Longford SFC: Impressive Granard spring surprise against Colmcille

Harry Kiernan in full flight in this Granard attack. Action from the Senior Football Championship Round 1 game against Colmcille at Maguire Park on Friday evening Photo: Syl Healy | Syl Healy

placeholder image — Harry Kiernan in full flight in this Granard attack. Action from the Senior Football Championship Round 1 game against Colmcille at Maguire Park on Friday evening Photo: Syl Healy | Syl Healy

Peter Hanley Motors Senior Football Championship Group B - Round 1

St Mary’s Granard . . . 2-13 Colmcille . . . 0-9

Brimming with confidence and no shortage of quality, the youthful Granard side were full value for their surprise win against Colmcille in the Senior Football Championship first round clash at Maguire Park in Ballinalee on Friday evening.

Having appointed a high profile manager in the vastly experienced Pat Flanagan, the former Offaly, Westmeath and Sligo senior boss, St Mary’s showed their promise with former Longford star Darren Gallagher leading the charge in this tremendous result with 0-4 to his credit.

It was a rude awakening for Colmcille, the beaten finalists for the past two years who trailed by 0-8 to 0-4 at the break.

Granard extended their advantage with a well-taken goal from Ben Blessington in the early stages of the second half and made absolutely certain of this excellent victory when Jamie Brady Hynes finished the ball to the net late in the game.

Brendan Martin, Eoin O’Hara, Liam Sullivan, Cian O’Donnell, Jordan Martin and David Callaghan also got their names on the scoresheet for St Mary’s.

St Mary’s now head for Glennon Brothers Pearse Park on Thursday evening to take on the title favourites Clonguish while under pressure Colmcille are in action against Carrickedmond at Emmet Park on Friday night.

ST MARY’S GRANARD: Reece Small; Patrick McGivney, Tom Kearney, Sean Corcoran; Harry Kiernan, Mark Tully, Liam Sullivan (0-1); Darren Gallagher (0-4, 1 ‘45, 1tpf), David Callaghan (0-1); Eoin O’Hara (0-2), Jamie Brady Hynes (1-1), Ben Blessington (1-0); Cian O’Donnell (0-1), Jordan Martin (0-1), Brendan Martin (0-2).

Subs:- James Kiernan for Mark Tully (35 mins); Jordan Shiels for Eoin O’Hara (55 mins), Edward Smyth for Patrick McGivney (58 mins).

COLMCILLE: Noel Farrell; Dylan McCabe (0-1), Eoghan Williams, Conor Grant; Martin Mulligan, Declan Reilly, Sean Smith; Aaron Smyth, Cathal Reilly; Vinny Hourican, Cathal McCabe (0-1), Luke Donnelly (0-1); Keelan Hudson, Fergal Sheridan, Barry McKeon (0-6, 1f, 1tp, 1tpf).

Subs:- Eoin Hawkins for Martin Mulligan (42 mins), Gerard Mulligan for Fergal Sheridan (44 mins), Colin Farley for Dylan McCabe (52 mins), Paul McKeon for Keelan Hudson (54 mins), Philip McKeon for Luke Donnelly (54 mins).

Referee: Fergal Kelly (Ballymahon).

Full match report in the print edition of the Leader, on sale on Wednesday