Ardagh Moydow shatter Killashee to win the Longford Intermediate title

A significant piece of local GAA history was made at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park on Sunday as the Ardagh Moydow club won the Intermediate Football Championship title for the first time.

Ardagh Moydow . . . 1-11    St Brigid’s Killashee . . . 0-6 

In a dramatic turnaround from the group stage clash when St Brigid’s won by the fairly comfortable margin of six points, Killashee suffered a shattering defeat on this occasion against superior opposition.

Apart from a bright start which yielded a point from James Willis with a couple of minutes gone on the clock, there was just no stopping the highly charged Ardagh Moydow side in their quest for Hennessy Cup glory. 

Under the driving force of their inspirational manager Liam Keenan, one of their own, the new Intermediate champions showed the far greater urgency in their fierce desire to gain revenge for the bitter disappointment of the defeat against St Brigid’s in the Covid delayed 2020 final.

With the classy Killian Farell a serious threat in the full-forward-line, Ardagh Moydow led by 0-6 to 0-3 at the break with five of the scores coming from Farrell and Dylan Coady (two frees) and the advantage was extended in the early stages of the second half.

Killian fired over a third point and then cut though from the left on a penetrating run to create the perfect opportunity for Dylan to flick the ball into the net with three minutes gone on the changeover to deliver the killer blow. 

There was no way back for rattled Killashee and things went from bad to worse when they ended up with 13 players on the pitch following a black card for David Buckley in the 56th minute while Michael Farrell (second yellow) was sent off at the start of the stoppage time.

The Ardagh Moydow defence, splendidly marshalled by the braveheart centre-half-back Gerard Farrell, excelled in dealing with the threat of the Killashee attack and deserve a lot of credit for this county title triumph in a competition that Ardagh won under the guise of St Patrick’s in 1971, 2006 and 2013. 

ARDAGH MOYDOW: Cian O’Byne; Mark McCord, Tommy Powell, Jack Gallagher; Conor Carroll, Gerard Farrell, Shane Henry; Eugene Murray, Emmet Donlon; Diarmuid Farrell, Paddy Keenan, Connor Hogan (0-2); Dylan Coady (1-5, 4 frees), Daryl Carrigy (0-1), Killian Farrell (0-3).

Subs:- Mark Quinn for P Keenan (injured, 12 mins); Dylan Fay for E Murray (52 mins); James McGoey for G Farrell (53 mins); Paddy Hanley for M Quinn (stoppage time). 

ST BRIGID’S KILLASHEE: Barry Geraghty; Keelan Cox, David Buckley, Ronan Kavanagh; Shane Cosgrove, Jack Magan, James Willis (0-1); Niall McCormack, Michael Farrell 0-3, all frees); Dylan Farrell (0-2, 1 free), Johnny Casey, Paddy Clancy; Paddy Molloghan, Conor Clancy, Tommy Killian.

Subs:- Colin Cousins for S Cosgrove (40 mins); Mark Rossiter for J Casey (52 mins); James Campbell for C Clancy (59 mins); Nathan Steele for T Killian (stoppage time); Briain Farrell for J Willis (stoppage time).  

Referee: Joe McDermott (Young Grattans).