Diarmuid Sheahan points the way as Longford Slashers beat Killoe to reach the Junior ‘A’ title decider

Longford Slashers . . . 1-10   Killoe Emmet Og . . . 1-9

Deadly accurate centre-half-forward Diarmuid Sheahan was immense as Longford Slashers got the better of a strongly fancied Killoe side in the Junior ‘A’ Football Championship semi-final at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park on Saturday.  

Sharpshooter Sheahan fired over the impressive total of 8 points (5 frees) in the battle of the second strings as Slashers staged a determined comeback to book their place in the title decider on Sunday 13 October.

It was a very committed display by the underdogs who trailed by 1-8 to 1-4 in the early stages of the second half but Emmet Og persisted in going for goals when vital points were there for the taking and paid the price for poor finishing.

Killoe were restricted to just one more score during the remainder of the match with Shane Thompson on target and there was no stopping Slashers who clocked up another six points to come out on top by the minimum of margins.

Sheahan scored 0-5 while the goalscorer Ryan McGoey also shot over the bar as the sky-blues moved a step closer to the Junior championship crown they last captured back in 2014. 

Both teams ended up with 14 players on the pitch with Darryl Swaris (S) and Thomas Reilly (K) receiving red cards from the referee Tony Gaffney as tempers flared in stoppage time.   

LONGFORD SLASHERS: Darragh Kelly; Desmond Akenbour, Rory Maher, Zach Coyle-Clyne; Darryl Swaris, Diarmuid Caslin (0-1), Micheal Mulcahy; Jack Horgan Swaris, Frank McKiernan; Conor Murray, Diarmuid Sheahan (0-8, 5 frees), Jake Taylor; Martin Jennings, Ryan McGoey (1-1), Nathan O’Toole. 

Subs:- Christopher Erhagbe for N O’Toole (half-time); David Masterson for J Taylor (half-time); Cole O’Connor for C Murray (58 mins).

KILLOE EMMET OG: Stephen Coy; Thomas Reilly, Adam Donnelly, Gary Connell; Killian Feeney, Shane Gilna, Niall Macken; Oisin Gately (0-1), Mark Rowley; Niall Finneran, Shane Thompson (1-2), Francis Rowley; Ger Carberry (0-1), Eugene Clarke (0-5, 2 frees), Paddy Thompson. 

Subs:- Darragh Maguire for G Carberry (42 mins); Shane Dooner for F Rowley (47 mins); Cormac Harte for P Thompson (55 mins); Reece Leonard for S Thompson (60 mins). 

Referee: Tony Gaffney (Mostrim).