Remarkable revival just fails as bravehearts Ballymahon SS Longford beaten after extra-time

Tarbert Comprehensive School (Kerry) . . . 2-18  

Mercy Ballymahon Secondary School . . . 2-15 

Seven points adrift at the end of normal time, Mercy Ballymahon Secondary School appeared to be dead and buried against the might of Kerry opponents Tarbert CS in the All-Ireland Senior ‘C’ Football Championship semi-final at the excellent Clarecastle GAA grounds in County Clare on Saturday last. 

But the Ballymahon SS bravehearts enjoyed a new lease of life in the lengthy stoppage time of six additional minutes to stage a remarkable revival that yielded a couple of goals through  Conor Lynn and Oliver Manser to close the gap to just a single point, 2-13 to 2-12.

It was a fantastic finish and the courageous Ballymahon boys almost snatched what would have been a sensational win when Daniel Devlin had a point-blank goal attempt saved by the opposing keeper Stephen Kearney.

The rebound broke kindly into the path of Manser who slotted the ball over the bar for the equalising score to force extra-time and with Tabert down to 14 players following a black card for Fionn Mulvihill, the amazing comeback looked in a good position to materialise for the heroic South Longford school who were without injured defender Rian O’Boyle (Cashel).  

But Ballymahon SS suffered a big blow when Harry Byrne was sent-off after receiving a straight red card with five minutes gone in the extra-time period.

Tarbert CS now had the advantage of the extra man after Mulvihill was back on the astro turf pitch a minute later and the Munster champions finished the stronger to eventually come out on top by three points in a highly entertaining and exciting encounter that had everything.  

The main difference between the teams was the major impact made by the class act Tarbert CS attacker John Coolahan who clocked up the most impressive total of 1-9.   

MERCY BALLYMAHON SS: Darragh Egan (Carrickedmond); Harry Byrne (Kenagh), Daniel  Devlin (Grattans), Conor McHugh (Grattans); David Marlow (Tang), Sean Egan (Carrickedmond),Taylor Slevin (Tubberclair, 0-2, 1 ‘45); Sean Dillon (Milltown, 0-1), Daniel Galvin (Kenagh); Cormac McGann (Kenagh, 0-3), Conor Murtagh (Cashel, 0-3), Peter Ballesty (Milltown); Conor Lynn (Milltown, 1-1), Josh Kelly (Kenagh, 0-4, 4f), Oliver Manser (Kenagh, 1-1).  

Sub: (extra-time) - Tadhg Tiernan (Grattans) for D Devlin. 

TARBERT CS: Stephen Kearney; James Kissane, David Mulvihill, Matthew Quinn; Shane O’Gorman Stack, Callum Buckley, Evan Curry; Fionn Mulvihill, Patrick O’Connor (0-2); Caolan Moriarty (1-1, point from free), Shaun Wren (0-3, 1 free), John Coolahan (1-9, 1 mark); Michael Coolahan, Jamie Moloney, Paudie Finucane (0-1). 

Subs:- Tadhg O’Connell (44 mins, 0-1); Aaron White (56 mins); Cathal Byrne (stoppage time).

Extra-time:- Brendan O’Leary (0-1). 

Referee: John O’Connell (Clare).