Longford SFC: Gutsy Granard crack Carrickedmond to register first win

Under serious pressure after losing their first three fixtures in Group A of the Senior Football Championship, it eventually came good for Granard who cracked the challenge of Carrickedmond after producing a great second half display at Allen Park in Newtownforbes on Friday night last.  

St Mary’s Granard . . . 0-19  Carrickedmond . . . 0-14

Carrick were in pole position to claim a place in the quarter-finals and were looking good when they established a 0-10 to 0-6 lead at the break but it developed into a fierce struggle in the second half as gutsy St Mary’s came storming back to register their first win in the current Connolly Cup campaign.
A brace of two-pointers from frees converted by Darren Gallagher and another from last year’s Leinster minor championship medal winner Ben Blessington changed the course of the game on the changeover for what was a terrific result for the Granard manager Paul Lynch from Mullahoran and his highly charged players.
The blues are now depending on qualified Dromard doing them a favour in the remaining group game against Carrick in a couple of weeks time to keep alive their hopes of reaching the last 8 going on the almost certain guarantee that St Mary’s will beat bottom of the table Mostrim.
This was a very disappointing defeat for Eugene McCormack’s side who faded badly in the second half (outscored by 0-13 to 0-4) but at least they have another chance in a must win match against Dromard.
With the impressive Aidan McGuire a constant threat in the full-forward-line, clocking up 5 points including a two pointer free on the stroke of half-time, Carrickedmond led the way and also on the scoresheet were Pauric Dempey (2), Eoghan McCormack (2 frees) and Sean Kelly.

Everything was going according to plan at this stage of the game but St. Mary’s kept in touch with three points from the prominent Jamie Brady Hynes while Charlie Martin (the opening score) and Darren Gallagher (a two-pointer free close to the break) were also on target.
It all fell apart for Carrick in the second half as Granard surged forward with influential half-time substitute Paul Smyth sweeping up a lot of the breaking ball. Four points in a row from commanding defender Mark Tully, Jamie Brady Hynes and a brace from the impressive Harry Kiernan left the sides all square with eight minutes gone on the changeover and the momentum was firmly with revitalised St Mary’s.
Three more points (1 two-pointer) quickly followed from the exciting prospect Ben Blessington before Carrickedmond eventually registered their first score in the second half from a free converted by Aidan McGuire in the 42nd minute.
A point from Eoghan McCormack closed the gap to just the minimum of margins and Carrick should have been lifted by a wonderful two-pointer from McCormack in the 49th minute.
But resolute Granard, inspired by the influential Darren Gallagher, were in no mood to let a badly needed victory slip from their grasp and they kept the scoreboard ticking over in adding another six points to their tally during the remainder of this entertaining encounter.
Apart from the vital couple of two-pointer frees from Gallagher, there were further scores late in the game from Harry Kiernan and Ben Blessington to clinch a deserved success.

ST MARY’S GRANARD: Killian McGivney; Mark O’Neill, Tom Kearney, Aaron Smyth; Dylan Reilly, Mark Tully (0-1), Eddie Smyth; Darren Gallagher (0-6, 3 two pointer frees), James Kiernan; Eoin Sheridan, Harry Kiernan (0-3), Ben Blessington (0-4, 1 two-pointer play); Jordan Martin, Charlie Martin (0-1), Jamie Brady Hynes (0-4).

Subs:- Paul Smyth for E Sheridan (half-time); Ruairi Corcoran for C Martin (46 mins); Liam Sullivan for E Smyth (51 mins).

CARRICKEDMOND: Garret Higgins; Darragh Mulligan, Rioch Farrell, Conor Mulvey; Diarmuid Kelly, Barry O’Farrell, Dermot Brady; Sean Kelly (0-1), Enda Farrell; Pauric Dempsey (0-2), Eoghan McCormack (0-5, 1 two-pointer play, 2 frees), Brian Mulvey; Kyle Kenny, Liam Glennon, Aidan McGuire (0-6, 1 two-pointer free, 1 free). 

Subs:- Cormac Mulvey for K Kenny (47 mins); Sean Egan for B Mulvey (51 mins); Jack Dempsey for E McCormack (injured, fourth minute of stoppage time).

Referee: Fergal Kelly (Ballymahon).