Longford SFC: Commanding Colmcille cruise to comfortable win over Granard

Colmcille . . . 2-14  St Mary’s Granard . . . 1-9

From the moment Cathal Reilly burst his way through for a cracking goal midway through the first half, the force was firmly with Colmcille who cruised to a comfortable win over Granard in the Senior Football Championship Round 3 clash at Maguire Park in Ballinalee on Friday evening.

With the impressive Jack Macken leading the charge at centre-half-forward in firing over a total of six points (five frees), Ger Carberry’s charges have recovered well from a disappointing defeat against the title holders Killoe in the opening group match in their quest to qualify for the quarter-finals. 

Badly hit by injuries at the moment with key players James Kiernan and Micheal Hynes missing, St Mary’s led by 0-4 to 0-2 in the early stages of the game but failed to build on this positive spell and ended up trailing by 1-6 to 0-6 at the break. 

In a strong start to the second half, Colmcille (minus the injured county defender Enda Macken) tacked on three more points through Macken (free), Paul McKeon (a brilliant strike) and Ruari Harkin and when Fergal Sheridan flicked the ball to the net for a second goal following a very sweet move in the 40th minute the victory was secure. 

While Granard staged a determined comeback to close the wide gap to four points with David Callaghan getting the goal in the 43rd minute, Colmcille regained the upper hand to run out empathic winners in the finish. 

Division 1 league champions St Mary’s have now lost their first three games in the Connolly Cup but the boys in blue could still make it through to the last eight if they can win their remaining fixtures in the group against Kenagh and Mostrim. 

COLMCILLE: Darren Walsh; Gerard Mulligan, Eoghan Williams, Martin Mulligan; Dylan McCabe, Conor Grant, Declan Reilly; Vinny Hourican (0-1), Fergal Sheridan (1-1); Ruairi Harkin (0-2), Jack Macken (0-6, 5 frees), Paul McKeon (0-1); Cathal McCabe, Cathal Reilly (1-2), Barry McKeon (0-1).

Subs:- Eoin Hawkins for D McCabe (48 mins); Darren Mulligan for P McKeon (56 mins); Rory Hawkins for B McKeon (60 mins). 

ST MARY’S GRANARD: Thomas Gallagher; Mark O’Neill, Dylan Reilly, Aaron Smyth; Jordan Shiels, Mark Tully, Sean Corcoran; Darren Gallagher (0-4, 2 frees), Charlie Martin; Liam Sullivan, Ruairi Corcoran (0-1), David Callaghan (1-0); Harry Kiernan (0-1), Jamie Brady Hynes (0-3, 1 free), Vinny Nally.

Subs:- Patrick Hynes for V Nally (35 mins); Cathal O’Hara for M Tully (injured, 54 mins). 

Referee: John Cullen (Mostrim).