Castleconnor let half- time lead slip as Geevagh take control
GEEVAGH - one of the pre- championship favourites – got their Kennedys Intermediate Championship campaign off to an unconvincing start after they struggled to shake off a depleted Castleconnor at Markievicz Park last Sunday evening.
Despite ending as three- point winners, Geevagh, who fielded without Pat Hughes, were second best for long periods and Castleconnor will rue a poor second half display after they let a two- point half time lead slip.
The west Sligo men have lost a number of players since their final appearance in 2015 – Kevin McDonnell, Stephen Curley and Niall Judge were all notable absentees here – but they put together some decent moves to lead 1- 5 to 1- 3 at half time in this Group Two meeting.
Geevagh’s Pat Cawley was shown a red card in first half injury time and that looked to have swung things further in Castleconnor’s favour, but Geevagh put in an impressive second half display.
Two goals in the space of two minutes were the highlight of the first half – Pat Cawley netted for Geevagh in the ninth minute, but Paul Sweeney responded for Castleconnor moments later.
It was nip and tuck for most of the first half, but two points in the closing stages from Sweeney and Kevin Langan put Castleconnor 1- 5 to 1- 3 ahead at half time. Playing with the aid of the breeze in the second half, Geevagh were a man down but played direct with Kenneth Sweeney moving the full forward, and two Jody O’Reilly points erased the deficit by the 40th minute.
Castleconnor were struggling, and their challenge was further hindered when Kevin Langan received a black card early in the half.
Jody O’Reilly scored Geevagh’s second goal in the 20th, while Castleconnor failed to score for 24 minutes of the half. The sides exchanged scores late on with Jimmy O’Reilly on target twice for the winners, and Geevagh held on to win by three points. GEEVAGH: D Kearns; S Hargadon, E McManus, G Wall; D Smith, D O’Reilly, D Kearns; K Sweeney ( 0- 2, 1f), K Henry ( 0- 1); T O’Reilly ( 0- 1), P Cawley ( 1- 0), C McManus; J O’Reilly ( 0- 2), J O’Reilly ( 1- 2), S Tighe. Subs used: S Conlon CASTLECONNOR: C Gordon; B Howley, J Earlis, R Keane; P McGuinness, R Healy, C Barrins; C Kilcullen, K Langan( 0- 1, f); P Sweeney ( 1- 1), M Cullen, E Cawley ( 0- 4, 1f); E Kent, P Naughton, S Carrabine ( 0- 2). Subs used: B Howley, E Flynn REFEREE: J Doyle.