Carson goal rescues a draw for Greencastle

Greencastle 1-3 Moy 0-6

AN unforgettable end to a quickly forgettable contest!

Greencastle stood on the cusp of a hugely frustrating exit from the Intermediate Championship at blustery Plunkett Park on Saturday afternoon when five minutes into injury time, Conor Carson swooped in a crowded square to fist home an equalising goal to send this dour semi-final to a replay.

It was the least the St Patrick’s deserved having bossed much of the exchanges but they looked set to pay a painful prize for a whole litany of wasted opportunities until that dramatic moment right at the death.

Across the hour the likes of Daniel Tuohey, Micael McCann and Sean Warnock battled manfully in the Greencastle cause but they registered over twice as many wides as Moy (11-5) and also dropped a handful of other efforts short, to leave the Tir na Nogs set to be the grateful beneficiaries of such profligacy.

Moy have been down this route before on several occasions in recent years and despite a spluttering showing by their own high standards, it still appeared that the experience and assurance of Sean Cavanagh, Eunan Deeney and captain Declan Conroy would be sufficient to see them across the winning line, but it wasn’t to be.

There was more bookings than scores in the early exchanges, Greencastle struggling to avail of the strong wind at their backs. Cahir McCullagh eventually swung over a beauty from out on the left wing in the 13th minute to set them on their way and Sean Connelly doubled that advantage shortly afterwards with a sweet strike from around the 45m range.

Despite the best efforts of the Cavanagh brothers, Moy just couldn’t get anything going as an attacking force, as the action continued to drift along with no real excitement to get the crowd animated.

Coming up to half-time Greencastle launched a blistering counter-attack when Tuohey intercepted a sloppy pass from Colm Cavanagh and raced through. He teed up his colleague Enda Clarke surging up in support, but his effort trailed off wide.

And finally right on the half-time whistle a trademark finish from Sean Cavanagh, after selling his marker a shimmy to cut inside left it 0-2 to 0-1 in Greencastle’s favour at the break.

The previously subdued Michael Conroy belted over a 45m free to level matters up soon after the resumption, but McCullagh responded with a converted free at the other end.

Greencastle continued to probe and push for openings but got zero reward on the scoreboard, and instead it Moy captain Declan Conroy who took the initiative floating over two brilliant points.

A fine save by ‘Castle keeper Dara McDermott denied Matthew Laverty a goal but it still seemed Moy were set to prevail after half-back Jamie Coleman cleverly split the posts from an acute angle and Michael Conroy banged over a free to leave three in it.

That was the cue for a grandstand finish however with Greencastle frantically chasing an equalising goal. A few heroic goal-line blocks by Moy seemed to have preserved their cushion but in one last attack, the ball bounced around the square and that man Carson got his fist to it to find the net and keep Greencastle’s Championship dreams alive.