Roanmore will play senior football in 2024 after a dramatic extra time win over 19-time champions Stradbally under the Monday night lights in Kilmacthomas (2-11 to 1-13).
"We are going up," chanted the ecstatic Sky Blues on the field afterwards. The Eastern side have risen from junior to senior in the space of four years. Stradbally, who were senior champions as recently as 2017, will drop to the premier intermediate ranks next season.
Roanmore trailed by five points with ten minutes left but super sub Sam Pender forced extra time with a fisted goal on 63 minutes. Waterford hurler Billy Nolan netted a goal from a 50 metre free in the second period of extra time. He also nailed two 45s.
Stradbally finished with thirteen men as Rory Fennell and Robert Aherne saw red. On 86 minutes, Michael Mullaney missed a last gasp chance to bring the game to a second replay.
A Rory Fennell goal separated the sides at the break as Stradbally led 1-6 to 0-6. The corner forward was responsible for 1-2 from play. Shane Nolan struck four points for Roanmore (three from play).
Fennell added another point to his tally as the Reds held a 1-10 to 0-8 advantage entering the last quarter. They couldn't hold on. Defender Shane Lannon was dismissed on a second bookable offence with five minutes left. Roanmore goalkeeper Josh Sheridan then denied Pa Skehan in a one on one. Three minutes into injury time, substitute Sam Pender punched home a delivery from Shane Nolan (1-10 apiece).
A point from Eoin O'Brien put Stradbally one up at half time in extra time. Sheridan saved brilliantly from Stradbally sub Tommy Fennell. Billy Nolan's long range free went all the way to the net on 73 minutes as Roanmore celebrated a remarkable rise to senior football.
