Mayo Junior Kiltimagh vs Northern Gaels

 

Junior  Championship

 Round 3

 Kiltimagh 2-8

 Northern Gaels  0-16

 Boofeenaun

 Eoin Horkan

 

 

In a game that was eventually decided on two point frees it was the Northern Gaels that came out on t top in this tense  third-round encounter.

 

In a blistering start for the Gaels, they ran into a three-point lead within seven minutes as Ciaran Loughney, Michael Lynott and Owen Loughney all found their range early on. The gap was down to the minimum in space of a couple of minutes as first Conor Mallee then Thomas Keegan raised white flag. As both attacks were starting to judge the conditions better the momentum swung back in favor of the amalgamated side as two dead balls from Ruairí McDonell along with another from his namesake Niall had the gap out to four before the halfway mark. The momentum stayed as three more minors from that man Niall McDonnell had it looking like his side would run away with it. This kicked the opposition into gear as Keegan along with a white and orange flag from Fionnan Burke in between a great goal from sub–Jordan Henry had the sides level at the break.

 

The opening ten minutes of the second half were much tighter as the middle third in Boofeenaun became a battle ground. Eventually the east Mayo side courtesy of Mallee had taken the lead with a cultured effort. This was short lived as McDonnell was firing over dead balls from all angles, adding four to his tally with two efforts, one better than the other. With eleven minutes left on the clock Mallee gathered a ball before turning and finding Henry at the back post to palm into the net. The last ten minutes scores from play became harder to get as McDonell and Burke traded frees. It was the two McDonell this time first Ruairí before Niall added his final effort to put two between the sides going into injury time. This wasn't the end of the drama as Kiltimagh had a chance to level with a two-point effort from goalkeeper but unfortunately for him he dragged his effort wide.

 

 

 

Kiltimagh: Jamie McNicholas;Jack Mahon,Kevin Mulderrig,Darragh McGovern;Jack Morley,Mattie Cummins (C) , Evan Cosgrove;Paul Kelly, Stephen McDonnell;Oisin Mulderrig,Liam Smyth,Brian Gallagher,Fionnan Burke(0-4 1 2pf), Conor Mallee(0-2), Thomas Keegan (0-2).

Subs Used:Jordan Henry (2-0) for Jack Morley,David Lydon for Evan Cosgrove, Cian Gallagher for Thomas Keegan, Sean Carroll for Liam Smyth.

 

 

 

Northern Gaels: Daire Devine;Ronan Murphy,Shane Loughney,Fergal McHale;James Forde,Conor McHale,Mark McDonnell;Tommy Clarke,Owen Loughney(0-1);Michael Lynott(0-1),Niall McDonnell(0-10 2f4s 2 2pfs),Ciaran Loughney(0-1);Ruairí McDonnell(0-3 1f),Craig McCormack,Cathal Boland.

Subs Used:Mark Munnelly for Ciaran Loughney,Sean McKeown for Craig McCormack.

 

 

 

Referee Sean Tolan