Bonniconlon vs Eastern Gaels Mayo Junior (CT)

 Bonniconlon 0-11

Eastern Gaels 1-11

Parke GAA Club

Eoin Horkan 

Madden’s Early Goal Fires Gaels Past Bonniconlon in Semi-Final Thriller

Gaels got the sweetest kind of revenge on Saturday  afternoon as they overturned last year’s semi-final heartbreak with a hard-fought victory over Bonniconlon — and it was Jack Madden’s early goal that ultimately proved decisive.

The East Mayo men burst out of the traps with ruthless intent, laying down a marker within minutes of the throw-in. centre-forward Senan Guilfoyle was electric from the off, splitting the posts twice from play before calmly slotting over a free to make it three unanswered points inside five blistering minutes. Bonniconlon looked shell-shocked — and worse was to come.

From another Guilfoyle placed ball, the delivery dropped dangerously into the square, where Jack Madden rose highest and punched it low past the keeper and into the net. Six  points up and cruising, it looked like Gaels might run away with it.

But if Madden’s goal ignited celebration in one camp, it sparked defiance in the other.

Bonniconlon, stung into life, responded with a flurry of scores. Wesley Loftus opened their account with a composed effort from distance, before Ciaran Gaughan took control of proceedings. The reliable free-taker knocked over three consecutive placed balls to haul his side right back into contention midway through the first half.

Just as the contest threatened to settle into a grind, Guilfoyle — who was rapidly becoming unmarkable — produced another moment of brilliance, firing over the first orange flag of the afternoon. Moments later he almost repeated the trick from near the halfway line, launching a monstrous free that had the goalkeeper scrambling. The Bonniconlon stopper managed to get fingertips to it and prevent a second two pointer  but the warning was clear: Guilfoyle could score from anywhere.

Gaughan clipped over another to narrow the deficit once more, but Madden ensured Gaels went in at the interval with breathing space, adding a vital point to send his side into the break leading by double scores.

The question at half-time was simple: could Bonniconlon regroup and find an answer? For a spell, it looked like they just might.

A free from Sean Neary early in the second half kept them in touch, but Guilfoyle — as he had done all day — rose to meet the challenge, cancelling it out almost instantly with yet another point at the opposite end.

Momentum, however, began to tilt. Bonniconlon’s bench made an impact, with Ronan Neary and James Harrington introduced to telling effect. Gaughan landed another dead ball before both substitutes got themselves on the scoresheet, cutting the deficit to a kick of the ball.The north Mayo side even had chances to take the lead, but a couple  of missed frees — two clipping the upright — left them cursing their luck.

With their once-comfortable lead now evaporating, Gaels began to wobble. A long scoring drought left their supporters holding their breath — until up stepped Charlie Johnstone, the roaming  wing-back charging forward to slot over a crucial point and lift his teammates.

Still, Bonniconlon refused to yield. Entering stoppage time, they pulled the gap back to one when Harrington crashed over the first orange flag of their afternoon, setting up a grandstand finish with the clock ticking into the sixties.

But fittingly, it was that man Guilfoyle who had the final say. With nerves jangling around the ground, he stood over a long-range free and — as he had done all day — delivered, driving it over to secure Gaels’ ticket to McHale Park in two weeks’ time.

It wasn’t always tidy, and it certainly wasn’t comfortable, but Gaels won’t care. They exorcised last year’s demons, and they did it with heart, resilience, and the brilliance of a forward in unstoppable form.

Bonniconlon;Eugen Carlin;Eoin Fox, James Kelly,,James McKenzie;, Ronan Conlon Cillian Upton,Conor Igoe,Richard McKenzie,Niall Greevy;Darragh Fox,Jonathan Lavelle;Wesley Loftus(0-1) Sean Neary (0-1);Brian O’Malley,Ciaran Gaughan(0-5fs)

Subs Used;Conor Redmond for Cillian Upton,Ronan Neary(0-1) for James McKenzie,James Harrington (0-3 12p), Cathal Kelly for Richard McKenzie.

Eastern Gaels;Ronan Forde;Michael Finnegan,Jack Ronayne,Henry Concannon;Shane Glynn,Ethan Owens,Charlie Johnstone(0-1);Jarlath Concannon,Dean McGarry;Darren Concannon,Senan Guilfoyle(0-9 2f 2 2pf),Nathan Hession,Luke MannionTony Alyward,Jack Madden(1-1).

Subs Used: Evan Godfrey for Dean McGarry,David Smith for Nathan Hession,Michael McGarry for Darren Concannon.

Referee: Shane Corcoran.