Annacurra will play Carnew in the Co. Intermediate final next Saturday 4th October after a 5 point win over Eire Óg. After a shaky first half where Eire Óg were the better team, Annacurra upped their performance to power home.

Eire Óg got off to the dream start with their corner back having a goal chance cleared off the line by Liam Moules in the second minute. However Eire Óg regrouped and put over 3 points in as many minutes to lead by 0-3 to 0-0. Clive Horan put over Annacurra’s first score in the 6th minute to calm Annacurra’s nerves. Annacurra had very few chances in the first half as Eire Óg were easily on top but John Thompson created an opening for himself but his shot at goal was blocked by a Eire Óg defender in the 19th minute. Eire Óg led by 6-2 with 10 minutes left in first half but Annacurra responded through Clive Horan and and Patrick Moules to narrow the gap. The Greystones men again started to pull away before half time but a nice move between Patrick Moules and Clive Horan resulted in a point for Clive. Annacurra trailed 0-5 to 0-7 at half time.

The second half got off to the perfect start with Frank Clune pointing in the first minute. Another point each from Clive and Patrick Moules gave Annacurra the lead for the first time in the 34th minute. For the next 10 minutes Annacurra and Eire Óg traded a score each and in the 46th minute Clive Horan scored from a free to give Annacurra a two point lead with 14 mins left. Eire Óg’s free taker narrowed the score to a single point. The following kickout resulted in Eire Óg’s young county star, Darren Hayden having a free shot at goal from 14 yards out but amazingly the lively centre forward sent it wide. In the 53rd minute Annacurra’s scoring sensation, Clive Horan scored the point of the day with a score off the endline to make it 0-12 to 0-9.

In a typical end to end match Eire Óg went down the pitch from the kickout to score another point and again narrow the score. Then in the 56th minute the move of the match between Mick O’Brien and Clive Horan put Alan Horan through for a goal chance but his effort hit the post, the ball rolled out to William Codd who drove the ball into the roof of the net, Annacurra now led 1-13 to 0-10 with 4 minutes left. Annacurra closed out the game for the final 4 minutes with some excellent defending from Paul McDonald, Alan Byrne and Shane McAlister and only a Eire Óg point from a free troubled the Annacurra goalpost. At 3.42pm the referee blew the whistle and Annacurra are back in the county final for first time since 2004.

M.Doyle, L.Moules, C.Byrne (Pound), S.MacAllister, A.Byrne, S. O’Neill, P.McDonald, C.Shannon, J.Thompson, M.O’ Brien, A.Horan, W.Codd 1-0, C.Horan 0-9, 0-5(f), F.Clune 0-1, P.Moules 0-3, 0-1(f)

subs Peter Clancy for Ciaran Shannon 59 mins