MAYO SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP [Quarter-final]
KILTANE PAY HEAVY PRICE FOR SECOND HALF COLLAPSE
Spirited Garrymore show they mean business
Garrymore ............................ 1-14
Kiltane .................................. 1-6
TOM KELLY. . .AT BANGOR
Garrymore's patience and perseverance is beginning to pay off.
Out of the limelight, more or less, since the halcyon days of the
mid-seventies and early eighties, the South-Mayo club's rebuilding programme
may have taken longer to yield results than originally anticipated.
But they are certainly starting to make significant inroads again, as evidenced by their achievement on Sunday in reaching the semi-final of the Howley Transport-sponsored county senior championship for the second consecutive year.
Manager Billy Fitzpatrick, the only remaining link with the club's last taste of championship glory in 1982, is too long in the tooth to get carried away by an eight-points victory over a Kiltane side which inexplicably collapsed in the second half at a home venue renowned as a fortress of fortitude.
The Kiltane decline, mysterious as it was, had more to do with Garrymore's renewed vigour and aggression than their own lack of direction and purpose.
Ironically, Kiltane were looking the more likely victors at half-time. Not only were they leading by a point, 1-4 to 0-6, but they were making better use of the possession and opportunities which came their way.
Garrymore were always the more spirited and sprightly side, however, with Michael Coleman establishing himself early as the game's outstanding midfield figure, and T.J. McHugh and Gary O'Toole being sharp and full of running in their wide positions.
For all the positive aspects of their play, Garrymore had just five points to show for it after twenty minutes, two points more than Kiltane.
They then suffered a serious setback four minutes before half-time when Kiltane corner-forward Ollie Munnelly, who was more than fit for the best the Garrymore defence could throw at him, struck a goal which had all the indications of marking a critical turning point of the game. The red-haired attacker utilised his strength to win the ball cleanly in the air from Sean Carey's delivery from the left before crisply slotting the ball past Claremorris goalkeeper, Brendan Tierney.
Garrymore needed an instance response. . .and got it. Gary O'Toole registered the sweetest of points to tie the issue. The brave O'Toole went agonisingly close to snatching a Garrymore goal just before the break, but his effort was denied by Richie Cosgrove.
Moments earlier, Kevin Barrett had given Kiltane back the lead with a neatly executed point.
GRABBED INITIATIVE
Garrymore, fitter and hungrier, seized the initiative from the beginning of the second half and never looked back. Michael Coleman, storming through the middle, restored them to level terms with a point designed to inspire those around him.Now finding their rhythm and passing the ball around with precision and confidence, they denied Kiltane the possession to test a Garrymore defence which had been made to look somewhat vulnerable by Munnelly's 26th minute goal.
Once Garrymore went back into the lead in the 40th minute through Michael Coleman's third point of the game, they proceeded to take complete control.
Kiltane boss Michael Henry introduced Kieran Carey, the side's Mayo under-21 star who did not start the game because of a knee injury, in a determined bid to turn things around. Carey, who looked uncomfortable in his running, did everything that was asked of him to rescue a side slipping rapidly out of the championship. He was responsible for executing both of Kiltane's second half points, his first point in the 51st minute giving Kiltane every chance of a recovery by reducing the gap to two points, 1-5 to 0-10. By the time he got his second point six minutes later, however, Kiltane had crashed through the proverbial trap door.
A goal and two points in a dramatic three-minute spell booked Garrymore's place in the semi-final.
T.J. McHugh launched the blitz in the 55th minute when he converted a close range free out of his hand. Then the rampant McHugh set up Declan Hession's well-worked goal before Garry O'Toole stretched Garrymore's lead to seven points with four minutes remaining. The spectacular salvo followed a seven minute stoppage during which attention was given to an injury sustained by Kiltane midfielder Martin Coyle in a tackle.
Coyle was subsequently carried from the battleground, his departure signalling the beginning of the end for the Bangor side. Further points by O'Toole and McHugh put the gloss on Garrymore's success, while there was also the bonus of Tony Corcoran making his first club championship appearance since breaking a leg last year.
Garrymore: B. Tierney, F. Hession, C. Hession, P. Flannery, P. Hession, J. Heffernan, L. Monaghan (0-1), M. Coleman (0-3), D. Hession (1-1), F. Corcoran (0-1), J. Tierney, G. O'Toole (0-3), M. Lynskey (0-1), D. McHugh, T.J. McHugh (0-4). Sub: T. Corcoran (for Lynskey).
Kiltane: R. Cosgrove, P.J. Carey, S. Sweeney, E. Brogan, M. Donoghue, P. Sweeney, M. McAndrew, E. Nallen (0-1), M. Coyle, P. Conmy, E. McDonagh, M. Gaughan, O. Munnelly (1-1), S. Carey (0-1), K. Barrett (0-1). Subs: K. Carey (0-2) for Gaughan; D. Clarke (for Donoghue); S. Sweeney (for Coyle inj.).
Ref: M. Daly (Ballyhaunis).
* Man-of-the-match: Michael Coleman. . .Garrymore's dynamic midfield figure.
Connaught Telegraph - News - July 1996
Connaught Telegraph - Sport - July 1996
