West Sligo duel proves to be a rollercoaster
Connacht Gold Inter C’ship Group Two – Round Five Castleconnor 2-16 Enniscrone-Kilglass 3-10
IN THE opening three minutes of Connacht Gold Intermediate Football Championship Group Two fixture, one that would become a thriller for the ages, Enniscrone-Kilglass fans had every reason to be optimistic. Brian Duffy had netted twice at Tourlestrane GAA Club’s pitch, including an early penalty, and Enniscrone-Kilglass seemed to be in the right place, both mentally and on the scoreboard, to get one over their west Sligo neighbours Castleconnor. Last Sunday’s round five contest wasn’t only about bragging rights, there was Intermediate status at stake because the loser would be into the relegation play-offs.
That is where Enniscrone-Kilglass now find themselves because despite that terrific start, with Brian Duffy completing his hat-trick with a second spot-kick after 19 minutes, they were a point down at half-time, 2-7 to 3-3, and three points in arrears at full-time, 2-16 to 3-10.
There were six points in total from Gavin Duffy – older brother of hattrick hero Brian – and EnniscroneKilglass also had the experienced guile of Michael Moyles to tap into, with the ex-Mayo player starting. But Castleconnor, who are safe for another year in Sligo GAA’s second tier, have a brilliant talisman of their own, Sean Carrabine, and the county star’s goal before the break turned a two-point deficit
SCORER: Sean Carrabine, kicked 1-6 for Castleconnor in their defeat of Enniscrone-Kilglass last Sunday at Tourlestrane. into a one-point lead.
Stephen Rogan’s goal after 10 minutes also helped – it help reduced the consternation felt by Castleconnor after conceding two goals in the first five minutes – and later on, during a bright phase for Nigel Reape’s men, Eoin Kent kicked an inspirational point.
The second-half may have lacked goals but there were further good scores from both teams, all points, with Castleconnor just shading things by shooting 0-9 compared to 0-7 from Enniscrone-Kilglass.
With 15 minutes of normal time left Castleconnor looked to have quashed the Enniscrone-Kilglass challenge as they were six points in front, 2-13 to 3-4.
But Enniscrone-Kilglass rediscovered their competitive streak for the last quarter – there were points by Brian Coleman, Gavin Duffy and Adam Mullaney.
Castleconnor maintained their lead, however, and they still needed some late scores, including a point from Colm Ruttledge.
Enniscrone-Kilglass: Bradley Nealon, Cian Mulrooney, Eoghan Bourke, Dara Rouse, Adam Mullaney (0-1),
Josh Ellis, Brandon Fitzgerald, Cathal Mullaney, Nathan Hannon, Robert Jacob (0-1), Ciaran O’Dowd (0-1), Michael Moyles, Brian Duffy (3-0, 2-0 pen), Brian Coleman (0-1), Gavin Duffy (0-6, 5f, 1 ‘mark’)
Subs used: Aaron Duffy, Eoin Hallinan Referee: John Griffin
THE only thing this outcome did was to reinforce what was already known
– St Molaise Gaels are very good, with the capacity for greater things, and Ballymote, despite sporadic flashes of cohesion in this game and in previous group fixtures, are in danger of being relegated.
St Molaise Gaels won this Connacht Gold Intermediate Football Championship fixture by 16 points, 1-25 to 1-9, and had the luxury being able to head to Keash’s Fr Brehony Park knowing that they had already qualified for the knockout stages.
Ballymote were in the relegation playoffs irrespective of the result here.
St Molaise Gaels, boosted by Cathal Burns’ midfield work, established a fivepoint advantage, 0-7 to 0-2, a 15th minute lead that began in the opening minute when Eoin McHugh scored.
Ballymote briefly rallied and Luke Hogge’s goal cut the margin to two points, 0-7 to 1-2.
But this merely forced St Molaise
Gaels to turn up the dial of pain and with forwards such as Alan McLoughlin and Jack Davitt to call upon, along with Michael Langan and James Heraghty, there was no further respite for Ballymote.
Indeed, Alan McLoughlin would give an