Mighty Quinn earns draw for Annaghdown

St. James' eight-point lead reeled in during championship opener

St James’ 0-20

Annaghdown 1-17

By Stephen Glennon

At Kenny Park

A POACHER'S goal and a two-pointer from super substitute Conor Quinn in injury-time clawed back a five-point deficit and earned Annaghdown a share of the spoils over St James’ in this topsy-turvy Senior Football Championship Group 4 tie on Saturday evening.

Quinn’s late salvo capped off a fine final quarter for an Annaghdown outfit which trailed by eight points, 0-16 to 0-8, after 38 minutes, having struggled at times to get their hands on primary possession.

Indeed, St James’ will be kicking themselves that they didn’t see this one out, given they led for most of the fixture. Full-forward Jack Nolan was to the fore in this respect, landing three two-pointers, two from play, along with singles from a dead ball and play.

Yet, while St James’ were aided by a slight breeze in the first half, it was Annaghdown that started much the brighter, registering three unanswered points through the outstanding Olan Kelly, Darragh Hegarty and Stephen Curley (free) in the opening five minutes.

By the end of the first quarter though, the momentum had shifted in St James’ favour, as they led 0-8 to 0-4. The turnaround was fuelled by a series of two-pointers – four in all – from Paul Conroy (free), Jack O’Neill and Jack Nolan (free and play).

Annaghdown’s Diarmuid Kilcommins and Olan Kelly did reply with singles midway through the opening half, but St James continued to power on as Daniel McNulty, Kevin Hourigan, Dessie Hynes and Nolan, with another impressive two-pointer, tallied a series of unanswered scores to see the city side lead 0-13 to 0-6 at the break.

Although Annaghdown did enjoy the elements in the second period, St James’ held their opponents at arms’ length for most of the third quarter as McNulty, Brian Kane, O’Neill and Nolan (free) responded to similar efforts from Kilcommins (two-pointer), Ethan Forde, Curley (free) and sub Conor Quinn.

Heading into the final quarter – and given St James’ stranglehold on the middle third – it was difficult to envisage Annaghdown getting anything from this tie. That they did was a testament to their fight until the end.

Goalkeeper James Healy (free), John McDonnell and Curley converted in a run of five unanswered Annaghdown points midway through the half, before Curley (free) and St James’ duo O’Neill and sub Ruairí King exchanged points as full-time approached.

When Nolan finished off a great St James’ move with a neat point to push his side five clear, 0-20 to 0-15, on 58th minute, that appeared to be game, set and match. However, Annaghdown were not willing to concede defeat just yet.

On the stroke of full-time, a Kilcommins free in was greeted by Galway’s Damien Comer, whose connection rebounded off the crossbar down to the grateful hands of Quinn who forced the ball over the line for a poacher’s goal.

With four minutes of injury-time to play, and just two behind, Annaghdown were imbued with a new sense of purpose and, with the second last kick of the contest, the mighty Quinn landed a two-pointer to level up affairs and secure Norman O’Brien’s charges a share of the spoils.

A crucial result for Annaghdown, but disappointment for St James who will bemoan not taking the full points on offer when they appeared to be certain of victory coming down the home stretch.

ANNAGHDOWN: J. Healy (0-1, free); J. Creaven, M. Duggan, J. O’Neill; O. Kelly (0-3), D. Hegarty (0-1), R. Gleeson; J. McDonnell (0-1), Diarmuid Kilcommins (0-3, one 0-2 score); E. Forde (0-1), R. Duggan, J. Lynn; E. Newell, D. Comer, S. Curley (0-4, 0-3 frees). Subs: C. Quinn (1-3, one 0-2 score), for Lynn, 37 mins; C. Heavey, for Creaven, 40 mins; R. Sheridan, for M Duggan, 45 mins; J. Dowd, for Forde inj., 58 mins.

ST JAMES’: J. Egan; J. Folan, E. Moran, E. Finnerty; K. Hourigan (0-1), J. Duane, D. McNulty (0-2); P. Conroy (0-2, 0-2 free), J. O’Neill (0-4, one 0-2 score); D. Masterson, J. Culligan, D. Hynes (0-1); J. Ryan, J. Nolan (0-8, two 0-2 scores, one 0-2 free, 0-1 free), B. Kane (0-1). Subs: A. Connolly, for Kane, 46 mins; R. King (0-1), for Culligan, 51 mins.

REFEREE: Paddy Ó Gríofa.

HERALD SPORT MAN OF THE MATCH:

Olan Kelly (Annaghdown).