Clara show real character to grind out tough win over resilient Cappincur

CLARA certainly answered any historical questions that may arise about their character and ability to grind out results in tough games when they survived a very stern examination from Cappincur in a fiercely fought Senior “B” Football Championship semi-final in Daingean on Friday evening.

Tullamore Court Hotel Senior “B” Football Championship semi-final

Clara 2-11

Cappincur 2-7

On a horrible evening for football, especially in the first half when rain fell almost the whole way, Clara turned around a 1-7 to 1-6 half time deficit into a 2-11 to 2-7 win and were well worth their place in the final.

It wasn't simple and it could have went wrong for them but they played very well in the second half. The most pleasing aspect for their management will be the way Clara responded when Jason Gethings punched Cappincur's only second half score, a 49^th minute goal.

That gave Cappincur a 2-7 to 1-8 lead and even though there was a long way to go and the losers were clearly gone into the red, this was the type of game that Clara have lost in recent years. On this occasion, however, they stood up to be counted all over the field and they were relentless in the closing ten minutes plus.

A punched goal from the outstanding Marcas Dalton with eight minutes left settled their frayed nerves and Clara pushed for home, leaving Cappincur floundering. Carl Stewart, Myles Handy and Barry Egan all kicked points to leave them four up with three minutes of normal time plus three of injury time left.

Cappincur were never likely to manage two scores late on and Clara were able to close out the deal with a degree of comfort but their overwhelming emotion on the final whistle was relief and gentle satisfaction rather than any outburst on joy.

It was very much a case of job done for Clara as this floodlit fixture in very tricky weather conditions was something of a lottery. Cappincur had beaten Clara in last year's semi-final and they expected Cappincur's challenge to be every bit as tough as it was.

It also went somewhat as expected as Cappincur simply didn't have the legs in the second half and one score, even if that was a goal, was never going to be enough. Not only that but they rarely threatened to score, though Cappincur almost got a second goal when the superb Christian McKeon made a great block to deny Bill Carroll in the 46^th minute.

Gethings' punched goal, from a Bill Carroll free that landed short, arrived three minutes later, and had Carroll got his one, it could well have propelled Cappincur to a famous win. The reality, however, was that they were fighting an uphill battle almost the entire second half with Clara having the bulk of possession and it was only a matter of time before the roof fell in on them.

Yet Cappincur can be very proud of the way they performed. They gave it their all and lady luck frowned on them when their former county stalwart Eoin Carroll had to depart at half time with a possible concussion after sustaining a heavy knock in the first half. Carroll had been so solid and effective in the middle and Cappincur just could not afford his loss.

His younger brother Bill Carroll played the full game but it was his first start and he was not as influential as he usually would be, though he was still a big factor in Cappincur being so close. He has been battling injury the whole season and a fully fit Bill Carroll would surely have been worth another couple of points to them.

An eleventh minute goal from Christian McKeon gave Clara a 1-1 to 0-1 lead but Cappincur were the better team for most of the first half, playing close to their best. A great Bill Carroll goal in the 20^th minute when he cut in from the right and blasted to the net gave them a 1-4 to 1-2 lead.

Cappincur were very good in the first half and five points from their best player, Ciaran Farrell, two of them excellent two pointers, gave them a 1-7 to 1-6 half time lead that did not reflect how well they played.

With the wind favouring Clara in the second half, the odds very much favoured the title favourites but they made life difficult for themselves. They had four poor wides before Marcas Dalton got them going in the 36^th minute and a further nine minutes elapsed before the same player edged them in front.

Clara had almost all the play but to their credit, they didn't panic when things were going wrong. They stayed patient, kept doing the right thing and it paid off after Gethings' goal put them in severe danger of a soul destroying defeat.

The evening ended badly for Cappincur when powerful midfielder Adam Galvin was red carded just before the final whistle for a very heavy hit on Conor Doyle, who played well – in great form as Offaly won the All-Ireland U20 Hurling Championship in 2024, Doyle was badly dazed and shook as he was helped to the sideline and Clara will be hoping that it isn't a concussion injury, which could impact his availability for the final next weekend. The red card means Galvin will miss the first round of next year's championship.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Christian McKeon (Clara): A tough call between Christian McKeon and Marcas Dalton. Dalton was outstanding, driving his side on and scoring 1-2. McKeon gets the selection by a whisker. He scored a goal and made a great block to deny Bill Carroll. He got forward well and was rock solid defensively.

Adam Kelly also deserves a mention. He has turned a big corner for Clara this year and was badly missed in the Ballinagar defeat when he was suspended. He was particularly good here when Clara needed leadership and he had another very solid, hard working game.

Cappincur's Ciaran Farrell was also a contender, scoring those five first half points and doing a lot of work in a more defensive second half role.

THE SCORERS

Clara: Marcas Dalton 1-2, Christian McKeon 1-0, Cormac Delaney 0-2 (1f and 1 '45), Conor Doyle, Myles Handy, Graham Guilfoyle, Adam Kelly, Carl Stewart, Barry Egan, Josh Fleming (f) 0-1 each.

Cappincur: Ciaran Farrell 0-5 (2 x 2p), Jason Gethings and Bill Carroll 1-0 each, Ger Treacy (f) and Peter Norris 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

CLARA: Adam Scanlon; Alan Gavin, Christian McKeon, Darragh McKeon; Conor Doyle, Marcas Dalton, Carl Stewart; David Falsey, Graham Guilfoyle; Cormac Delaney, Adam Kelly, Conor Egan; Barry Egan, Josh Fleming, Thomas Deehan. Subs –Myles Handy for Conor Egan (38m), Ed Cullen for Falsey (38m), Jack Reynolds for Deehan (53m), Ryan Carroll for Stewart (56m), Robert Mitchell for Barry Egan (60m.

CAPPINCUR: David Graham;, Hubert Healion Diarmuid Carroll, Darragh Norris; Sean Graham, Brion Carroll, Sean Flynn; Eoin Carroll, Adam Galvin; Ciaran Farrell, Sean Courtney, Bill Carroll; Ger Treacy, Jason Gethings, Peter Norris. Subs – David Carroll for Eoin Carroll, inj, (HT), Tommy Leavy for Flynn (38m), Andrew Strong for Norris (56m),

Referee – Eamon O'Connor, Ballycommon.

REFEREE WATCH

Eamon O'Connor handled it well, applying the rules consistently and fairly.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

The block Christian McKeon made on Bill Carroll and Mascas Dalton's goal were two huge moments here.

VENUE WATCH

Once again, Daingean had their facilities in great order and there new floodlights are top class. They managed the large crowd very well and had loads of stewards.

The Friday night fixture under lights was a questionable one for a game of this magnitude. No matter how good lights are, a semi-final in the second most important football championship in Offaly really should have a day time fixture unless absolutely unavoidable. It was fixed on Friday to facilitate a Clara wedding on Saturday. It was right to accommodate Clara by not playing this as a double bill with the Ballinagar v Daingean semi-final on Saturday – they would usually be played together.

However, the game really should have been played as a curtain raiser to the senior football final on Sunday then with the junior “B” final replay either switched to Saturday or given a Friday evening fixture – maybe finances came into play in the decision to have this as a stand-alone fixture but sore heads certainly should not have been a factor in not giving it the afternoon setting it merited.

WHAT'S NEXT

Clara go into the final while Cappincur's season is over.

STATISTICS

Wides: Clara – 11 (3 in first half); Cappincur – 4 (3 in first half).

Yellow cards: Cappincur – 1 (Sean Flynn); Clara – (Graham Guilfoyle).

Black cards: 0

Red cards: Clara – 0; Cappicnur – 1 (Adam Galvin).