Easkey’s stylish display
WELCOME to the Intermediate grade, baby. Eastern Harps, relegated from the top tier last year, discovered that the Connacht Gold Intermediate Football Championship can be an unforgiving arena – even for former Owen B Hunt Cup winners.
Last Sunday the Ross Donovanmanaged side lost by three points to a Brian Coleman-inspired Enniscrone-Kilglass – full-forward Coleman, the west Sligo team’s captain, landed 10 points (six from frees) in his side’s 0-15 to 0-12 win at Cloonacool Community Park. Enniscrone-Kilglass, who led 0-7 to 0-6 at half-time, punished Harps’ lethargic display.
But Enniscrone-Kilglass were
Connacht Gold IFC
Group Two – Round One Easkey 1-15 Bunninadden 1-6 from full-forward Daniel Rolston after two minutes.
Rolston was denied a second goal shortly afterwards and, at the other end, Easkey netminder Shane Kilgannon had to be alert to deny Matthew Clavin’s improvised effort. Easkey, showing greater accuracy throughout, were eight points ahead at one stage in the first-half. Bunninadden found a lifeline when Rory O’Dowd netted following Niall O’Donnell’s ball into the mixer.
Andrew Kilcullen was then denied a goal by a good block from Bunninadden full-back Stephen Anderson, with the recent Furey’s Senior Football League Division Three winners fortunate to be just five points down at the break, 1-7 to 1-2.
Easkey’s control continued in the second period via points from Andrew Kilcullen, Mikey Gordon and Joe McHugh.
Three late points from Bunninadden substitute Oisin
Greg Regan, Oisin Hynes, Eoghan Bourke, Sean Quinn, Adam Mullaney, Aidan Morrison, Cian Mulrooney, Donal Mullaney, Chris Tuffy, Aaron Duffy, Ciaran O’Dowd (0-3), Joseph Martin (0-1), Shane Hargadon (0-1), Brian Coleman (c) (0-10, 6f), Mark Gordon
Subs used: Eoin Hallinan, Brandon Fitzgerald, Mark Caffrey
Eastern Harps: Alan Davey, James Soden, Kevin Gallagher, Sean O’Connor, Michael Clarke (c), Eoin Dwyer, Luke Taheny, Tony Taylor (0-1), Kyle Cosgrove (0-2), Caelan Hunt (0-1, 1f), Shawn O’Hara (0-2), Ronan Mulligan (0-1), Matt Henry (0-2), Shane O’Grady (0-3, 3f), Ciarán Dorrian
Subs used: Marcus Meehan, Bryan Molloy
Referee: Bill Carty
McDonnell, who found the target from long-range, ate into the margin. Cian Brett was Bunninadden’s other second-half scorer.
Easkey:
SENIOR