Club Notes from week ending Sept 14th

Remember to check the new club website for updates and activities.

Senior
Well done to the senior team who beat Killoe in the senior championship semi final on Saturday last  where they now take on Longford Slashers in the final on Sunday Sept 28th at 4:15. Match report below.

Congratulations to Ollie and Margaret McGivney on the recent birth of their son Evan.

Minor
Our U/12’s lost out to Carrick Sarsfields in the championship on Monday even the 8th.  We didn’t make the top two of the championship but qualified to play in the shield.  We played in the shield semi final against St. Vincents on Friday evening last the 12th and after a well fought game Colmcille came out on top to reach the final.  A date for this to be arranged.  Our U/14’s played against St. Vincents in the B championship final in Pearse Park on Tuesday 9th and this game ended in a draw.  Both teams played under very tough weather conditions and credit is due to them.  The replay of this game took place on Tuesday 16th and results of this next week. Our minor amalgamation Colmcille/Clonbroney beat Carrick Sarsfields in a league game on Friday evening last.  

Colmcille players and supporters will have woken up Sunday morning knowing that they have a second successive county final to look forward to, but their memories may well be shaded by a few flashes of what could have been a nightmare. Colmcille who are trying to bridge a fifty year gap came within a whisker of being sensationally knocked out of the race for the Connolly Cup by a Killoe side who many ranked as total underdogs.

Colmcille managed a solitary score in the second half, Tommy Doyle’s crucial goal that essentially won the game for the Aughnacliffe men. Killoe had opportunites to force the game to a replay but lady luck and the lack of shooting boots was their ultimate downfall.

Many had written off Killoe before this semi final even begun but the Killoe squad and management certainly had other ideas and will feel very hard done by this morning not to be in a county final themselves. Colmcille had missed their own chances particularly in the last quarter when they hit four wides.

Denis McGoldrick opened the scoring with a free from twenty five metres out in the second minute. Just the start the Killoe side needed. Doyle responded at the town end of Pearse Park with another free after Declan C Reilly was pulled down although it was tipped over by Ian Browne on the Killoe line.

McGoldrick found his range from play to raise his and Killoe’s second white flag of the encounter with Sean McCormack supplying the final pass. The game continued to descend into a lacklustre affair until Reilly and Donie McKeon combined for McKeon to send over a cracking effort from out on the left.

But whatever McKeon could do at one end Sean McCormack could do for Killoe at the other end and less than sixty seconds after McKeon’s point, the Killoe man sent over one of his own. The sides were level for a third time when Doyle slotted over another free awith his direct opponent Shane Doherty being penalised for picking the ball off the ground.

Colmcille got their noses in fornt through a McKeon free, which was brought forward for dissent, Ciaran Keogh being the guilty culprit for fouling Declan C Reilly. A superb point from McKeon from a near impossible angle just under the stand from within the thirteen metre line put Colmcille two ahead, 0-5 to 0-3, with twenty minutes played.

Colmcille looked as if they could run away with it when Gary Murtagh stormed up the middle of the Killoe defence to lay the ball off to Doyle and the accurate corner forward made no mistake in slotting over from close range. Killoe’s leading light in attack McGoldrick sent over his third point of the opening half to leave his side trailing 0-6 to 0-4 at the break. The score came following good work between Ger Carberry and John Kiernan and McGoldrick who was in form made no mistake to take a good point.

Killoe came out for the second half willing to give it absolutely everything and this they certainly did. They owned possession of the ball for the majority of the second half but unfortunately from a Killoe perspective failed to convert this into scores.

Killoe had a wonderful opportunity to get in front but Sean McCormack had his effort brilliantly saved by Gavin Tonra in the Colmcille goal. The very impressive midfielder Paul O’ Hara, who had a tremendous game in the Killoe colours, linked up well with McGoldrick and sent over a fine point from all of thirty-five metres.

McGoldrick sent over yet another point to restore parity at 0-6 apiece and Killoe certainly had the north Longford men on the ropes at this stage. Killoe edged in front with a point from McCormack off his left on the run and one was beginning to sense it could well be Killoe’s day. 0-7 to 0-6 ahead with eleven minutes played in the second half.

Colmcille were failing to impose themselves on the game and with Declan C Reilly unable to get on the ball the Colmcille threat was nearly non existant. Substitute Anthony Gormley delivered a long ball into the edge of the Killoe square and McKeon latched on to it only for hhim to see the ball rebound of the crossbar. J.P. Reilly followed up but his sliding shot rolled harmlessly wide.

Colmcille ended their thirty minute drought without a score when Doyle sent a low hit effort to the corner of the net. A quick free from Reilly found Doyle in space and the nippy corner forward turned and dispatched his effort confidently past Cillian Burns in the Killoe goal, Colmcille 1-6 to 0-7 ahead with just over five minutes remaining.

Eugene Clarke had a glorious opportunity to leave only a point in it but his attempt on goal came back off the post. With just over a minute on the stopwatch remaining McGoldrick dropped another effort into the harms of Tonra. Thirty-one minutes were played when county minor star Michael Quinn landed a terrific point off his left for a superb score, 0-8 to 1-6 with time still to be played.

A minute later Quinn had a chance to salvage a draw for the Killoe men but just as he unleashed his shot he lost his footing and his shot once again dropped into the hands of Tonra. It was Killoe’s last chance and they failed to get anothet chance to square things up, even though they probably deserved another bite at the cherry.

For Colmcille its a county final appearance against Slashers in two weeks time while Killoe will turn their attentions to secure division one status for next year.

COLMCILLE: Gavin Tonra, Padraig Murtagh, Noel Farrell, Ollie McGivney, Brian Brady, Gary Murtagh, Francis Kavanagh, Declan C Reilly, Enda Farrell, Paul McKeon, Declan S Reilly, J.P. Reilly, Tommy Doyle (1-3, 2fs), Declan Farrell, Donie McKeon (0-3, 1f).

SUBS USED:- Anthony Gormley for P. McKeon (39 mins), Paul Murtagh for D.S. Reilly (48 mins), Paul Kennedy for T. Doyle (62 mins).

EMMET ÓG: Cillian Burns, Francis Brady, Peter Maguire, Shane Doherty, Aiden Brady, Ciaran Keogh, Andrew Gilna, Ian Browne, Paul O’ Hara (0-1), Ger Carberry, Sean McCormack (0-2), John Kiernan, Denis McGoldrick (0-4, 1f), Aidan Keogh, Michael Quinn (0-1).

SUBS USED:- Eugene Clarke for A Keogh (half-time), Thomas Nolan for E Clarke (62 mins).

REFEREE: Aidan Dowler (Moydow Harpers).