Longford SFC: Dromard and Mullinalaghta clash ends in a draw

Dromard . . . 0-13   Mullinalalaghta St Columba’s . . . 0-13 

Despite losing Shane Mulligan to a straight red card with ten minutes gone in the second half, at a stage when they were two points clear of Dromard, gutsy Mullinalaghta  earned their second consecutive draw in Group 2 of the Peter Hanley Motors Senior Football Championship at Allen Park on Saturday evening last. 

St Columba’s almost won the match as Jason Matthews sixth score of the contest edged them a point ahead in the 58th minute, only for Diarmuid Masterson to secure a valuable draw for Dromard with a 60th minute equaliser after receiving a superb pass from Aaron Farrell.

Jamsie Martin, Francis McGee, and Peter Reynolds were all in superb form for Dromard while Aaron Farell excelled in the final quarter of this tight contest. Jason Matthews and Conor Leonard and Patrick Fox played key roles for Mullinalaghta, who led by 0-7 to 0-6 at the break. 

Dromard were four points to two up after eleven minutes with both Martin and McGee reeling back the years with two points each. Martin’s point in the ninth minute was a superb score that was created by a stunning low defence splitting pass from Masterson.
Aidan McElligot with a brilliant point from thirty-five metres out and Gary Rogers replied for the Mullinalaghta men who then reeled off four unanswered points to lead by 0-6 to 0-4 after 26 minutes. Matthews with two frees and a score apiece from Michael Cunningham and Emmet Brady, the latter on target after an excellent run and pass from Fox.
Dromard almost scored a goal a minute later after a slick move that involved Farrell, Masterson, and Rory O’Toole with O’Toole’s goal bound shot brilliantly blocked by a St Columba’s defender.
Dromard then drew level a minute before the break with scores from McGee and Masterson assisted by Fionn Hourican and Martin, but Mullinalaghta led at half-time by 0-7 to 0-6 courtesy of a brilliant fifty metre point from Niall Woods.
A Matthews free gave Ollie Fay’s charges a two-point cushion but they received a huge blow when reduced to fourteen players after Shane Mulligan was shown a straight red card after an incident with Bernard Sheridan who received a yellow card for his troubles.
However, another free converted by Matthews extended Columba’s lead to three points before Masterson replied twice for Dromard while Conor McElligot and Emmet Brady were on the mark for Mullinalaghta to leave them leading by 0-11 to 0-8.
At this stage, Dromard had failed to capitalise on their extra player advantage but they made that count in the last ten minutes of the match. Aaron Farrell moved into fifth gear to slot over three points in this purple patch.
Dromard managed to score four of the next five points to level matters at 0-12 each by the 57th minute. Martin with a free plus three scores from Farrell added to Dromard’s total while St Columba’s lone reply was a free converted by Matthews.Farrell’s third point that equalised for Dromard was an outstanding move. He exchanged diagonal passes with Martin before splitting the uprights with a magnificent curling point kicked over with the outside of his right boot from a tight angle out on the right.
Matthews sixth free of the match looked to have won the match for Mullinalaghta, only for Masterson’s fourth point to secure the draw for Dromard.

DROMARD: Oisin Hourican; Ronan Corcoran, Dylan McCormack, Chris Grimes; Peter Reynolds, Ronan Bleakley, Fionn Hourican; Diarmuid Masterson (0-4), Bernard Sheridan;  Jamsie  Martin (0-3, 1f), Francis McGee (0-3, 1f), Rory O’Toole; Conor McGauran, Ronan McEntire, Aaron Farrell (0-3).

Subs:- Daniel Conboy for B Sheridan (51 mins), Eoin Palin for C McGauran (53 mins).

MULLINALAGHTA: Patrick Rogers; Simon Cadam, Patrick Fox, Tom Meehan; Michael Cunningham (0-1), Conor Leonard, Shane Mulligan; Niall Woods (0-1), Aidan McElligot (0-1), Cian McElligot, Gary Rogers (0-1), Aron Earley; Emmet Brady (0-2), Donal McElligot, Jason Matthews (0-6, all frees).

Subs:- Conor McElligot for P Fox (21 mins, temporary); P Fox for C McElligott (23 mins);  C McElligott (0-1) for M Cunningham (29 mins), Cian Mackey for T Meehan (half-time), M Cunningham for A Earley (56 mins).

Referee: Patrick Maguire (St Mary’s Granard).