Gilhooley hat-trick seals Drumkeerin win
Stephen Gilhooley hit 3-2 to see Drumkeerin safely into the GWP Intermediate Championship Semi-Finals after a difficult battle with a Fenagh St. Caillin's side who really put it up to the north Leitrim side in the first half in Shane McGettigan Park.
Despite the poor weather conditions, some fine football was to be seen from both sides in this high scoring affair. The first half saw both teams battling hard but in the second half the north Leitrim side proved too strong.
Drumkeerin advance to the semi-final against neighbours Dromahair.
Fenagh got off to a bright start scoring four unanswered points until the 10th minute when a Stephen Gilhooley goal brought Drumkeerin into the game. Brendan Flynn opened the account for Fenagh with two points in the first two minutes.
Paul Ellis added two of his own to increase the lead but Fenagh were rocked when a mistake in defence saw Stephen Gilhooley hit the back of the net 10 minutes into the first half.
An Aidan Dolan point levelled and two points from Colm Clarke saw Drumkeerin go in front. Paul Ellis immediately responded with a point from play but Richard McTiernan replied from a free.
In the 20th minute, Johnny Mc Govern fisted over a point to narrow the gap to a point but Edward McTiernan scored his first point of the day from play. Richard & Edward McTiernan both pointed before the break to leeave the score at half time 1-7 to 0-6 for Drumkeerin.
The north Leitrim men upped their performance in the second half , although it was Fenagh who opened the scoring when the Ellis brothers combined for Paul to score.
Drumkeerin retorted with a Stephen Gilhooley point from play and he shortly after scored another. Brendan Flynn responded for Fenagh with a point from a free.
With 19 minutes gone in the second half, Richard McTiernan slotted over a free and a minute later Thomas Davitt increased the lead with a well-taken point from play.
Fenagh caused some alarm in the Drumkeerin ranks when a high ball in from Peter Guckian was flicked to the net by Daragh Barden to leave four points between the teams.
With less than two minutes to go, sub John Cullen scored his second point from play and Drumkeerin made the game safe in the last minute of normal time, Gilhooley goaling after his first effort was saved by keeper Lorcan Kavanagh.
Ellis & Damien McPadden exchanged points but the north Leitrim side were not finished yet and Stephen Gilhooley got his hat-trick for the day in injury time.
In fairness, St. Caillin's were not prepared to give up and just before the final whistle, Darragh Barden scored a final point for his side.
However, the day belonged to Drumkeerin and they are back in the semi-finals where they face neighbours Dromahair in an eagerly awaited contest.
Drumkeerin
Conor Woods, Enda McNama, Francis Davitt, Adrian Smith, Aidan Dolan (0-1), Damien McPadden (0-1), Jason Byrne, Richard McTiernan (0-3), Ciaran White, Thomas Davitt (0-1), Colm Clarke (0-2), Stephen Feeney, Edward McTiernan (0-2), Stephen Gilhooley (3-2), James McPartlan. Subs: John Cullen (0-2) for James Mc Partlan
Fenagh St. Caillin’s
Lorcan Kavanagh, Peter Honeyman, Killian Mc Loughlin, Justin Flynn, John Leddy, Padraig Flynn, Johnny Mc Govern (0-1), Peter Guckian, Brendan Flynn (0-3), Paul Gilheaney, Ray Tubman, Paul Ellis (0-5), Fergal Ellis, Daragh Barden (1-1), Martin Doonan. Subs: Darren O’Rourke for Ray Tubman.
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Weather for Carrick-on-Shannon, Ireland
Tuesday 22 May 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 11 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South
