Longford SFC: Killoe come out on top but missed chances costly for Colmcille

While Killoe came out on top to clinch pole position in Group A of the Senior Football Championship and a meeting with old rivals Mullinalaghta in the quarter-finals, many missed chances in the second half were costly for Colmcille at the Higginstown grounds in Granard on Saturday evening.

Killoe Emmet Og . . . 2-10   Colmcille . . . 0-12

With the advantage of the stiff wind and the boost of a cracking early goal from the impressive  Paddy Moran with just 6 minutes gone on the clock, Killoe held a fairly comfortable 1-7 to 0-4 lead at the break but it was a different story in the second half of the refixed Round 5 match. 

 Colmcille enjoyed plenty of possession but poor finishing led to their eventual downfall with the opposition in the last 8 in the current campaign a repeat of the 2024 county title decider against Abbeylara which was eventually resolved after a replay and extra-time.

A well-worked  move yielded the crucial second goal from defender Niall Farrelly in the 47th minute  to leave Emmet Og in a commanding 2-9 to 0-6 lead and while Colmcille tried hard to close the gap they were fighting a losing battle.

With Michael Quinn making his first appearance in this year’s championship, Killoe deserved the victory but will have to do without experienced defender Liam Hughes for the quarter-final on Sunday next after he received a straight red card during the course of the lengthy stoppage time that lasted a total of 7 minutes. 

KILLOE EMMET OG: Micheal Hughes; Evan Farrelly, Darren Moffet, Liam Hughes; Gavin Farrelly, Michael Quinn, Niall Farrelly (1-0); Ronan Keogh, Ryan Moffett; Eamon Keogh (0-3), Cian Farrelly (0-1), James Moran; Danny Mimnagh (0-1), Paddy Moran (1-4, 1 free), Mark Hughes (0-1).

Subs:- Larry Moran for Mark Hughes (43 mins); Ryan Keogh for E Farrelly (49 mins); Ciaran Mulligan for E Keogh (55 mins); Paddy Kiernan for J Moran (58 mins); Gavin Hughes for M Quinn (first minute of stoppage time). 

COLMCILLE: Noel Farrell; Colin Farley, Eoghan Williams, Conor Grant; Dylan McCabe, Declan Reilly, Martin Mulligan; Ruairi Harkin, Fergal Sheridan; Luke Donnelly, Jack Macken (0-2, frees), Gerard Mulligan; Cathal McCabe (0-1), Ciaran McKeon, Barry McKeon (0-5, all frees including a couple of two-pointers).

Subs:- Paul Farley for D McCabe (injured, 19 mins); Paul McKeon (0-4, 2 two-pointers) for L Donnelly (half-time); Cathal Reilly for C McKeon (38 mins); Keelan Hudson (51 mins) for F Sheridan (51 mins); Matthew Farrell for J Macken (59 mins). 

Referee: Joe McDermott (Young Grattans). 

SFC Quarter-Final Pairings

Saturday 13 September

Clonguish v Dromard, 4.30pm  

Rathcline v Carrickedmond, 6.15pm 

Sunday 14 September

Killoe Emmet Og v Mullinaghta St Columba’s, 2.30pm 

 Colmcille v Abbeylara, 4.15pm 

Semi-Final Pairings

Killoe or Mullinalaghta v Rathcline or Carrickedmond

Clonguish or Dromard v Colmcille or Abbeylara