SÉAMAS Ó Muircheartaigh had been substituted close to the end of Saturday's Hogan Cup semi-final in Nenagh, but in the third minute of injury-time he came back in to kick a 45-metre free off the ground and over the bar to bring holders Pobalcoil Chorca Dhuibhne level and into 20 minutes of extra-time against St Patrick's, Cavan.
It was a super pressure score - but were there three minutes of injury-time and was the foul a soft one?
Whatever the view on those questions, that score was the turning point in the game and the Dingle school held their nerve in extra-time to win 1-14 to 1-11 and clinch a place in the final with Roscommon CBS, who defeated Good Counsel, New Ross 0-10 to 0-8.
Cavan had a lapse of concentration in first half injury-time as well, just after going 1-3 to 0-5 ahead with a point from Thomas Edward Donohue.
Brian Ó Beaglaoich put in a man-ofthe-match performance for the holders at centre-half back, bursting forward to cause problems in a game where the scoring was dominated by frees.
Ó Beaglaoich won a free and Conchúir Ó Géibheannaigh pointed to level. But there was still time for a burst from the centre-half, a foul and a quick free that was moved to Cathal Ó Bambaire for a goal.
It took Cavan a while to break the holders down during the second half against the breeze, but patience paid off in the last quarter with two frees each from Donohue and Smith and a fisted point from Daragh Kennedy edging them 1-10 to 1-9 ahead with time running out.
It went to extra-time however and points from Seán Ó Gairbhia, Conchúir Ó Géibheannaigh (two) and Ó Muircheartaigh took the champions through.
Brendan Argue fisted the Cavan goal on 13 minutes for a 1-2 to 0-2 lead, but their wide count was eight at half-time and that wastage, allied to the Kerry side's late scores in each half, contributed to the MacRory Cup winners' downfall.
MATCH STATS
Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne: L De Bhailís;
C Ó Súilleabháin, T Ó Súilleabháin, C Ó Murchú; A Ó Conchúir, B Ó Beaglaioch (0-1),
T Ó Súilleabháin; M Ó Conchúir, P Mac An tSíthigh; PJ Mac Láimh (0-1), S Ó Gairbhia (0-2), G Ó Brosnacháin; C Ó Géibheannaigh (0-7, 0-6 frees), S Ó Muircheartaigh (0-3, 0-2 frees),
C Ó Bambaire (1-0).
Subs: R Ó Mainnín for Ó Brosnacháin (48),
T Mac an tSíthigh for Ó Bambaire (55),
L Ó Brosnacháin for Ó Muircheartaigh (58),
S Ó Muircheartaigh for Mac Láimh (63).
St Patrick's, Cavan: F O'Rourke; D Lunney,
D Monaghan, L Fortune; D Kennedy (0-1),
C McManus, JJ McGovern; T Galligan, B Argue (1-0); P Smith (0-4, 0-3 frees), P Leddy, D Brady; B Conaty 0-1, TE Donohue (0-4 frees), C Smith. Subs: R O'Neill for Leddy (22), S Fortune for McGovern (42), B Sheannon for C Smith (52),
B McKiernan for Argue (56), P O'Reilly 0-1 for
L Fortune (68), T Galligan for Kennedy (70). Referee: F Kelly (Longford).