League is continuing
ST MOLAISE GAELS DRUMCLIFFE/ROSSES POINT 1-15 2-9
A strong closing 10 minutes by St Molaise Gaels earned them two valuable league points in Saturday evening’s North Sligo derby played at Grange.
Having established a four-point lead by the interval, the Gaels found themselves trailing by four in the third quarter before they regained the initiative in the final fifteen minutes, mainly thanks to the shooting of full forward Alan McLaughlin and substitute Aaron Currid who landed an important point at a key stage of the match.
Drumcliffe/Rosses Point went into this Fureys Coaches SFL Division 1 game without several first team players including the injured Seán Power, Eoin Gaughan as well as both of their recognised goalkeepers Ronan McCormack and Justin Lyons. Outfield player John Hester wore the No 1 jersey for the evening.
There was little to choose between the teams in the opening quarter with both defences having largely the upper hand.
Then, former Donegal county footballer Daragh Gallagher began to find his range for the Gaels, scoring three first-half points to help his team establish a 0-7 to 0-3 half-time lead.
They might have been further in front just before the interval after a strong run by the impressive Keelan Watters set up corner forward Darragh Elliot for a good goal opportunity but his fisted effort went wide. At the other DRP, had a degree of difficulty finding the target as they notched up seven first-half wides. But two fine points from the lively Jamie Gillen were badly needed.
The half-time tea in the Drumcliffe/Rosses Point dressing room must have been strong, as they took charge for a good portion of the third quarter.
Cian Lally, who had found it hard to make an impact at full forward in the first half, moved out the field at the start of the second.
And the impact of that switch was instant. From the throw-in, Drumcliffe’s first attack found Jamie Gillen, and his pass set up the in-running Lally who coolly slotted the ball to corner of the net.
Buoyed by that score, DRP added 2-3 to their tally in an impressive eight-minute spell.
It included another fine Gillen point with the second goal for the visitors on 38 minutes coming from team captain Neil Ewing.
His three-pointer moved DRP in front by 2-6 to 0-8 at that stage.
But that was as good as it got for Fergal O’Flaherty’s side.
The goal seemed to spark a response from St Molaise Gaels with Gallagher and full forward Alan McLaughlin both finding the range from placed balls.
Then came the score which swung the contest back to Molaise.
Good approach play saw Peter Wilson and McLaughlin set up the impressive Keelan Watters again.
His initial shot for goal struck the base of the upright but the wing-back reacted quickest to the rebound and finished to the net at the second attempt.
The goal encouraged the Gaels to push for home, and they followed it up with three more points from the boot of McLaughlin and a fine score in added time from substitute Aaron Currid.
Paul Logan’s free-taking at the other end kept Drumcliffe/Rosses Point in the hunt - but they needed a third goal to salvage something from this game - and it never came.
ST MOLAISE GAELS: Jason Brennan, Paddy McGowan, Tommy Kennedy, Calum O’Domhnaill, Mark Quinn 0-1, Keelan Watters 1-1, Cathal Burns, Daniel Keaney, Daragh Gallagher 0-5, Eoin McHugh 0-2, Peter Wilson 0-1, Luke Towey, Alan McLaughlin 0-4, Darragh Elliot. Subs used: Aaron Currid 0-1, Cathal Herron. Manager: Willie Gormley
DRUMCLIFFE/ROSSES POINT: John Hester, Tommy Finnegan, John McGowan, Jude McGarry, John Harvey, Dara Long, Stephen Regan, Brian Monaghan, Brian Óg Murphy, Neil Ewing (Capt) 1-0, Jamie Gillen 0-3, Ciaran McLaughlin, Paul Logan 0-5, Neil Canning 0-1, Cian Lally 1-0.
Subs: Kevin Davey, Niall Collery for Niall Canning, Manager: Fergal O’Flaherty.
Referee: John Griffin.