the goalkeeper, he then jinked to his left and left the goalkeeper in no man's land. There was Doherty, ten meters in front of a wide open goal, he continued his solo run and five meters in, he went for placement and prompt buried the ball into the Palmerstown net.
Then time returned to normal.
Conor Doherty turned away in celebration as the rest of the St Brendan's players jumped in absolute jubilation and the St Patrick's Palmerstown players crestfallen. Aran O'Dowd took off his tracksuit top and waved it over in head in celebration as the players ran to Conor Doherty, the hero of the hour. What a finish to an absolute pulsating game which had more action in about 10 championship games, crammed into 1.
The result meant that St Brendan's are in the Quarter Finals of the Intermediate Club Championship and, at the time of writing, we don't know who we are playing, but regardless, the game will be away.
Final score from Glenauline Park, St Brendan's 4-12 St Patrick's Palmerstown 2-16.
Now. Breathe.
