Gowna and Lavey play out thrilling draw

Fitzpatrick's late point rescues point

Gowna 0-18

Lavey 1-15

In tropical Killnaleck sunshine, Gowna lost two strong leads before coming from three down to snatch a draw in the weekend’s most exciting game. With three players from either side getting multiple scores, the high-scoring senior championship lived up to the billing with 34 scores on show.

For the second week in a row, Lavey were behind by six points after eight minutes having not registered a score for themselves. Oisin Pierson sent over a monster from 45 metres inside the opening 30 seconds and followed that up with a well-struck ’45.

After winning a Lavey kick-out, Robbie Fitzpatrick sent over and Ryan Donohoe made it a four-point lead with a well-judged shot on the outside of his right boot. Lavey ,with their first attack in the fifth minute, could have found the net but Emmet Brady’s effort shaved the outside of the post before going wide.

Gowna at the other end were extremely clinical as Pierson sent over a second ’45 but this time from near the sideline. Lavey had to take one last hit before they got going when Aaron Brady made it 0-6 to no score in favour of Gowna.

Shane Tierney then kicked into life sent over an attacking mark and frees in the ninth and 12th minutes. A Chris Conroy ’45 showed that his place-kicking was in top form before the athletic Paul Gilcrest hooked over on his right at speed.

Karl Duke reduced the gap to a single point after a 50-metreclearance by Chris Conroy.

David Conroy was then called into action to make a goal-line block from Niall Madden just before the water break. When play resumed Mark McKeever saw his effort cleared off the line but Oisin Pierson tapped over for a consolation.

With time running out before the break a 20 meter free by Chris Conroy and a point from play by Philip Smith saw the side level for the first time. Gowna quickly regained the lead when Niall Madden’s shot on goal drifted over the bar but another Conroy free after Shane Tierney was fouled left the sides level at the break.

The second half started with Lavey taking the lead for the first time. Chris Conroy converted after Darren Jordan was fouled but good work by Cian Madden and Aaron Brady set up Robbie Fitzpatrick for the equalising score.

In the fourth minute of the second half referee Conor Dourneen produced a red card for Lavey’s Peter Smith for an off-the-ball incident making Lavey’s task tougher. Another Robbie Fitzpatrick free and a point from Ryan Donohoe left an almost inevitable feeling that Lavey were in trouble.

That sense was compounded when Robbie Fitzpatrick and Mark McKeever sent over, giving Gowna a five-point lead with 16 minutes remaining of ordinary time. In truth, Gowna should have found the net as Ryan Donohoe tried to square Niall Madden for a palm-in but the pass was just too high.

The water break came just at the right time for Lavey and on the restart their revival began with a Daragh Tierney point. From the resulting kick-out, Shane Tierney intercepted and with the right foot from 30 metres he beat the retreating Bannon for the game’s only major.

Lavey, now with momentum, pushed on with Conroy levelling the sides with a 50-metre free off the ground. A Shane Tierney point and a Robbie Fitzpatrick free saw the side’ level again with four to go.

Gerry Smith, who hit top gear in the final quarter, sent over two, sandwiching Darragh Conaty’s long-range effort to see Lavey lead by three as injury time began. History tells us that Gowna are never dead and buried and a tap-over free from Fitzpatrick insured a nailbiting finish.

TJ Fitzpatrick pointed to leave a single point between the sides as Lavey filtered back to block out the scoring zone. Seven minutes into injury time, Oisin Pierson’s opportunity to shoot was closed so he laid the ball out to the pocket for Fitzpatrick to send over the equaliser, which was followed by the final whistle.

Gowna: Ronan Bannon, David Philips, Ryan McGahern, Fionnan Brady, Mark McKeever(0-1), Andrew Dewart, Shane Harten, Robbie Fitzpatrick (0-7,4f), Aaron Brady (0-1), TJ Fitzpatrick(0-1), Cian Madden, Tiernan Madden(0-1), Oisin Pierson (0-4, 2’45), Niall Madden (0-1), Ryan Donohoe (0-2)

Subs: Gerald Pierson, Frank Casey.

Lavey: Enda McGonagle, Darren Donegan, David Conroy, Danny Cusack, Philip Smith(0-1), Declan Conroy, Darren Jordan,  Chris Conroy(0-5,4f,1’45), Paul Gilcrest(0-1), Peter Smith, Karl Duke(0-1), Darragh Conaty(0-1), Gerry Smith(0-2), Shane Tierney(1-3,1f,1m), Emmet Brady

Subs: Daragh Tierney(0-1), Ray Cullivan.