Saints wait a ‘Long’ time for sweet revenge
REVENGE was a long time coming, but it was the sweeter for St Mochta’s as they overcame Meath champs Longwood in the opening round of the Leinster Club IFC in Ardee on Saturday.
A Mickey Burke inspired Royals side clinched the Leinster Junior title on Louth Village soil nine years ago, but they crossed the Boyne empty-handed on this occasion as a Philip Englishby first-half goal eventually proved the difference between the sides.
But extra-time was required to separate two evenly matched teams and it was the Mochta’s Louth final hero Declan Byrne who stood tall again, kicking three of his seven-point haul during the ‘new game’.
With Eamon O’Neill on honeymoon, Jamie Farrell suspended and Ciarán Byrne injured Seamus McGahon had to field a depleted Mochta’s team, but his players responded with a gutsy display right form the off.
For a while it looked as if they might run away with it as they opened a 0-3 to 0-1 lead through Ciaran McMahon, Barry Mulholland and Byrne before full-back Englisby followed up to fire to the net after Gary Heneghan had touched a Stephen McCooey shot on to the crossbar.
IFC final goalscorer McCooey was in fine form, but he passed up three other goal chances during that early spell of home dominance.
Longwood would eventually find their feet and they slowly but surely made their hosts pay for those early misses.
After the goal Mochta’s only managed a single Byrne free and Longwood slowly reeled them back in, closing the gap to a solitary point at half-time.
The Louth Village men were perhaps fortunate not to be behind as Longwood midfielder Anthony Healy spurned a gilt-edged goal chance in the run into half-time.
The Meath men did take the lead soon after the re-start, however, as Healy and Aaron Ennis pointed in quick succession.
The tie’s top two, Byrne for Mochta’s and Ryan Moore for Longwood, notched their third and second points apiece to leave a point in it.
Byrne levelled the game for the fourth time before Ciaran McMahon edged Mochta’s back into the lead.
They were still ahead as the clock ticked past the hour, but Moore ensured extra-time was required, converting from an acute angle.
A Byrne free was the only score of the opening 10 minutes of extra-time, but Moore tied the game with a superb point.
But Louth star Byrne grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck in the closing stages.
He first converted a free and then warmed the hearts of the Villagers with an audacious sideline kick with the outside of his boot.
Mochta’s will now face Laois champs Courtwood back in Ardee on Saturday week as they bid for a last four spot.
ST. Mochta’s: Jason Callan; David Lennon, Philip Englishby (1-0), Liam Lawlor; Barry Mulholland (0-1), Andrew English, Conor Garland; Darren McMahon, Gareth O’Reilly; Liam McGranaghan, Gerry Garland, Emlyn Clerkin; Declan Byrne (0-7, three frees & one sideline), Stephen McCooey, Ciarán McMahon (0-2) Sub: Danny Kindlon for O’Reilly (HT)
LONGWOOD: Gary Heneghan; Bob Maguire, Christopher Lynch, Damien Healy; Niall Mulvey, Joey Stenson, Karl Ennis (0-2); Eoin Lynch (0-1), Anthony Healy (0-2, frees); Michael Burke, Ryan Moore (0-4, two frees), Evan Coyle; Seán Sheridan (0-1), Wayne Leonard, Aaron Ennis (0-1, free) Subs: Corran Byrne for Leonard (47), David Rowley for Anthony Healy (67), Paul Gill for Mulvey (70)
REFEREE: Niall Ward (Westmeath)