Longford SFC: Dromard overcome Killoe on the way to the quarter-finals
Peter Hanley Motors Senior Football Championship Group A - Round 5
By Ciaran Bracken
Dromard and Killoe clashed in a tight and tense affair in the Senior Football Championship Group A Round 5 game at the Monaduff grounds on Saturday evening.
With Matt Duffy back in action after his return home from Australia, the close encounter ended in a narrow win for Dromard on the way to the quarter-finals as they overcame the tough challenge of the already qualified Emmet Og
Dromard, needing a positive result to make absolutely certain of their place in the last 8, started the brighter with 2 points (1 free) from the ever dangerous Francis McGee.
Killoe responded and after 9 minutes the scores were level after points from Daniel Mimnagh and Eamon Keogh.
Dromard then got the first goal in the 12th minute when McGee played an excellent pass into Joseph Hagan who buried the ball into the net.
Sub goalkeeper Ollie Duffy, who replaced the injured Sean McNerney, then fired over an excellent 2 pointer free and in the 18th minute Joseph Hagan kicked another point for Dromard to leave them 1-5 to 0-2 ahead.
Ronan McGoldrick then registered 2 points (1 free) in quick succession for Killoe to reduce the arrears but Dromard responded when Aaron Farrell landed a point in the 22nd minute.
Davin Donnelly and Ronan McGoldrick (free) replied for Killoe before Donnelly was most unlucky to see his goal bound effort strike the post in what was a lucky escape for Dromard in the 28th minute.
Moments later Aaron Farrell scored his second point in the match and the Dromard advantage was further increased when Matt Duffy and Francis McGee (free) shot over the bar.
Killoe got the last point in the first half when Daniel Mimnagh was on target to leave the half-time score at 1-9 to 0-7 in favour of Dromard.
At the start of the second half the impressive Aaron Farrell tacked on another two scores to extend the Dromard lead to a comfortable 7 points.
Micheal Hughes then kicked an excellent two-pointer free for the Killoe side to close the gap and while Joseph Hagan (free) responded for Dromard, their lead was reduced when James Moran scored a goal in the 40th minute.
Ronan McGoldrick converted a free for Emmet Og with 42 minutes gone on the clock to leave just a single point between the sides.
Dromard then missed a glorious chance to move further ahead when a Francis McGee penalty was well saved by the Killoe keeper Micheal Hughes.
Joseph Hagan fired over a free for Dromard and in the 52nd minute he added another point from play to leave the score at 1-14 to 1-11.
Killoe then scored 3 points in a row all through Ronan McGoldrick (1 free) and this late burst left the sides level after 59 minutes.
But Dromard then got the last couple of scores with Matt Duffy and substitute Cormac Mulligan kicking a point apiece to clinch a fine win.
DROMARD: Sean McNerney; Ruairi O’Toole, Oisin O'Toole, Ronan Corcoran; Ronan Bleakley, Dylan Vance, Peadar Kiernan; Daniel Conboy, William McEntire; Fionn Hourican, Aaron Farrell (0-4), Padraig Mulligan; Joseph Hagan (1-4, 2 frees), Francis McGee (0-3, 2 frees), Matt Duffy (0-2).
Subs used:- Ollie Duffy (0-2, two-pointer free) for S McNerney (injured, 9 mins); Cormac Mulligan (0-1) for P Kiernan (29 mins); Donnacha Reynolds for F McGee (50 mins); Eoghan Palin for R Corcoran (59 mins).
KILLOE EMMET OG: Micheal Hughes (0-3, ‘45 and two-pointer free); Ryan Keogh, Liam Hughes, Evan Farrelly; James Moran (1-0), Mickey Quinn, Eamon Keogh (0-1); Enda Quinn, Niall Farrelly; Gavin Farrelly, Paddy Moran, Cian Farrelly; Davin Donnelly (0-1), Ronan McGoldrick (0-7, 4 frees), Daniel Mimnagh (0-2).
Subs used:- Paddy Kiernan and Conor Mulligan for E Quinn and D Donnelly (40 mins); Darren Moffett for E Keogh (51 mins).
Referee: Francis Kelly (Carrickedmond).