First senior title for Enniscrone/Kilglass since ‘04
ENNISCRONE/KILGLASS 0-10 BALLYMOTE 0-8
ENNISCRONE/KILGLASS earned themselves promotion back to Division Two after they got the better of Ballymote in last Friday’s Fureys Coaches Division Three final replay under the lights at Tourlestrane.
Two point winners at the finish, Enniscrone/Kilglass produced an excellent second half display to seal the honours after Ballymote dominated the first thirty minutes in what was a very competitive decider.
Gerry Monaghan’s Ballymote side will be disappointed to have come out on the wrong side of the result – they were 0-5 to 0-0 up after 25 minutes – and perhaps missed their chance when they let a seven point lead slip in the first game.
Nonetheless, Enniscrone/Kilglass showed huge desire to overcome a difficult start to finish strongly, with the west Sligo side hitting the front for the first time five minutes from time.
Brian Coleman’s personal haul of 0-6 was key to the Enniscrone/Kilglass victory, as was an effective defensive display which limited Ballymote to only two points from play over the hour.
The winners took plenty of time to settle, however, and Ballymote were by far the more efficient side in the early exchanges. With Peter Lyons once again rock solid from frees, Ballymote established a 0-5 to 0-0 lead after 25 minutes with Enniscrone/Kilglass particularly wasteful in front of goal.
They man- aged two points in the closing five minutes of the half, with Brian Coleman getting them off the mark, to cut Ballymote’s lead to three at the break (0-5 to 0-2).
After the resumption Enniscrone/ Kilglass levelled matters at 0-6 apiece by the midway point of the half, with Mark Gordon beginning to become more influ- ential and scoring a fine point from play.
Ballymote opened up a two point lead again, with Lyons finding the range twice, to leave matters at 0-8 to 0-6 heading towards the final stages. However, their attack was being consistently thwarted by the Enniscrone/Kilglass defence and much like the drawn game a week previously, the west Sligo men kicked into gear in the final ten minutes.
They drew level at 0-8 apiece when Tom Mahon fired over a marvellous free in the 56th minute, and kicked for home with Brian Coleman and Kevin Cawley raising white flags to put them into a 0-10 to 0-8 lead.
Ballymote had no answer to this sustained pressure and their misery was compounded in injury time when Aidan Caffrey was red carded, as Enniscrone/ Kilglass saw out injury time to claim a first title at senior level since 2004. ENNISCRONE/KILGLASS: M O’Hara; MJ Crean, C Mullaney, E Bourke; O McCaffrey, K Carden, K Cawley (0-1); D Mullaney, N Hannon; T Mahon (0-1), JP Carden, M Gordon (0-2); S Hargadon, M Moyles, B Coleman (0-6, 2fs). Subs used: M Caffrey BALLYMOTE: G Feehily; K Tighe, D Clarke, K Meehan; M Underwood, R Flannery, A Caffrey; M Rafferty, M Doddy; P Lyons (0-6, 5fs), A Cunnane (0-1), S Ross (0-1); J Hever, M Irwin, C Meehan. Subs used: G Rafferty, P Mullin REFEREE: R Hynes