Corcoran points the way to title

Drumbaragh footballers finished the year on a high with a sensational late victory in Sunday"s A FL Div 4 final against Kilbride at Seneschalstown. Kilbride played most of the game with 14 players following the dismissal of Robert Bruton and were surely left with the empty feeling after Drumbaragh"s Noel Corcoran pointed an injury-time winner. Even Mulder and Scully would be stretched to explain how Kilbride threw this game away. However, there was no need for the Kilbride players to take their frustrations out on referee Tom Lorton after the final whistle. Lorton was roughly manhandled by some of the Kilbride players and substitutes. An investigation into the incident could lead to some hefty suspensions. Kilbride claimed that many decisions went against them, and while they may have a case to argue against a few late decisions, they cannot blame Lorton for losing a game they should have won. Lorton dismissed Robert Bruton after 20 minutes, but that was a straightforward decision after the Kilbride man was involved in an off-the-ball incident. The referee also awarded Drumbaragh a penalty with six minutes remaining after Emmet Farrell fouled James Connolly when the forward was about to strike to the empty net. The two moments that most irked Kilbride came in injury-time and led to Drumbaragh"s equaliser and then their winner. A quick kick-out by the impressive Willie Arkins, following a David Harford point, didn"t travel 13 metres, but Lorton didn"t spot it. Play continued and the lively Colm Carry pointed to restore parity. Then three minutes into injury-time Colm Carry was fouled close to the right sideline, a decision Kilbride disagreed with. Noel Corcoran took lofted over superbly. Kilbride let the game slip from their grasp despite being the best team and playing with only 14 men for the majority of the contest. Craig Sheridan, John Bruton, Jeff Sheridan, Harford and Martin Brady were magnificent for Kilbride, but Drumbaragh"s hunger and determination sustained enough momentum for that late escape. Drumbaragh started well with McCormack lofting over after good play by Mark Smith and Colm Carry, but it wasn"t until the ninth minute that they doubled their advantage when John Smith pointed a free from more than 40 metres. In the following four minutes Kilbride took over and their superior fitness and greater attacking threat had the Drumbaragh defence at sea. Harford won a free following a brilliant pass from Brian White who then converted. White fisted a point seconds later and by the end of the opening quarter Kilbride were ahead when Harford pointed a free after William Carry had fouled Paddy O"Neill. The outstanding Brady thwarted everything Drumbaragh could muster, but a rare mistake in the Kilbride defence allowed Colm Carry win possession and set up Peter Carry for a fisted point to level the game, 0-3 each. Four minutes later Robert Bruton was sent off for lashing out at John Smith, but it was still all Kilbride as a White brace gave them a 0-5 to 0-3 lead before Corcoran pointed a 21-metre free to leave Drumbaragh just a point behind at the break. Any fear of Kilbride running out of steam after the resumption never materialised. John Bruton stretched their lead inside 90 seconds of the restart, but Colm Carry finished an excellent move which involved John Smith and Seanie Bennett to narrow the deficit again. By the end of the third-quarter Kilbride were in pole position. Arkins brilliantly deflected a dipping Craig Sheridan point attempt over the bar before John Bruton"s sublime pointed sideline from almost 45 metres pushed Kilbride 0-8 to 0-5 clear. It didn"t look like being Drumbaragh"s day when John Smith missed an easy 25-metre free, but he redeemed himself a minute later with a superb pointed free, again from almost 40 metres. Kilbride almost netted when Joe Barron got close to Harford"s poor point attempt, but they still didn"t look in danger. That was until a fine move which involved Colm Carry and Peter Carry resulted in Connolly being fouled by Farrell for the penalty. Bennett"s penalty was almost saved, but Farrell"s despairing dive was in vain as Drumbaragh went ahead again, 1-6 to 0-8. Another magnificent point from a sideline by Harford restored parity and when Harford opted to take his point instead of risking going for goal on the hour mark to make it 0-10 to 1-6 it looked like the safe option. However, Drumbaragh"s passion drove them on and in dramatic circumstances they got late points from Colm Carry and Corcoran"s brilliant free to claim the title. SCORERS Drumbaragh - S Bennett 1-0 penalty; J Smith 0-2, two frees; N Corcoran 0-2, two frees; C Carry 0-2; G McCormack 0-1; P Carry 0-1. Kilbride - B White 0-4, two frees; D Harford 0-3, one free, one sideline; J Bruton 0-2, one sideline; C Sheridan 0-1. THE TEAMS Drumbaragh - W Arkins; T Lynch, B Forde, M Kavanagh; E Nulty, C Lynch, W Carry; J Smith, M Smith; P Carry, N Corcoran, G McCormack; C Carry, S Bennett, J Connolly. Kilbride - E Farrell; P Roche, M Brady, N Farrelly; P O"Neill, D Barron, R Bruton; J Bruton, C Sheridan; J Sheridan, B White, F Clarke; D Harford, O Nolan, J Barron. Subs - M Sheridan for Nolan 40 mins, C Rennicks for Barron 56m. REFEREE Tom Lorton (Simonstown)