Mayo GAA 3 July 1996

Connaught Telegraph


Connaught MINOR CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINAL

by
Jonathan Mullin in Carrick-on-Shannon

Leitrim . . . 1-8
Sligo . . . . . 3-10

Sligo kept their legions of supporters contented on Saturday evening, with an eight point defeat of Leitrim in Carrick-On-Shannon.

Although the margin of victory suggests substantial superiority, Sligo at times looked very ordinary and only for two atrocious defensive errors by the home side in the first half, which resulted in two Eamonn Cawley goals, they could have had a real fight on their hands.

Early applause was lauded upon the placekickers, Sligo's Sean Flannery and Leitrim's Peter Gaffey, and these two men shared the games first half dozen points.

With the game stinking of banality something special was required, and on 16 minutes Leitrim centre-half forward Jimmy Guckian provided the exceptional. Gaining possession an arms length from his team's dugout, Guckian weaved his way past numerous defenders before finishing neatly to the net.

Guckian's goal should have been the foundation for a Leitrim takeover, but instead they were right back to step one after a nightmare mistake by John Prior between the sticks.

Eamonn Cawley's speculative long ball on 20 minutes was directed towards the full-forward spot he himself should have occupied, so there seemed to be no danger.

But what happened next happened in slow motion and everyone in the ground could have foretold it, except the unfortunate Prior. The ball bounced on the 13 metre line and looped over Prior into the net.

A hammer blow by any standards and one that was compounded six minutes later when Cawley received a pass, and with no Leitrim defender within ten yards of him, he clipped the ball into the bottom right corner to give Sligo a six point lead at the break - 2-7 to 1-4.

The second half brought us fifteen minutes of scoreless football until Leitrim's Pat Farrell broke the ice with a point. Adrian Charles narrowed the gap to four points minutes later with a long range score.

Sligo were now beginning to flex their muscles and with captain Sean Davey coming out of hibernation to lift his team and the crowd, three unanswered points reestablished their supremacy.

The Leitrim response was hardly convincing. A Peter Gaffey free on 54 minutes and an excellent score from Guckian, who fought a lone battle in vain up front was about all they could muster in the closing stages.

Just as referee Gerry Kineavey summoned oxygen from his lungs to blow the final whistle, Tommy Brennan chipped in with a goal to give the scoreline its unbalanced guise.

Leitrim: J. Prior, D. Kennedy, D. Kellegher, J. Phelan, E. Lee, M. Greene, N. Gillbane, A. Charles (capt.) (0-1), P. Farrell (0-1), I. McGreevey, J. Guckian (1-1), F. Cox, P. Gaffey (0-5 4 frees), D. Brennan and M. Rooney. Subs used: K. Darcy for F. Cox, N. Cullen for I. McGreevey.

Sligo: C. Gordon, S. King, N. McGuire, J. Hayes, T. Clancy, D. McGarty, K. Morley, S. Davey (capt.) (0-3), K. Giblin, P. Gallagher (0-1 free), T. Brennan (1-0), K. Farragher (0-2), J. McPartland (0-1), E. Cawley (2-0), S. Flannery (0-3 frees). Subs used: K. Carthy for S. Flannery.

Referee: G. Kineavey (Galway).

MAYO INTERMEDIATE CHAMPIONSHIP

Ballintubber . . .0-9
Claremorris . . .1-10

Despite losing the services of Brian Gallagher, when the centre-half back was carried off halfway through the second half with a dislocated shoulder, Claremorris showed bite and vigour in beating Ballintubber in Clogher on Sunday and now carry the burden of favourites for the Intermediate title.

Former county Minor Gallagher has made a full recovery in Castlebar Regional Hospital and is expected to be fit for the next round in a months time in which Westport are the challengers.

Hyped-up games that promise so much rarely deliver, and this fiercely-fought tie was no different.

If one was forced to select a turning point in the game, it would have to be Claremorris' converted penalty on 17 minutes that, for the first time in the game, opened up a gap of some significance.

It all stemmed from a superb run by scorer-in-chief Brendan Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick eluded the attention of Patrick Lally to such an extent that Ballintubber custodian Kieran McDonagh was obliged to fell the attacker inside the small rectangle.

Johnny Commins had little difficulty with the penalty, stroking it into the bottom left-hand corner.

Midfielder Declan Mahon, who performed trojan work throughout, got his name on the scoresheet for Claremorris, as did Jimmy Horan on the stroke of half-time.

Ballintubber went in at the interval five points adrift but with whatever breeze prevailed in their favour during the second half and bearing in mind that James Horan had yet to get motoring, the home crowd still had faith. Brendan Fditzpatrick and James Horan swopped points in the opening exhanges before John Noonan narrowed the gap to four on 40 minutes.

Two more frees from Fitzpatrick placed the away side firmly in the driving seat, and although Mayo senior Horan notched-up two brilliant points from the right-hand touchline, a Joe Gorham score on the full-time whistle terminated any Ballintubber dreams of a County title this year.

For the home side, who were without the services of John Feeney & Lyndon Reilly due to the progression of the Mayo Minor team in the Connaught Championship, the Derrig brothers, PJ and Michael were superb. Donal Murphy and Vinnie Keane did their bit also in restricting Claremorris to six points from play.

John Horan worked tirelessly in the middle of the park, while up front James Horan had an excellent second half and was aided by Franny Glynn, Noel Mulroe and John Noonan.

Ballintubber had only the one real goal chance, Kieran Heneghan's in the first half, and the protection of Niall Creigton is attributed to the solid full-back line of Cathal Casey, Kevin Beirne and Noel Doherty.

Andy Joyce used his speed from the outset and performed well, as did Brian Gallagher before his unfortunate injury.

In midfield Declan Mahon got through a lot of work and Jimmy Horan and the Claremorris full-forward line gave Ballintubber many worrying moments.

Ballintubber: K. McDonagh, P. Lally, D. Murphy, PJ Derrig, F. Conroy, V. Keane (0-1), M. Derrig, John Horan, N. Finnerty (0-1), James Horan (0-4), J. Glynn, F. Glynn, N. Mulroe (0-1), J. Noonan (0-2), K. Heneghan.

Claremorris: N. Creighton, C. Casey, K. Beirne, N. Doherty, A. Joyce, B. Gallagher, R. Charles, D. Mahon (0-1), J. Hession, N. Higgins, J. Donnellan, Jimmy Horan (0-1), B. Fitzpatrick (0-5 4 frees), J. Commins (1-1 pen), B. French (0-1). Subs used: P. Grogan & Joe Gorham (0-1).

Westport . . .0-15
Kilmaine . . .0-8

A quarter-final meeting with Claremorris on July 28th was secured by Westport on Sunday, when a strong second half performance from the home side helped them overcome Kilmaine.

A seven point victory looked unlikely at a number of stages in the game, especially in a lively first half, after which Kilmaine led by 0-6 to 0-5.

Indeed Westport goalkeeper Sean Hoban came to his sides rescue on numerous occasions and that one point lead could have been considerably more only for his timely interventions.

Mark Butler was in good form for the away side in that first half, notching up four of his teams total, and when Butler was forced to retire with a hamstring injury early in the second half, Kilmaine's chances of advancing in the Championship were severely dented.

Westport made good use of the breeze after the interval and placekicker Paul Grady was in superb scoring form. Sean Scott, showing that he is equally adept at gaelic football as he is with soccer and hurling, excelled at corner back and whenever the full back line was breached, Hoban proved up to the task.

Jamie Hope and Pierce Reilly impressed on the forty, while up front the two Grady's and Mick Killeen were most dangerous.

Norman O Brien, Brian Flannery, Noel Mannion, Johnny Gibbons and Mark Butler were best for Kilmaine.

Kilmaine: Norman O'Brien, Gary Burke, Brian Flannery, Joseph Murphy, Noel Mannion, Mickey Murphy, Kevin Tuffy, David Loughlin, Oliver Walsh (0-2), Johnny Gibbons, Brian Shaughnessy, Mark O'Brien, Tom Connolly, Mark Butler (0-4), John Gerard Butler (0-2). Subs used; Adrian McWalter for K. Tuffy, Pat Murphy for M. Butler (inj.).

Westport: Sean Hoban, Kevin Browne, Sean Calvey, Sean Scott, Matin Connolly, Pierce Reilly, Jamie Hope, Dermot Lucy, Eamonn Reilly, Pat Grady (0-3), Mick Killeen (0-3), Michael Horan (0-1), Paul Grady (0-6 3 free), Padraig Heraty and Eddie Walsh (0-2).



Connaught Telegraph - News - July 1996

Connaught Telegraph - Sport - July 1996