Ardclough

[irunthev]

Shot in the dark here folks but was anyone at the Ardclough v Robert Emmetts match yesterday in Newbridge?

[Dinny Breen]

Hope not it was on in Clane 

[irunthev]

No game was moved to Newbridge, Clane unplayable

[Dinny Breen]

Who won?

There is a Kildare poster Lilywhitealright from Ardclough who goes to all their games, send him a pm maybe.

[irunthev]

Thanks for that. Robert Emmetts won 2-14 to 2-11 after extra time. Was meant to be a cracker of a game.

Emmetts levelled in the last minute of normal time and then steamed away a bit in extra time, although I do believe Ardclough hit the bottom of the post in extra time.

Emmetts now play Clooney-Quin of Clare in Feb in the semi-final.

[bottlethrower7]

I travelled down to it alright. Decent game. Not necessarily a great standard of play but it was a very competitive match. Emmets had the nicer hurlers I thought but Ardclough were physically superior. Emmets scored an early goal but Ardclough were tricky in the forwards and managed to stay in touch. They led by a point at half-time in a very tit-for-tat half. Very evenly matched.

After half-time Ardclough really beefed up the middle third of the field. It was a good tactic that worked well for a while. Emmets were getting good change out of ball being hurled fast into the forwards, so they slowed it down. Emmets free-taking wasn't the best so Ardclough copped that if they fouled in the middle of the park it would suit to their advantage. For the first 15 minutes they did this very effectively and snuffed out any Emmets threat up front. I'd say they went into a 7 point lead with about 15 to go. The turning point for me was the booking of the Ardclough number 8 for persistent fouling. That sent a signal to them that they couldn't use the slowing down tactic. At that time Emmets brought out their full forward (some lad whose hurled intermediate for Cork) to center-field. They also brought on some small lad (number 17) and between them they started to control midfield. They recieved a soft enough looking penalty and clawed back the points one by one (I felt they had the slight benefit of some dodgy refereeing decisions).

So, level at full time, it was into extra time. They scored a point a piece in the first 10 in a tentative looking period of play. It opened up in the second period. Ardclough looked more likely to take it. They came from a point down, went a point up and then the deciding moment. Tony Spain gets the line for what looked like an innoccuous enough 'head-butt' that was picked up by the umpire. He walked and that was the end of Ardclough's scoring. Emmets scored another 2 after that and went on to win out by 1 (or maybe 2).

Very dramatic stuff. As good as you'll get on December 17th.

[irunthev]

Thanks bottlethrower.

[LilyWhiteAllright]

yeah we shoulda won in normal time, some decisions by the ref were dodgy, but Emmetts were the better in extra time, espically when we had the man sent off, they have a nice team, 3 of them are london players. Best of luck to them, i think there up against Munster in the semis

[irunthev]

There is more than that on the London team. At least six  were there when they won the Nicky Racakrd and another three or four have come in since.

Emmetts are way ahead of everyone else in London, unfortunatley we can't claim to have loads of hurling teams as good as they are.

Colooney-Quin will be a big test for them.

[LilyWhiteAllright]

ah right jus recognied sean quinn, mcmahon and another chap from the league when they we were playin london. where are colooney-quin from?

[LilyWhiteAllright]

are u involved with the club?

[irunthev]

No not with the club just involved in London GAA. Clooney-Quin are from Clare, beat Bishopstown in the Munster Final yesterday. A couple of Clare seniors on the panel, including Fergal Lynch. Game set for some time in Feb. They have an exceptional group of players at the moment, but in London that might not mean anything next eyar, as they mightn't have anyone. That's just the way it works here.

[passedit]

I hope BT gets a credit in your report 

[LilyWhiteAllright]

anybody here involved with the club or know anyone that is?

[irunthev]

I know quite a few of the lads involved. The manager is Mick O'Dea from Cork who also managed London to their Nicky Rackard win.

Fergus McMahon has won two Championship All Stars in the past two years and is also recognised as one of the best Meath hurlers in the past ten years or so.

Luke Mannix and John Quinlan have both played U-21 for Cork.

There is a squad of Antrim lads their who have played for them at different levels.

Bryan Foley is the classiest hurler in London, John Dillon the most competitive and Tadgh Callaghan probably player of the year in London ... it's a great half back line

Good bunch of lads, no bull shitters in there always approachable.