Longford Senior Football Championship: Substitute Ruairi Harkin scores late goal to give Colmcille the edge over Granard

Dylan Corcoran on the ball for St Mary's Granard in his bid to evade the challenge of Colmcille opponent Rory Hawkins. Action from the Senior Football Championship Group 3 game. Photo: Declan Gilmore

placeholder image — Dylan Corcoran on the ball for St Mary's Granard in his bid to evade the challenge of Colmcille opponent Rory Hawkins. Action from the Senior Football Championship Group 3 game. Photo: Declan Gilmore

Peter Hanley Motors Senior Football Championship Group 3 - Round 3

Colmcille . . . 1-14 St Mary’s Granard. . . 2-9

Granard were the architects of their own downfall at Lynch Park in Abbeylara on Sunday evening as they had enough chances in the second half to claim a badly needed win with Liam O’Rourke’s fisted effort going over the bar when a goal was on in the 46th minute.

Colmcille went on to score two points to give themselves a slender lead by the 54th minute and in the 59th minute they launched another attack with Harkin (the son of former Granard player Mickey) shooting to the back of the net to leave St Mary’s trailing by four points and there was really no way back at this late stage.

COLMCILLE: Mark Kiernan; Niall Farley, Ciaran Brady, Enda Macken; Martin Mulligan, Vinny Hourican (0-1), Podge Murtagh; Declan Farrell, Paul McKeon (0-2, 1f); Noel Farrell (0-1), Barry McKeon (0-3, 2f), Rory Hawkins (0-7, 5f); Alan McKeon, Declan Reilly, Cathal Reilly.

Subs:- Darren Mulligan for D Farrell (32 mins); Ruairi Harkin (1-0) for C Reilly (black card, 57 mins); Fergal Sheridan for N Farrell (two minutes into stoppage time); Gerry Mulligan for D Reilly (black card, two minutes into stoppage time).

ST MARY’S GRANARD: Declan Hynes; Eddie Smyth, Thomas Gallagher, Paddy McGivney; Mark Tully, Brian Sheridan (1-1), Dylan Corcoran; Charlie Martin, Darren Gallagher (1-4, goal from penalty); Derek Sheridan, Kevin McGauran, Paul Smyth (0-1, f); Ian Small (0-1), Liam O’Rourke (0-2, 1f), Niall O’Hara.

Subs:- David Hynes for D Sheridan (black card, 40 mins); Eoin Sheridan for D Corcoran (injured, 57 mins); Eoin Higgins for N O’Hara (injured, 57 mins).

Referee: Ken Leonard (Fr Manning Gaels).

Full report and pictures in the Longford Leader, on sale on Wednesday