Callaghan’s late point eliminates St Loman’s

St Mary's, Ardee 0-15 St Loman's, Mullingar 0-14

Gerry Buckley

St Loman’s decade-long dream of winning a Leinster senior football title has evaporated for at least another year, the Delvin Road outfit losing out by the narrowest of margins to a more economical side from St Mary’s, Ardee in a pulsating penultimate round clash at a well-attended Homestead Lakepoint Park last Saturday afternoon.

A well-taken point from Seán Callaghan in the fourth minute of added-time was the decisive score. Unfortunately for the men in a changed strip of white with a blue trim, Sam McCartan, who had been outstanding all through, was unable to convert a 47-metre free from the ground with just seconds remaining which would have brought the game to extra-time.

This defeat will gall Paddy Dowdall’s troops over the festive period, as a few untypical misses and poor decision-making from a couple of key players proved costly in the final analysis. Conversely, the visitors shot just one wide over the course of 66 minutes’ action.

A very progressive year for Wee County football will now culminate in a showdown next Saturday against new Dublin kingpins Cuala in Croke Park.

Thankfully, Storm Bert had not caused huge disruption to life in and around Mullingar and conditions were quite pleasant for this eagerly-awaited contest.

Darragh McCabe’s fine rendition of Amhrán na bhFiann preceded the throw-in, with the home team having whatever advantage was accruing from a crossfield wind.

All Star nominee Donal McKenny opened the scoring in the third minute (via Jason Daly’s fingertips) at the end of a patient move, but the Flanagan Cup champions responded very well and they scored four unanswered points by the eighth minute courtesy of Ronan O’Toole, TJ Cox, and one each from the McCartan brothers, Danny and Sam (coming after quickly-taken frees by John Heslin and O’Toole respectively).

Points from Shane Matthews (open play) and goalkeeper Tiernan Markey (a free from the 45-metre line) left the men in their regular blue colours trailing by just the bare minimum (0-4 to 0-3) with 11 minutes elapsed.

Heslin then converted a free (the ball having been moved forward for dissent) with Tom Jackson cancelling this out in fine style from play. Cathal Murray’s side almost got in for a goal before the very lively Cox (after a great delivery by Heslin) doubled the losers’ lead in the 25th minute.

Within a minute, Ciarán Keenan kicked a great point from a tight angle for St Mary’s.

A Heslin free in injury-time came back off the upright and O’Toole was unable to find the net from the rebound due to staunch Ardee defending. St Loman’s led by 0-6 to 0-5 at the break.

Ciarán Keenan pointed twice (the second from a mark) by the 34th minute to edge his side ahead, but Kelvin Reilly equalised shortly afterwards (again after a quickly-taken free by Heslin).

Daire McConnon was almost in on goal in the 36th minute before Eimhin Keenan and Cox (after great work by O’Toole) traded points.

Cox nudged St Loman’s ahead from a mark and his withdrawal through injury in the 47th minute was a major blow to the Westmeath champions.

In the 43rd minute, Jonathan Commins was black-carded, but the Lake County representatives failed to make their numerical advantage count.

After a fisted effort from O’Toole came back off the woodwork, a counterattack by the Louth men ended with Jackson doubling his tally.

A point exchange ensued between Jack Geoghegan (at the end of a patient move) and Ciarán Keenan (a free, after he had been fouled close to the small parallelogram, immediately following an untypically-weak effort from close range by O’Toole at the other end). This left the teams tied at 0-10 each with ten minutes of normal time remaining.

Sam McCartan and McConnon (a classy effort) traded points, as did sub Kevin Regan and Kian Moran (both well-worked scores). In the 56th minute, Tom Jackson kicked what proved to be the winners’ only wide of the day, when he really should have hit the target.

A minute later, Ardee sub Ronan Carroll slotted over a 40-metre free before the returned Commins opened up a useful two-point lead. Fine scores from Sam McCartan and Eoghan Hogan (when a goal beckoned) levelled the contest by the third minute of added-time (a minimum of four was announced). Callaghan then proved to be the Ardee hero, and it was tough on Sam McCartan that he was unable to equalise.

Scorers - St Mary’s: C Keenan 0-4 (one free, one mark), T Jackson 0-2, D McKenny, S Matthews, T Markey (free), E Keenan, D McConnon, K Moran, J Commins, S Callaghan, R Carroll (free) 0-1 each. St Loman's: TJ Cox 0-4 (one mark), S McCartan 0-3, R O’Toole, D McCartan, J Heslin (free), K Reilly, J Geoghegan, K Regan, E Hogan 0-1 each.

St Mary’s, Ardee: Tiernan Markey; Tadgh McDonnell, Karl Faulkner, Eimhin Keenan; Jonathan Commins, Donal McKenny, Páraic McKenny; RJ Callaghan, Seán Callaghan; Ciarán Keenan, Liam Jackson, Kian Moran; Shane Matthews, Daire McConnon, Tom Jackson. Subs used: Rónán Carroll for Matthews (39), Robert Leavy for RJ Callaghan (56), Adam Gillespie for McConnon (60+2).

St Loman’s, Mullingar: Jason Daly; David Whelan, Darragh O’Keeffe, Oisín Hogan; Kelvin Reilly, Eoghan Hogan, Sam McCartan; Jack Geoghegan, Fola Ayorinde; Rory Sheahan, Ronan O’Toole, Sean Flanagan; Danny McCartan, John Heslin, TJ Cox. Subs used: Enda Gaffney for O Hogan (35), Kevin Regan for Sheahan (39), Peter Foy for Cox (inj., 47), Shane Dempsey for Ayorinde (57).

Ref: Barry Tiernan (Dublin).