Clinton’s haul all but seals Delvin’s survival

Delvin 3-15, Fr Daltons 3-14

By Paul Hughes

After three consecutive heavy defeats following their return to the SHC ‘A’, Delvin look set to survive in the top flight after edging an unofficial relegation playoff against Fr Daltons at TEG Cusack Park last Sunday.

The odds favoured the reverse after 20 minutes, when Fr Daltons led by three goals and seemed likely to join Lough Lene Gaels, Raharney and Clonkill in subjecting the Maroons to a beating north of 20 points.

However, Patrick Clune notched a crucial 21st-minute goal for the Valley and they fought back to trail by only two at the interval (3-6 to 1-10). Meanwhile, Daltons lost their edge and racked up the wides, posting a telling total of 16 by the final whistle.

Despite their profligacy, the Ballymore men led by four with ten minutes remaining, but a quickfire brace of goals from Delvin man of the match Darragh Clinton – who finished with 2-11 – turned the tables completely.

In a heart-stopping finish to a pulsating encounter, Delvin held a one-point lead when Fr Daltons star Owen McCabe missed a scoreable free. The Valley prevailed by a whisker, leaving Fr Daltons needing a win against Clonkill to have any hope of forcing a playoff and avoiding immediate relegation to senior ‘B’.

After a tit-for-tat opening 12 minutes, the sides were locked at 0-4 apiece with Darragh Clinton (three frees) and Enda Newman finding their range for Delvin, and Owen McCabe (0-3, including a fine long-range score) and Eoin Nally replying for Daltons.

However, the Ballymore men looked far more dangerous and after combining with John Gilligan, McCabe breached the Delvin defence, but his tame shot was saved by Delvin netminder Stephen Reilly. Reilly almost lost control of the sliotar before Seán Hoctor came to the rescue and cleared.

The Maroons countered with Clinton dividing the posts brilliantly from the wing, but Daltons responded with the game’s first goal on 14 minutes, as more terrific work from Gilligan set McCabe up to rifle past Reilly.

The floodgates then opened, with Padraig Nestor’s lovely score from the terrace side followed by a 55-metre point from Ronan McLoughlin amid poor Delvin marking.

The Valley’s full-back line was vulnerable under the high ball and was punished on 16 minutes when Gilligan grasped the incoming sliotar, turned his marker and found the net. By now, five of Daltons’ six starting forwards had scored.

Delvin found brief respite when Clinton converted a ‘65’ won after Josh Coll’s delivery unsettled the Daltons defence. In the 19th minute, however, McLoughlin ran through unimpeded at the other end to drive low to the Delvin net, with Gilligan again providing the assist.

All at sea, Delvin almost conceded a fourth goal moments later when Reilly spilled Brian McCabe’s delivery, but they cleared the danger.

Nine adrift (3-6 to 0-6), the Maroons needed a miracle, and it arrived courtesy of Patrick Clune. A curling sideline ball from Clinton ricocheted off the upright, and Clune was on hand to drive home the rebound from close range.

At the other end, Gilligan and McCabe almost combined again, but McCabe kicked wide. As the Ballymore men missed with greater frequency, Delvin’s confidence grew.

Josh Coll pointed after a superb intervention before Clinton’s 21-metre free was deflected wide. Clinton converted the resulting ‘65’, added a free, and Coll chalked up a second point to leave two between the sides at the end of a hugely entertaining first half.

Before the whistle, Daltons had further goal chances. Jack Kearney’s 25th-minute shot went just wide, and in stoppage time, Kearney’s dipping ball was flicked to the net by Padraig Nestor, only for referee Mick Murtagh to disallow the goal for an infringement.

Daltons had posted seven wides by half time and that tally increased to nine shortly after the restart. McCabe resumed the scoring with a free, but by the 38th minute, Delvin cut the deficit to one with two Clinton frees.

The Maroons then hit an untimely patchy spell, misfiring with five wides, including a goal chance for Paddy Farrington. With ten minutes to go, Daltons led by four following scores from McCabe (2) and Gilligan, with McCabe’s second point coming after Gilligan was hooked en route to goal.

With time running out, the Valley came to life when Clinton was redeployed to the edge of the square. The move yielded immediate benefits when Farrington turned the ball over and picked Clinton out with a long ball. The former Westmeath star turned his marker and drilled a low 20-metre shot past Daltons ‘keeper Eoin Moran.

Moments later, Farrington and Clinton combined again for the latter to battle past the Daltons rearguard and finish powerfully to the net. Suddenly, Delvin led 3-12 to 3-10.

After Clinton (two frees) and sub Ciaran Fenlon traded scores with McCabe (two frees and a magnificent strike from the halfway line), Delvin retained a two-point cushion in stoppage time. But two minutes into added time, McCabe came up trumps for Daltons again with a monster score from 70 metres, leaving the minimum between the sides.

With time almost up, Daltons were awarded a controversial free and a chance to clinch a draw after Patrick Clune was adjudged to have fouled Ivan Smyth. With enormous pressure on his shoulders, McCabe had the range from 65 metres but his shot veered to the right and wide.

With Delvin all but safe, Fr Daltons have it all to do in their final outing to keep their survival hopes alive.

Scorers - Delvin: D Clinton 2-11 (0-8f, 0-2 ‘65’), P Clune 1-0, J Coll 0-2, E Newman and C Fenlon 0-1 each. Fr Daltons: O McCabe 1-10 (0-7f), J Gilligan and R McLoughlin 1-1 each, P Nestor and E Nally 0-1 each.

Delvin: Stephen Reilly; Seán Hoctor, Adam Ennis, Jack Forde; Tadhg Horan, Alan Cox, Paddy Ryan; Josh Coll, Paddy Farrington; Enda Newman, Darragh Clinton, Aaron Fenlon; Luke Coll, Fintan Cox, Patrick Clune. Sub used: Ciaran Fenlon for L Coll (41).

Fr Daltons: Eoin Moran; Eoin Ryan, Brian McCabe, Eoghan Bannon; Ronan Hanley, Ciaran Clear, Patrick Kiernan; Colm O’Roarke, Jack Kearney; Padraig Nestor, Ivan Smyth, Ronan McLoughlin; John Gilligan, Owen McCabe, Eoin Nally.

Subs used: Ben Martin for Kiernan (43), Brian Finerty for McLoughlin (inj., 48).

Referee: Mick Murtagh (Clonkill).