Longford SFC: Killoe take control against Dromard with a strong second half display

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.

 Killoe . . . 2-13    Dromard . . . . 2-6

Dromard got off to a superb start when William McEntire’s shot came off the crossbar and Ronan Corcoran reacted first to finish to the net. 

Micheal Hughes's excellent restart from the goal found James Moran immediately and he set Killoe on their way to an equaliser. The ball shifted to Cian Farrelly who found Larry Moran with a direct pass, and the corner forward, in typical fashion, turned sharply and found Paddy Kiernan at the back post, who finished with precision.

Paddy Moran and Diarmuid Masterson traded a brace of frees apiece as the sides remained deadlocked with Dromard’s two placed balls resulting from short range frees advanced forward due to a 3 man breach and dissent from Emmet Óg.

Paddy Moran scored his first from play with a terrific effort from distance to retake the lead before the break: 0-5 to 1-1. Masterson’s previous free after 23 minutes would be Dromard’s final score until the 48th minute as Killoe laid siege with a strong second  half display. 

Paddy Moran got his second goal of the championship and the first score of the second half when he timed his run off the shoulder and drove through to raise a green flag.

James then provided a similar run and shot over with his left before Paddy got another score. Paddy Kiernan then knocked over two wonderful two pointers in a row with the outside of his boot. Jimmy Higgins also had Ryan Moffett, Larry Moran and the impressive Darren Moffett starting for the first time.

Paddy Moran then kicked over his fifth to stretch the lead to 10 before minor William McEntire got a fist on a Diarmuid Masterson free to get his side off the mark again. Masterson backed it up with a neat score from play but Larry Moran scratched the brace out with a two pointer free.

The most impressive moment of the game happened in consolation when Francis McGee managed to fire a shot past an array of Killoe bodies on the end line with a late free. The chief marksman followed up the three pointer with a super point to reduce arrears in what was a dominant Killoe display.

KILLOE EMMET OG: Micheal Hughes, Liam Hughes, Ryan Moffett, Darren Moffett, James Moran (0-1), Niall Farrelly (0-1), Evan Farrelly, Shane Donohoe, Ronan Keogh, Eamon Keogh, Cian Farrelly, Gavin Farrelly, Paddy Moran (1-5, 2f), Paddy Kiernan (1-4, 2 two pointers), Larry Moran (0-2, 1 two pointer free). 

Subs:- Conor Mulligan for E Keogh (10 mins, inj), Mark Hughes for S Donohoe (21 mins, inj), Gavin Hughes for E Farrelly (44 mins), Cian Dooner for P Kiernan (56 mins), Ryan Keogh for Gavin Farrelly (56 mins), Ciaran Donohoe for Cian Farrelly (60 mins, temp).

DROMARD: Ollie Duffy, Conor McGauran, Ronan Bleakley, Christopher Grimes, Peter Reynolds, Oisín O’ Toole, Fionn Hourican, Ruairí O’Toole, Ronan Corcoran (1-0), Daniel Conboy, Diarmuid Masterson (0-3, 2f), Eoghan Palin (0-1), Aaron Farrell, Francis McGee (1-1, goal from free), William McEntire (0-1). 

Subs:- Oisin Hourican for O Duffy (13 mins, inj), Dylan Vance for D Conboy (44 mins), Ciaran Murphy for R Corcoran (49 mins), James Mimnagh for E Palin (52 mins).

Referee: Francis Kelly (Carrickedmond).