Coolera on fire over Molaise
COOLERA/STRANDHILL 5-7 ST MOLAISE GAELS 0-10
THE Club Championship began at the weekend with lots of interesting fixtures in store. Markievicz Park played host to Coolera/Strandhill taking on St Molaise Gaels in the Belfry Senior Championship on Saturday, while the second game of the evening saw holders Tourlestrane meeting North Sligo’s Drumcliffe/ Rosses Point in a tight battle. The first match was a very dominant performance from John McPartland Jnr’s Coolera/Strandhill as Molaise Gaels, without some key players due to injury, never looked like catching the seasiders.
A major turning point that would have given life to the Grange outfit occurred on the brink of half-time, when a clear goal chance slotted wide, had it gone into the net, Molaise Gaels would be trailing by just two points. A good move involving Molaise Gaels midfielder Darren Gilsenan sought out the unmarked Gavin Gilsenan who bounded toward the Coolera/ Strandhill goal but the shot narrowly drifted wide. The match was over as a contest on 48 minutes when Coolera/Strandhill’s Mark McCallion netted their third goal with a fine finish, as they led by 3-6 to seven points. Then there was more onslaught less than a minute later when Niall Murphy found the net for Coolera/Strandhill’s fourth goal.
Coolera/Strandhill started the game brightly, moving forward with intensity and Murphy got their scoring off with an early point. In the 9th minute, it was a mistake by Molaise keeper Diarmuid Feeney that saw referee John Gilmartin award a penalty. Murphy saw his shot initially caught by the goalkeeper who then appeared to throw the ball with the referee signalling a penalty. Murphy then neatly slotted into the net as Coolera/Strandhill were ahead by four.
It was a free from John Gilsenan that got Molaise on the scoreboard with 15 minutes played as Murphy responded through a pointed free on 20 minutes. Two Molaise frees in the 23rd and 24th minute from Alan McLoughlin had it back to a two point game before Coolera/ Strandhill’s second goal arrived two minutes from the break. A clever move from Peter Laffey sought out Barry O’Mahoney who wasn’t going to miss.
Then, down the other end, it was Molaise Gaels’ goal chance which drifted wide, Coolera/Strandhill leading by 2-2 to three points at half-time. O’Mahoney got the first point from a free after the resumption, Murphy who was initially fouled.
It was Murphy again who got his third point with a brilliant score from play as moments later Molaise Gael’s Cathal Burns was threatening near the Coolera/ Strandhill goal, the ball going out for a 45.
O’Mahoney with a free traded scores with McLoughlin, before the Molaise Gaels man scored his fourth on 40 minutes as they were behind by six points.
Captain Gary Cawley linked up with Karol O’Neill who sent over a fantastic point from play for Coolera/Strandhill as they were ahead by seven with Molaise Gaels needing a goal.
Instead, it was O’Mahoney who recovered from a slip to catch the ball, passed to McCallion who slickly slotted into the back of the net.
A minute later, Murphy’s second goal had the writing on the wall with ten minutes to go.
Substitute Colm Parke got Coolera/Strandhill’s fifth goal and despite McLoughlin’s accuracy, he scored eight of Molaise Gael’s points, it wasn’t enough to halt the Coolera/Stranhill goalfest as Calry/St Joseph’s are next for the Grange outfit.
COOLERA/STRANDHILL: K Kelly, E Mitchell, D McGee, C McDonagh, S Murphy, G Cawley (C),C Moloney, P Laffey, K Banks, K McCahey, K Cawley, M McCallion (1-0), B O’Mahoney (1-3, 3f), K O’Neill (0-1), N Murphy (2-3, 1 pen, 1f).
Subs used: G Cadden for McCahey (h/t), A Parke (1-0) for O’Neill (51), B Doyle for McCallion (58).
ST MOLAISE GAELS: D Feeney, J Brennan, G Gilsenan, C Clancy, A Carway, M Quinn (C), K Waters, C Burns, D Gilsenan, D Elliot, D Fallon, A McLoughlin (0-8, 5f), J Brennan, J Gilsenan (0-2), D Gallagher. Subs used: C Herron for Elliot (42). REFEREE: J Gilmartin.