KENNEDY PLAY OFF
Limerick Desmond (1) 2 Nathan Clancy, Padhraic O’Connor
NEC (0) 0
The final game in the 2011 Kennedy Cup was at 7pm on Thursday evening against NEC and Desmond played extremely well in this game controlling the game from the first minute to the last. The first real opening fell to Desmond with Mambounana producing a great save from Liam Brady. It was only a matter of time before Limerick Desmond were going to take the lead and they duly obliged on twelve minutes when Seamus Flanagan attacked down the right wing and cut the ball back to the in rushing Nathan Clancy who had timed his run to perfection and he crashed the ball to the net from close range with his right foot. Desmond were well in control and NEC failed to threaten the Desmond defence and as the game entered injury time in the opening half Mikey Hickey headed into the path of Edward Sheehy who picked out Liam McCartan but the keeper made a good save to deny McCartan.
Desmond started the second half in the same fashion as they closed the first and Mambounana combined with club mate McCartan to set up Clancy but his header was over from close range and on thirty eight minutes a piece of sublime skill by centre forward Flanagan out on the left wing saw him cut in on the edge of the area and hit a fabulous shot from twenty yards which the keeper done extremely well to turn the ball around the post. NEC tried to get back into the game as they upped the tempo and Shane Freeman crossed to Dillon Byrne but his header was off target. Desmond wrapped up the game and 13th position on thirty nine minutes when Nathan Clancy delivered a pin point cross from a corner to Padhraic O’Connor and he headed home from close range. Flanagan tested the keeper soon after but again he was equal to the task. With the game entering injury time there was time to create two more chances with Mickey Morrissey releasing Nathan Clancy and he did well to get to the by line but his cross was cut out and with the last kick of the game Richard Hayes produced another top class save to deny Dillon Byrne who unleashed a rocket of a shot from twenty five yards which looked destined for the top corner but Hayes somehow managed to turn the ball behind for a corner. |