Longford Junior champions Grattans just miss out on a Leinster semi-final spot

Ellistown (Kildare) . . . 0-12  Young Grattans . . . 0-11 

It was a truly heroic display by the last Longford football team still standing in the provincial series and the Stonepark side showed tremendous spirit to stage a terrific comeback after trailing by 0-12 to 0-9 with time running out. 

Ellistown, who led by 0-6 to 0-5 at the break following a very tight first half, appeared to be in control when they established a four point advantage entering the final quarter of the contest but gutsy Grattans never gave up the fight despite the significant loss of the long term injured Karl Murray. 

The perseverance of Niall Vance’s committed charges was rewarded with points from Tadhg Nerney, John Hand, Willie Stokes and Reuben Murray but Ellistown held out for a very hard earned victory and were relieved to hear the sound of the final whistle in advancing to meet Ballinagar (Offaly) in the semi-final. 

It was real backs to the wall stuff for Ellistown as they failed to score over the closing 16 minutes of play, much like the previous week's win over the Westmeath champions Castletown-Finea where it was 17 mins without a score.

It took Grattans a while to settle into the unfamiliar surroundings as Ellistown found themselves 3 up inside eight minutes.Team captain Pat Martin had Ellistown ahead inside thirty seconds and Eoin O’Loughlin and Tadhg Watson from a free extended the lead before Eoin Kinlan got the opening score for Grattans. 

Kinlan was on target again in the 20th minute and a John Hand free soon after had the sides level approaching the half-time break.

Conor Lindy ended a 15 minute spell without an Ellistown score as he landed a monster from 50 metres.

Grattans attacker Eoin Kinlan was proving hot to handle and he levelled matters for the second time.

Evan Donnelly from wide on the left and the  score of the first half from Pat Martin looked to have given Ellistown a nice buffer before the break but Kinlan took advantage of a soft free to leave it 0-6 to 0-5 as the half-time whistle sounded.

Eoin Kinlan was on mark again from a free inside 60 seconds of the restart to level matters but Ellistown were about to enjoy their best moments of the game. 

Evan Donnelly pointed after a neat one two with Tadhg Watson; Pat Martin with his third score and Tadhg Watson and Eoin O’Loughlin all helped extend the lead to four with 42 minutes gone on the clock.

You always felt Grattans weren't far from a score but some excellent defending from Sean Lindy and Andrew McLoughlin kept them at bay and helped  protect the lead.

 Entering the closing quarter, scores from Tadhg Nerney and another John Hand free brought Grattan Og within two but it was shortlived as Ciaran Lindy and Darragh Watson points quickly pushed the lead out to four again.

The Ellistown scoring stopped and it was all Grattans over those closing 16 minutes that included 6 minutes of injury time. Eoin Kinlan kicked his sixth score in the 58th minute; goalkeeper Reuben Murray landed a 61st minute free and when substitute Willie Stokes landed a 30 metre effort the stage was set up for a grandstand finish.

The referee found an extra two minutes as we reached 64 minutes  but despite two late wides from Grattans it was  Ellistown who  held on for a slender win by the minimum of margins.

ELLISTOWN: Oran Donnelly; Sean Lindy, Andrew McLoughlin, James Neilson; Oisin O’Loughlin, Darragh Watson (0-1), Pat Martin (0-3); Conor Lindy (0-1), Shane Maughan; Evan Donnelly  (0-2), Ciaran Lindy (0-1), Eoin O’Loughlin (0-2); Tadhg Watson (0-2, 1 free), Conor O’Loughlin, Leo Lennox.

SUBS:- James Sutton for Shane Maughan (42 mins);  Max Lennox for L Lennox (43 mins); David Dunne for C O Loughlin (48 mins);  Callum Donnelly for T Watson (48 mins); Tom Byrne for Ciaran Lindy (55 mins).

 YOUNG GRATTANS: Reuben Murray 0-1, free); Jack Tiernan, James Moran, David Trappe; Niall Nerney, Eoin Farrell, Emmet Clarke; Beau O'Connor, David Bermingham; Rory Howlin, Harry Mulvihill, Eoin Kinlan (0-6, 3 frees); Gary Hand, John Hand (0-2, frees), Stephen Oates.

SUBS:- Tadhg Nerney 0-1 for R Howlin (half-time); Willie Stokes 0-1 for D Trappe (54 mins); Matthew Hawes for J Moran (60 mins).

Referee: Stephen Fagan (Wicklow).