Longford SFC Final Replay: Abbeylara or Colmcille?
Peter Hanley Motors Senior Football Championship title will be decided on Saturday
Abbey eventually had to settle for second best six years ago as St Columba’s cruised to a comprehensive win and ended up as Leinster club champions in that same season.
It looked like some more bitter disappointment was going to be suffered with the current Abbeylara side trailing by a couple of points against Colmcille going into stoppage time in the 2024 senior championship decider.
An attendance in the region of 2,500 watched the drama unfold as the vastly experienced attacker Robbie Smyth came to the rescue in landing a couple of last gasp pressure points to earn his side a second chance.
The prospect of another close encounter is looming large and should another stalemate materialise on Saturday (throw-in 3.45pm) then extra-time and possibly a penalty shoot-out will be necessary to settle the issue.
Prediction: Colmcille
Gaels and Connolly’s clash in the Intermediate championship final
The first part of the attractive double bill at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park on Saturday is the meeting of Fr Manning Gaels and Sean Connolly’s in the Mulleady Group Intermediate Football Championship Final, throw-in 1pm.
The Gaels lost to Ballymahon in the 2022 decider and Connolly’s suffered the same fate against Kenagh in last year’s final.
As the game must be finished on the day (extra-time and a penalty shoot-out if necessary), the Gerry Hennessy Cup will be heading for Ballinalee or Drumlish/Ballinamuck on Saturday evening.
Prediction: Sean Connolly's