Colmcille in control against Connolly’s to complete Longford league double

Colmcille . . . 4-14  Sean Connolly’s . . . 1-9

While the wide margin of 14 points separated the sides with Colmcille scoring three goals in the second half, it was rough justice on Sean Connolly’s in the Patsy Reilly Cup Final at Maguire Park in Ballinalee on Friday night last. 

With the always alert Daniel Reynolds pouncing to finish the breaking ball to the net just before the break, it was a stalemate situation with the neighbouring rivals deadlocked on 1-6 apiece but Colmcille came storming back to register 1-2 to establish a decisive advantage.

Immediately after the goal from Reynolds (whose brother Dessie was away on holidays), a couple of fine points were kicked by Rory Hawkins and Jack Macken and the killer blow was struck on the stroke of half-time when Cathal McCabe made no mistake in finding the net from close range.

That left Ger Carberry’s charges in a comfortable 2-8 to 1-6 lead with Fergal Sheridan getting the first goal and there was no way back for Connolly’s who conceded a further 2-6 on the changeover.

Attacking defender Conor Grant and substitute Darren Mulligan scored the goals as Colmcille (without their most experienced men Barry McKeon and Declan Reilly) ran out easy winners in the end to clinch the Division 2 Football League double after winning all of their games in cantering to the top spot in the table to collect the Michael Moran Cup.

The gap in standard was clearly obvious with Colmcille preparing to take on Kenagh in Round 2 of the Senior Championship on Friday evening while Connolly’s will play their opening fixture in the Intermediate Championship against St Brigid’s Killashe on Sunday.

Fergal Sheridan, operating as the target man at full-forward, flicked a cross from Cathal McCabe to the net midway through the first half of the Patsy Reilly Cup Final.
That left the red-hot favourites Colmcille 1-4 to 0-3 in front with their points coming from Rory Hawkins (2), Jack Macken (blasting the ball over the bar when a goal was there for the taking) and Cathal Reilly.
Daniel Reynolds accounted for all of the early scores (two frees) for Connolly’s and two more followed from the accurate attacker with Trevor Murtagh also on target.
With regular full-back Enda Macken also missing, superior Colmcille added another 1-4 to their tally in the second quarter of the contest through Shea Farley, Sheridan (mark), Hawkins and Macken and were well on the way to their expected victory.
Cathal Reilly set up the third goal for Conor Grant with five minutes gone in the second half and Grant almost found the back of the net again when he shot against the crossbar in the closing stages of the game.
Ruairi Harkin created the clear-cut opportunity for Darren Mulligan to register the fourth goal for Colmcille in the 56th minute with Jack Macken (frees) and influential substitute Eoin Hawkins sharing the scoring of the six second half points for the Division 2 league champions.
Connolly’s were restricted to just three more points through Daniel Reynolds (2 frees) and Trevor Murtagh but will be a different proposition in the Gerry Hennessy Cup, boosted by the return of Dessie Reynolds and Ronan McGreal.

COLMCILLE: Darren Walsh; Martin Mulligan, Gerard Mulligan, Conor Grant (1-0); Aaron Smith, Eoghan Williams, Philip McKeon; Vinny Hourican, Jack Macken (0-5, 3 frees); Shea Farley (0-1), Cathal Reilly (0-1), Cathal McCabe (1-0); Paul Farley, Fergal Sheridan (1-1, point from mark), Rory Hawkins (0-3).

Subs:- Eoin Hawkins (0-3) for P Farley (half-time); Paul McKeon for S Farley (36 mins); Ruairi Harkin for A Smith (42 mins); Dylan McCabe for Philip McKeon (45 mins); Darren Mulligan (1-0) for C Reilly (48 mins). 

SEAN CONNOLLY’S: John McKenna; Ciaran MacEoin, Sean O’Sullivan, Tommy Keogh; Diarmuid Glennon, Dan Collum, John Rawle; Daire Duggan, John Doris; Stephen Lynch, Daniel Reynolds (1-7, 4 frees), Trevor Muragh (0-2); Dylan Lynch, Daniel Farrell, Eugene Murtagh.

Subs:- Sean Kenny for T Keogh (injured, 15 mins); Michael Murphy for S Lynch (44 mins); Adam Glennon for E Murtagh (45 mins); Diarmuid Rawle for T Murtagh (51 mins); Seamus Donnelly for C MacEoin (58 mins). 

Referee: Gerard Egan (Granard).