Emo mount stunning comeback to reach Senior ‘B’ decider via Hosey’s injury time point

Laois Shopping Centre Senior Football Championship ‘B’ s/f 

Emo 1-12 

The Heath 1-11 

EMO have advanced to the Laois Shopping Centre Senior ‘B’ football final after producing a stunning comeback to topple the reigning Senior ‘B’ champions. Emo looked down and out after 40 minutes as The Heath had a commanding lead, but they fought back brilliantly and a point from Paddy Hosey in injury time saw Emo over the line in the end.

The Heath started brightly with Sean Kirby opening the scoring for his side, but Paddy Hosey soon replied for Emo. The Heath then restored their early lead on with points from Paddy Fitzpatrick and Leon Holland, but Emo replied again through Hosey.

Kirby then found the back of the net for The Heath; his looping shot nestling in the top corner and there was nothing Enda Butler could do to keep it out. Fitzpatrick then added a free to put the gap out to five points and the Emo fans were certainly concerned that their rivals would get the better of them.

Both teams would trade scores twice before the break with the points from The Heath coming from Sam Rooney and Paddy Fitzpatrick while Ross Meredith got a brace of frees to leave the scores at 1-6 to 0-4 in favour of the men in black and amber.

Fitzpatrick and Brian Ging would increase their lead in the opening minutes of the second half but were soon dealt a blow as Dylan Kavanagh was given a black card for a trip on Shane Murphy. The black card changed the momentum of the game as Emo used it to their advantage. Hosey and Paul Lawlor added points for Emo as they battle their way back in the contest.

They would then strike for the goal which blew the game wide open. In a great move the ball ended up with Lawlor who passed it across the square and Brian Gorman was on hand to palm the ball into the net. Then another flash point happened after the goal as Emo were reduced to 14 men as Cian Langford was given his marching orders for striking Jimmy Nerney.

There was only a point in the game at that stage, but The Heath were then reduced to 14 men as Dylan Kavanagh who wasn’t thirty seconds back on the field after his black card- got his second yellow and both teams would finish with 14 men.

Brian Ging scored another point to put The Heath’s lead out to two but Hosey and Lawlor levelled up matters, as extra time was beckoning.

But Hosey became the hero as he found the winning point through a fisted effort which turned out to be the winner to book Emo’s place in the final.

SCORERS:

Emo: Paddy Hosey and Ross Meredith (fs) 0-5 each, Brian Gorman 1-0, Paul Lawlor 0-2 (fs).

The Heath: Paddy Fitzpatrick 0-5 (fs), Sean Kirby 1-2 (0-1f), Brian Ging 0-2, Sam Rooney and Leon Holland 0-1 each.

EMO: Eoin Butler; Shane Murphy, Eoin Montague, James O’Rourke; Eibhan Joyce, Darren Strong, Cian Langford; Sean Greene, Brian Gorman; Ruairi Bourke, Nigel Murphy, Charlie Hand; Ross Meredith, Paul Lawlor, Paddy Hosey.

Subs: Jack Murphy for Hand (ht), David Gorman for Burke (40m).

THE HEATH: JP Nerney; Neil Keane, Alan Whelan, Gary Roe; PJ Daly, Dylan Kavanagh, PJ Larkin; Aaron Thornton, Ciaran Booth; Sean Kirby, Paddy Fitzpatrick, Jimmy Nerney; Brian Ging, Leon Holland, Sam Rooney.

Subs: James Phelan for Holland (38m, inj), John McNamara for Rooney (48m), Denis Booth for C Booth (50), David O’Brien for Roe (50m).

Referee: Brendan Hickey (Graiguecullen)