Neither side deserved to lose says victorious Owen Roes manager

By Niall Gartland

VICTORIOUS OWEN Roes manager Paddy Campbell said it was a pity that penalties were required to decide a thrilling Intermediate Championship semi-final against Gortin on Saturday night.

The post-match scenes couldn’t have been more contrasting as the Owen Roes players rushed to mob Ryan McAleer, whose winning spot kick has sent his team into next weekend’s final showdown against Moortown.

The Gortin players watched on despondently as their opponents savoured a very special victory. They’d given absolutely everything for the cause as they reeled in a six-point deficit in the first-half, so it was easy to understand why they were so crestfallen by the turn of events.

Paddy Campbell said: “Gortin were brilliant, and nothing more could be said about their heart and character. Gortin deserved something out of the game. They didn’t deserve to lose and nor to we, but it just had to go to penalties.

“We’d a great start to the game, but when we conceded a goal in the second-half it put us on the backfoot. They went into the lead a couple of times and we hauled it back as well, so it was a great game for the spectators. I’m sure it was intriguing but as I said, neither team deserved to lose.”

Conor O’Neill, Cathal McShane, Seamus Dooher and Ryan McAleer all held their nerve superbly from their spot-kicks to send their side into the final. The game ebbed and flowed throughout, and their composure from the spot was remarkable given so much was at stake for the Leckpatrick club.

Campbell said: “Our boys struck class penalties. Gortin hit a couple over the bar and it was very unfair to go out that way. We’d practicsed them but it was more so for fun at the end of training. Ruairi Boyle was going to take one but didn’t get a chance, Macca’s a defender too, but we trusted them to decide themselves who should take them.”