Mullinalaghta back on track in holding out for a slender win over Longford Slashers

After losing their first two fixtures, Mullinalaghta are back on track in their quest to qualify for the Senior Football Championship quarter-finals following a very hard earned single point win over Longford Slashers in the crunch Round 3 clash at C & D Devine Park in Edgeworthstown on Friday night.

Mullinalaghta St Columba’s . . . 1-13  Longford Slashers . . . 1-12

The pressure is now on Conor Clarke’s side in the hope of reaching the last eight through the Group B minefield and gritty St Columba’s (minus the injured Jayson Matthews) showed fierce resilience in protecting their slender advantage from the moment Gary Rogers (back home from Australia) fisted over the lead point in the 56th minute.

From the remainder of the match, Slashers were dominant in their efforts to engineer the equaliser but could find no way through the resolute Mullinalaghta defence as the former champions called on all of  their vast experience.

Slashers were left to rue a few costly missed chances in the second half as Robbie Clarke (denied by a terrific save from the opposing keeper Luke Meehan) and Darragh O’Connell (who had a point-blank shot blocked down) both went so close to scoring goals in the third quarter.

It looked all over when defender Patrick Fox surged forward to create the opening for Cian Mackey to register a well-taken goal in the 40th minute and St Columba’s now held a comfortable 1-11 to 0-9 lead after trailing by two points (0-9 to 0-7) at the break. 

While Slashers got right back in contention when Sean Clarke planted the ball in the back of the net in the 44th minute, Mullinalaghta dug deep to survive in a frantic finish.

A significant blow for Slashers was the loss of key defender Sean Morgan who was forced to retire injured with just three minutes gone on the clock.  

MULLINALAGHTA ST COLUMBA’S: Luke Meehan; Simon Cadam, Patrick Fox, James Rogers; Gary Rogers (0-2), Connor Leonard, Francis Mulligan; David McGivney (0-6, 5 frees), Aidan McElligott; Cian McElligott (0-2), Niall Woods (0-2), Michael Cunningham (0-1); Cian Mackey (1-0), Donal McElligott, James McGivney. 

Subs:- Emmet Brady for C Mackey (injured, 41 mins); Shane Mulligan for S Cadam (46 mins); Conan Brady for A McElligott (56 mins). 

LONGFORD SLASHERS: Eoin McGuinness (0-1, ‘45); Paddy Duggan, Ronan Sheahan (senior), Ronan Kenny; Diarmuid Boylan (0-1), Sean Morgan, Peter Lynn; Daire O’Brien (0-1), Adrian Duffy; Sean Clarke (1-1), Darragh O’Connell, Diarmuid Sheahan (0-3, 2 frees); Sean Tiernan (0-1), Robbie Clarke (0-4, 1 two-pointer, 2 frees), Ruairi Clarke.

Subs:- Robbie O’Connell for S Morgan (injured, 3 mins); Micheal Mulcahy for S Tiernan (half-time); Ronan Sheahan for D Sheahan (42 mins). 

Referee: Tony Gaffney (Mostrim). 

Killoe cruise to comfortable victory over Dromard

Killoe Emmet Og . . . 2-13   Dromard . . . 2-6

Killoe issued a stern statement in the battle for the Connolly Cup following their emphatic victory over Dromard in the Senior Football Championship Group A Round 3 game at the Monaduff grounds in Drumlish on Friday night with Paddy Kiernan and Paddy Moran scoring the goals for Emmet Og.