Carnaross best in a thriller

Carnaross won the Premier FC Div 4 title at Pairc Tailteann this morning with a thrilling 2-13 to 1-11 victory over Seneschalstown.

There was drama and excitement throughout a lively contest and each side finished with 14 men as it all got a bit heated in the closing stages.

Referee Shan Gahan dealt with what was a series of off-the-ball exchanges by issuing red to Seneschalstown's 50th minute substitute Cormac Mullen only a couple of minutes after his introduction.

Cormac Yore of Carnaross also departed arising out of the same incident.

The message got through to the players and sufficient calm was restored to produce that edge-of-the-seat conclusion after a mighty tussle.

Seneschalstown were playing catch up at that stage of the game as they trailed by four points, 1-8 to 1-12.

Three unanswered points from Brendan Lynch (free), Ross Mullen and Cormac Noonan reduced the deficit to the minimum as the clock ticked into added time.

Both teams were visibly wilting form the exertions of the previous 60 minutes, but Carnaross managed a point from club stalwart John L McGee, it was his seventh and can be attributed to the experience he has built up over many years.

There was more to come from the Carnaross veteran, but it tested the energy levels to the maximum.

Seneschalstown went in search of a goal, but a determined Carnaross defence broke up the attack.

Another veteran of many campaigns, Brian Comaskey, launched a relieving clearance deep into the Seneschalstown half.

McGee raced on to the ball and soccer-style got his shot away, Brian Boyd parried the effort, but Shane Yore was on hand to finish to the net.

It was a fitting end to a dramatic decider during which each side enjoyed periods of dominance.

Carnaross were ahead by three points (1-7 to 1-4) at the interval with Shane Casserly's 21st minute goal augmented by points from Cormac Yore (four frees), a brace from McGee (one free) and one by Daniel Roche.

Seneschalstown dictated the opening exchanges and a 17th minute Ross Howard goal gave them a 1-4 to 0-2 advantage.

The points were from Howard, Brendan Lynch (free), Ross Mullen and Steven Dillon, but they didn't score again until two minutes into the second-half.

Carnaross controlled the third-quarter and were ahead by 1-12 to 1-7 at the second water break as McGee (four) and Killian Porter sent over.

Lynch (two) and Mullen sustained a faltering Seneschalstwon challenge, but the Furze men were more lively after the water break.

Noonan's point kick-started the revival, the red cards halted the action briefly, and when it resumed Seneschalstown were denied the silverware by a determined Carnaross effort.

SCORERS

Carnaross - John L McGee 0-7 three frees; Cormac Yore 0-4 frees; Shane Casserly 1-0; Shane Yore 1-0; Killian Porter 0-1; Daniel Roche 0-1.

Seneschalstown - Ross Howard 1-1; Brendan Lynch 0-4 three frees; Ross Mullen 0-3 one free; Cormac Noonan 0-2; Steven Dillon 0-1.

TEAMS

Carnaross - Shane McNiffe; Peter Farrelly, Daniel Roche, Sean Carpenter; Sam Reynolds, Tom Carpenter, Shane Yore; Richard Mulvey, Cormac Yore; Thomas Nugent, Shane Casserly, Dean Connell; Brian Comaskey, John L McGee, Killian Porter. Subs - Colm Carpenter for Nugent 57 mins, Stephen Dawson for Porter and Ryan McGlynn for Casserly both 60m.

Seneschalstown - Brian Boyd; Peter Tierney, Louie Healy, Fraser Thom; David Fox, Steven Dillon, Colin Walsh; Cormac Noonan, Daire Finnegan; Ross Mullen, Joe Cowley, Brendan Lynch; Ross Howard, Rory O'Connor, Liam Maguire. Subs - James Byrne for Fox 23 mins, Cormac Duffy for Dillon 41m, Daire Walsh for Thom 43m, Cormac Mullen for C Walsh 52m.

Referee - Sean Gahan (Ratoath).