Glenfarne/Kiltyclogher 0-11 St. Mary’s 0-7
Glenfarne/Kilty got their promotion challenge back on track with a hard fought four point victory over St. Mary’s in Carrick-on-Shannon on Sunday morning last.
Glenfarne/Kilty were first off the mark when Michael Maguire pointed from play in the fourth minute as the North Leitrim men dominated the early exchanges. Further points on six and eight minutes from Shane McLoughlin and J.J McDermott increased the Glenfarne/Kilty men’s advantage to three points. St. Mary’s Liam McTiernan got his side off the mark on ten minutes. However points from Thomas McDermott and a superb sideline ball from Michael McGuire left Glenfarne/Kilty four points clear and very much in control of proceedings after twenty minutes. Joe Flynn cut the gap to three points on twenty minutes with a superbly taken point from play. However Fergal Clancy responded immediately with a point from play for Glenfarne/Kilty. This was followed up five minutes later by a long range effort from Enda Gallagher. James Early cut the gap to four points with a well taken score on twenty-nine minutes. However Michael Maguire restored Glenfarne/Kilty’s five point lead on the stroke of half-time with a point from a free. Glenfarne/Kilty were dealt a blow just as the half-time whistle blew as they lost midfielder Enda Gallagher to injury.
Gallagher had being dominating the midfield exchanges and the Glenfarne/Kilty men struggled to come to terms with his absence in the early part of the second-half. Padraig Sweeney increased the Glenfarne/Kilty men’s lead with a point after St. Mary’s failed to capitalize on a number of early chances. On ten minutes Niall Keenan scored from a free after both sides had failed to convert a number of chances. The Carrick men continued to dominate the exchanges and two further points from Keenan cut the Glenfarne/Kilty lead to three points with fifteen minutes of the second half played. From here on in the Glenfarne/Kilty men took control of the game but a failure to convert a number of chances meant that St. Mary’s were still in this game right to the end. Michael Maguire increased the Glenfarne/Kilty lead to four points with a point from a free. St. Mary’s responded immediately and Niall Keenan cut the gap to three points once again with a long range free. However John McManus steadied Glenfarne/Kilty nerves with a well taken point to leave four between the teams with time almost up. Glenfarne/Kilty dominated the closing stages and secured a vital win that leaves them back in the hunt for promotion and a place in the league final.
Credit must go to both teams for serving up a good clean hour of football in difficult sticky conditions. Glenfarne/Kilty will be happy with how their young team coped in the difficult conditions. They were the better team for a large portion of this game and should really have won by a lot more. From what was a solid team effort they had good performances from Ciaran Clancy, the impressive Dermot O’Rourke at centre back, Enda Gallagher in midfield and Diarmuid Clancy, Michael Maguire, Fergal Clancy and Shane McLoughlin in the forward line. For a St. Mary’s team who kept fighting to the very end James Early and Patrick Guckian in defence and Liam McTiernan, David Tiernan and Niall Keenan in the forward line were their best performers.
St Marys: Conor Daly, Daniel Kennedy, Fergal Reynolds, Paul Ryan, James Earley (0-1), James Keane, Patrick Guckian, Joe Flynn (0-1), Francis Molloy, Liam McTiernan (0-1), James McGrael, David Tiernan, David Sirle, Paddy Greene, Niall Keenan (0-4). Subs: Paul Early, Padraig McWeeney, Dougie Butler.
Glenfarne/Kiltyclogher: Daragh Keaney, Stephen Sweeney, Sean McLoughlin, Ciaran Clancy, Sean McManus, Dermot O’Rourke, John McManus (0-1), Enda Gallagher (0-1), Thomas McDermott (0-1), Diarmuid Clancy, Michael Maguire (0-4), J.J McDermott (0-1), Shane McLoughlin (0-1), Fergal Clancy(0-1), Conor O’Rourke. Subs: Padraig Sweeney (0-1), Jonathan Keaney
