Waters’ goal is a crucial score for St Molaise Gaels

SAINT Molaise Gaels both enthralled – and unwittingly spoiled – their fans in the opening round of this year’s Connacht Gold Intermediate Football Championship.

A 22-point defeat of Geevagh in round one on August 13 set a precedent for last year’s county finalists. But St Molaise Gaels, favourites to reach their third successive Intermediate decider, have been more about efficiency since that landslide win.

They were four-point winners over Eastern Harps in round two and, on Saturday last in Cloonacool, they defeated St Patrick’s by two points, 1-8 to 0-9.

These recent results have hardly set pulses racing but the Jimmy Langanmanaged St Molaise Gaels are in the competition’s semi-finals with a game to spare.

In the evening’s heavy rain, Keelan Waters’ goal after seven minutes proved so crucial as firstly it helped the winners lead by three points at the break, 1-4 to 0-4.

St Patrick’s, for whom Padraig Clarke scored three points in all, created enough opportunities to reflect that they could have got something from this game and add to their previous result, a round one defeat of Ballymote.

But it was unfortunate for the west Sligo side that St Molaise Gaels goalkeeper Niall McLoughlin was having a stormer – he saved at least three certain goals during the course of the game.

Also keeping things ticking over for St Molaise Gaels was team captain Alan McLoughlin, who supplied four points, while county player Luke Towey made numerous forays upfield and also contributed a first-half point.

Midfielder James Clarke, who did well for St Patrick’s, kicked one of his side’s five second-half points. St Molaise Gaels went five points in front, 1-9 to 0-7, when Alan McLoughlin pointed in the 51st minute. St Patrick’s replied with two points to reduce the margin to three but further pressure proved fruitless. St Molaise Gaels have a weekend off – they are next in action on Sunday week, September 18, when they face relegation-threatened Ballymote. St Patrick’s, meanwhile, are out again this coming Saturday – they’ve a round four clash with Geevagh at the Sligo GAA Centre of Excellence, Scarden (6.15pm).

St Molaise Gaels: Niall McLoughlin, Liam Kennedy, Ethan Watters, Marc Heraghty, Luke Casserly, Keelan Waters (1-1), Luke Towey (0-1), Dean Carroll, Paddy McGowan, Joseph Keaney, Alan McLoughlin (c) (0-4, 2f),

James Heraghty, Cathal Herron, Michael Langan

(0-2, 1f)

Subs used: John Kerins, Josh Fallon, Cathal Burns, Micheál Gillen

St Patrick’s: Cormac Boland, Jonathan Higgins, Connell Kearins, Enda Clarke, Daragh Williams (0-1), Joe McMunn, David Giblin, James Clarke (0-1), Cathal Finneran, Ciaran Giblin, Canice Mulligan, Pierce Kearins (0-1), Tomas McMunn (0-1), Donal Brady (0-1), Padraic Clarke (0-3) Subs used: Conor Kevany, Jim Davis (0-1), Martin Clarke, Paul Boland, Niall Connolly

Referee: Bill Carty