Intermediate Football Championship semi-final: St Colmcille’s (Meath) 3-11 Pomeroy Plunkett’s (Tyrone) 2-13
TYRONE champions Pomeroy lost out in an epic All-Ireland Club IFC semi-final at the Athletic Grounds.
Their heroic comeback fell just short as they battled from eight points behind to go three ahead, only to have their dream crushed by a late goal that sent the Meath men into the Croke Park decider.
This was a game to savour, a thrilling roller-coaster that captivated an appreciative audience at the Armagh venue, delivering generously in terms of excitement and quality as it careered through countless twists and turns on its way to a quite devastating conclusion for the Ulster champions Had the inspirational Kieran McGeary been able to give his all for 60 minutes, the outcome could well have been greater.
He was forced off injured after 12 minutes with his side a point ahead.
The All-Ireland U21-winning captain was able to return to the action four minutes into the second half, but in the meantime the Meath men had moved into a seven-point lead.
McGeary was instrumental in dragging the Plunkett’s back into contention, with Frank Burns doing the business on the scoreboard, yet Pomeroy were left to wonder what might have been.
“It was a hell of a game of football, went right to the wire, and it was just a desperate way to lose a game,” said Pomeroy captain Hugh Pat McGeary.
“We gave it everything we could. Kieran went of injured, and a team has to adapt to those sort of situations. We missed a lot during the game, we probably weren’t clinical enough in the first half, and let them slip into a bit of a lead.”
McGeary reflected on the goal conceded at the start of the second half, and the comeback which followed.
“Even though we let them in for a goal, we came out in the second half and came with all guns blazing. “We played our hearts out and that’s all we can really do, it just went against us on the day.
“We do hold our heads high. We’re Ulster champions, at the end of the day, but we would have liked to get to Croke Park too with the club.
“Adrian (O’Donnell) and Mark (Harte), the managers, have taken us to a different level. It showed there in the second half. They’re two brilliant men, and I wish them all the success in the future.”
Graham Reilly’s influence was a huge factor in the opening half, the Meath star stamping his authority on the game with ball retention and distribution, but it was the exciting Conlon who tormented the Plunkett’s defence.
Pomeroy went ahead through John Loughran and Kieran McGeary, but the latter was forced off by injury after kicking his second score, a huge blow to the Tyrone champions. Reilly steered over a couple of frees, before Conlon gave the Leinster champions the lead for the first time in the 15th minute.
Pomeroy were coming under increasing pressure at the back, but an inspiring score from skipper Hugh Pat McGeary lifted the spirits.
They pressed for a spell, and Ciaran McKenna and Christopher Colhoun both had shots on goal blocked and cleared to safety.
However, they conceded a 23rd-minute goal, Reilly and Conlon the creators, setting up the opportunity for David O’Byrne to hit the net with an angled finish.
Pomeroy were struggling to cope with the physical presence of the Meath men who grew in confidence with a couple of delightful Conlon points sending them in with a 1-7 to 0-5 interval lead.
Reilly crossed for Conlon to punch home a second goal just after the restart, and now it looked impossible for Pomeroy.
But with Kieran McGeary back in the game and his brother Hugh Pat probing from deep, the tide turned.
Burns, who had failed to score in the first half, helped himself to 1-5, including a penalty goal following a foul on Chris Colhoun, whose 56th minute points pushed the Plunkett’s three ahead.
But St Colmcille’s sub Conor O’Byrne smashed home a spectacular goal, and the advantage was back with the Bettystown men, who held out to book their ticket to Croke where they’ll meet Westport after the Mayo champions needed extra-time to see off Kenmare of Kerry 1-10 to 0-11.
MATCH STATS
Pomeroy: J McCourt; B Burns, C McKenna, S Quinn; D Nugent, HP McGeary (0-1), M McKeever; J Loughran (1-1), R Loughran (0-1); K McGeary (0-3), O McCreesh, F Burns (1-5, 1-0 pen, 0-3 frees), G Goodfellow, C Colhoun (0-1), K Armstrong Subs: J McCaffrey (0-1 free) for K McGeary, A Woods for Quinn, K McGeary for Nugent, Black card: McCreesh replaced by R Lagan
St Colmcille’s: J Brown; A Lynch, J McDonnell, C Ward; E Woods, I Mullen, J Sweeney; D Sheerin, R McCloskey (0-1); C Hillard, B Brennan (0-2 frees), D O’Byrne (1-1); G Reilly (0-4, 0-2 frees), N Ronan, J Conlon (1-3). Subs: C O’Byrne (1-0) for Hillard, D McMahon for Woods, J Reynolds for O’Byrne, B Mullen for McDonnell Black card: Ward replaced by J Cavanagh
Referee: J Molloy (Galway).
