All square in dramatic SFC final
Castlerahan 3-8
Ramor United 2-11
Paul Fitzpatrick
at Kingspan Breffni Park
Castlerahan and Ramor United's long respective waits to get their hands on the Oliver Plunkett Cup will continue for another couple of weeks at least after a late point from Castlerahan full-back Brian Coleman secured a draw in this thrilling SFC final.
Before a bumper crowd of 8,600, the sides produced a full-blooded contest which a young Ramor side surely thought they had won when they flew into a six-point lead approaching the home stretch.
However, a wonderful goal from Sean Brady and a couple of crucial Cian Mackey points made it a one-point game before Coleman took the pass from Ronan Flanagan and held his nerve to slot over the levelling score.
Ramor had opened the scoring through teenage centre-back Brían O’Connell but this was quickly cancelled out by a Cian Mackey free and it was a youthful Ramor side who settled better.
By the 12th minute, they were 0-5 to 0-2 in front after points from James Brady, Cathal Maguire and two from centre-forward Conor Bradley (one a long-range free), with Kerry native Shane McSweeney on the mark for Castlerahan.
But the Ballyjamesduff side levelled when they struck for a fortuitous goal, full-forward Paul Brady getting the final touch after a high ball caused chaos.
McSweeney, the former Laune Rangers captain, was very prominent in the first half and was fouled for a free which Mackey converted before fisting over one from play himself.
But Ramor were starting to get a grip, with full-forward Adrian Cole excelling as a target man and bringing others into the play. Cole fed 19-year-old James Brady for a well-taken goal five minutes before the break and a 45 from Kevin Mulvaney helped the Virginia men into a two-point half-time lead, 1-6 to 1-4.
And Ramor, managed by former Clare boss Micheál McDermott, rode their momentum early in the second half, adding quick points from sub James Bradley and Mulvaney and when Castlerahan fluffed a goal chance – and the resulting 45 – it seemed as if their race might be run.
Out of nothing, though, Enda Flanagan conjured a chance and sub Oisin O’Connell finished brilliantly to the top corner to drag Castlerahan back to parity and set up a rip-roaring final quarter.
Ramor, though, were not done yet and they answered the question in emphatic fashion. They replied within three minutes with a three-pointer of their own when county man James McEnroe played Cole in and the full-forward hooked the ball to the top corner.
Castlerahan, set up defensively by manager Michael Reilly and coach Justin McNulty from Armagh, were now forced to drive forward and Ramor caught them on the break and for three points in five minutes from Cole, James Bradley and Cole again to open a six-point lead, 2-11 to 2-5.
They had one hand on a cup they hadn’t won since 1992 but Castlerahan, who have never been senior champions, summoned an almighty effort from somewhere to land 1-3 unanswered in the closing stages.
Mackey started the revival with a free and then laid on a pass for captain Sean Brady to blast home a magnificent goal.
Mackey then landed a sweet score from 40 metres after patient build-up play and it fell to full-back Brian Coleman to hold his nerve and curl in the equaliser.
Both sides had chances at the death but neither converted and, in the end, a draw was a fair result.
Ramor United: Aaron Farrelly; Micheál Smart, Damien Barkey, James McEnroe; Mark Magee, Brian O’Connell (0-1), Eoin Somervile; Stephen Monaghan, Shane Gaffney; Cathal Maguire (0-1), Conor Bradley (0-2, 1f), Jack Brady; James Brady (1-1), Adrian Cole (1-2), Kevin Mulvany (0-2, one 45)
Subs: James Bradley (0-2) for C Maguire (HT, inj), Matthew Magee for M Smart (43, inj), Killian Maguire for S Gaffney (50, b/c), Shane Cole for J Brady (60), Simon Cadden for S Monaghan (60).
Castlerahan: Jamie Leahy; Stephen Cooney, Brian Coleman (0-1), Enda O’Connell; Fergal Reilly, Ronan Flanagan, Caolán McBreen; David Wright, Cormac Daly; Daniel Lynch, Paul Brady (1-0), Shane McSweeney (0-2); Enda Flanagan, Seán Brady (1-0), Cian Mackey (0-5, 1f).
Subs: Oisin O’Connell (1-0) for P Brady (29mins), Cian McEnroe for Enda Flanagan (54, inj).
Ref: Mickey Lee (Drumalee)