Templenoe rally in extra time to defeat Shannon Rangers and reach ...

Leading by five points (1-10 to 0-8), after a superbly-taken goal by inter-county star Tadhg Morley, the club side looked home and dry heading into the closing stages of normal time. However, there was a late sting in the tail as their opponents would not admit defeat.

Substitute Breandán O’Neill and Jack Kennelly fired over points to reduce the deficit to three and, three minutes into injury-time, after Jason Foley’s long delivery into the danger zone was punched out by goalkeeper Mark Looney, Kevin Goulding was on hand to bury the rebound in the net (1-10 apiece).

Templenoe would have been gutted to have failed to see the game out, and when Kennelly pointed at the start of extra-time, Shannon Rangers had the momentum on their side. Running out of collective steam, however, the divisional outfit found that there wasn’t much left in the tank.

Upping the tempo, and showing great composure, Templenoe dominated from there to the finish, Brian Crowley (before his withdrawal through injury) and the improving Adrian Spillane particularly impressive. Sean Sheehan, John Rice and Kieran McCarthy provided the foundations around that.

With a fortnight’s break, Templenoe will use that time to work on Crowley, who had to be carried into the dressing-rooms at the end. Shannon Rangers haven’t long to dwell on this spirited defeat – they are out again next weekend for a do-or-die meeting with Rathmore.

Scorers for Templenoe: K Spillane (0-5, 2fs, 1mk), B Crowley (0-4), T Morley (1-0), K McCarthy, A Spillane (0-2 each), G Crowley, J Rice, C Crowley (0-1 each).

Scorers for Shannon Rangers: J Kennelly (0-7, 1mk, 3fs), K Goulding (1-0), J Coolahan, D Keane, J Foley, E Boyle, B O’Neill (0-1 each).

TEMPLENOE: M Looney; M Hallissey, K O’Neill, J Rice; M Casey, T Morley, K McCarthy; S Sheehan, G Crowley; C Crowley, J Crowley-Holland, A Spillane; K Spillane, B Crowley, A Crowley.

Subs: R O’Byrne for A Crowley (58), J Spillane for B Crowley, inj (73), D Crowley for Sheehan, inj (80), A Crowley for Casey (80+2).

SHANNON RANGERS: P Carmody (Tarbert); D Mulvihill (Tarbert), T O’Carroll (Ballydonoghue), J Gogarty (Ballydonoghue); B Mason (Ballydonoghue), J Foley (Ballydonoghue), K Goulding (Ballyduff); R Stack (Beale), J O’Sullivan (Ballyduff); A Segal (Ballyduff), E Boyle (Ballyduff), D Keane (Asdee); J Coolahan (Tarbert), J Kennelly (Ballydonoghue), L Rochford (Ballyduff).

Subs: D Wren (Tarbert) for Gogarty (47), S Wren (Tarbert) for Keane, inj (48), D Slattery (Ballyduff) for Mason (54), B O’Neill (Ballydonoghue) for Rochford (54), D Toomey (Beale) for O’Carroll, inj (58), C Toomey (Beale) for Boyle (67), D Stack (Tarbert) for O’Sullivan (71), L Guiney (Ballydonoghue) for Goulding (71).

Referee: B Brosnan (Glenflesk).