Thrilling Connacht Gold Leitrim SFC Semi-Final leaves fans breathless after dramatic draw

Where to even start with this one as a dramatic and almost breathless Connacht Gold Leitrim SFC Semi-Final ended level after nearly 90 minutes of intrigue and drama in Heartland Credit Union Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada, leaving a drained Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins and Fenagh St Caillins with all to do again next Sunday.

For a game that took a while to truly get going, Sunday's semi-final ended in a welter of excitement as Ballinamore twice came from behind to force draws at the end of normal and extra-time but they were probably left cursing their luck as the excellent Michael McKiernan saw his shot deep into injury time at the end of extra time drift the wrong side of the posts, leaving the sides deadlocked when referee Michael McGirl blew his second and final long whistle.

Neutrals and even fans of both teams may be delighted to have another day out but both these teams will carry regrets with them that they didn't finish the job off at the first time of asking - Fenagh were a point to the good entering the last minute of added time before Paul Honeyman curled an equaliser over and again Ballinamore came from behind to snatch a draw in extra-time.

Yet Ballinamore will probably have the greater regrets - they eked out a four point lead with nine minutes to go but immediately coughed up a goal. Still, they went into added time two to the good but three Fenagh points in the space of two minutes saw them fighting for their life. 

Even extra time had huge drama for Ballinamore - they went three down but forced their way back with Brian Leydon creating his own super-sub legend with three points off the bench but it could have been so much more, Leydon dragging a great goal chance wide while Paul Honeyman beat keeper and defenders but not the far post with a delicate finish as the ball rebounded to safety!

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O'Heslins also had a man extra for all but two minutes of the second period of extra-time when Ryan O'Rourke got his marching orders for a second yellow card, Ballinamore never truly able to use that advantage down the stretch.

How the replay will go is anybody's guess - both teams saw players cramp up and leave the action with knocks, Oisin McLoughlin and Donal Wrynn didn't start for Fenagh but made huge contributions when they came on. McLoughlin hit five incredible two pointers, one from a free, while Wrynn negated the influence of the previously rampaging Shane Moran in the middle of the park.

Paul Honeyman was equally impressive, a ten point haul including two two-point frees with one into the wind, while Michael McKiernan powered his team throughout this contest, his late miss far from spoiling an excellent performance.

The Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins team who drew with Fenagh St Caillins Picture: Willie Donnellan

Cameos abounded in this game - Wayne McKeon clawing a Donal Wrynn ball out of the sky as it threatened to put Fenagh ahead in added time, Brian Leydon making a big case to start the next day. Ruairi O'Rourke, back from a broken bone suffered over the June Bank Holiday weekend, made a big impact off the bench for Fenagh while Mark Keegan's driving runs kept his side together in extra-time when they were under the cosh.

Perhaps the only truly happy team will be Leitrim Gaels who saw their potential rivals battle to exhaustion on Sunday and they will have to do it all again next Sunday (4 pm in Heartland Credit Union Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada), leaving whoever finally prevails in this clash with just a week to recover and prepare for the County Final.

It looked early on as if Ballinamore were going to emulate Leitrim Gaels and blow their opposition away with the wind at their backs. Michael McKiernan, Paul Moran and a two pointer from McKiernan had O’Heslins four to the good after just five minutes before Fergal McLoughlin battled through two defenders to open Fenagh’s account eight minutes in.

Paul Honeyman stretched the lead with a lovely turn and score on nine minutes before thumping over a two point free a minute later. The first half saw six yellow cards but the most important one was one for Fenagh captain Ryan O’Rourke who had earlier converted a free.

Paul Honeyman hit a free after a foul on Tom Prior after a dangerous McKiernan ball came crashing off the Fenagh crossbar with Shane Moran lurking. Fenagh took action with both Oisin McLoughlin and Donal Wrynn introduced but a Luke Murphy free extended the O’Heslins lead to seven points.

Ryan O’Rourke hit a great point from out on the wing but slack marking gave Paul Honeyman the chance to belt the ball from about 55 yards over the Fenagh crossbar. Crucially, O’Rourke pulled back a free after an off-the-ball foul on Riordan O’Rourke, leaving Ballinamore with a 0-11 to 0-4 halftime lead.

Fenagh would have been relatively happy, given the wind, to trail by seven at the break and it looked good when Oisin McLoughlin opened the second half with a monster two pointer, Ryan O’Rourke leaving a two point free short moments later. Incredibly, Paul Honeyman responded with a two point free into the wind.

But then Oisin McLoughlin seemed to go two point mad, hitting two huge scores, one from a free, in the space of a minute. Luke Murphy halted Fenagh’s surge with a successful free after a foul on Tom Prior after a mazy run but clever play into the corner found Riordan O’Rourke for an excellent point on ten minutes.

Another monster McLoughlin two pointer, his fourth in ten minutes, left just a point in it and the sides were level midway through the second half when Fenagh put together a brilliant move and Ryan O’Rourke, demonstrating great footwork, pointing in style.

The Fenagh St Caillins team who drew with Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins Picture: Willie Donnellan

Crucially, Fenagh couldn’t get in front, missing two good chances and when they were penalised for not handing the ball back, Paul Honeyman converted a free to regain the lead for Ballinamore on 49 minutes. 

Two minutes later, it looked as if the game was all over when great work from Brian Leydon in winning a low ball and getting it to Michael McKiernan saw the centre-forward drill a great low shot to the Fenagh net for a four point lead.

That looked to be it but two minutes later, another ambitious Oisin McLoughlin two pointer dropped short but Colm McLoughlin, who had sustained an injury a few minutes earlier and was limping around, was there to get the touch past Darren Maxwell for a huge goal, the score confirmed after lengthy discussions between referee Michael McGirl and his umpires.

Ballinamore looked to have weathered the storm when Tom Prior went on a brilliant crossfield move and pointed against the wind in the final minute of normal time but then Fenagh exploded into life in the five minutes of added time. First sub Ruairi O’Rourke, less than a minute on the field, pounced on a loose ball for a score.

Daniel McLoughlin soloed in to fist over an equaliser but Ryan O’Rourke unbelievably edged Fenagh in front with just over two minutes left on the clock. Ballinamore came hunting an equaliser and they got it, Honeyman converting a pressure free to send the game to extra time.

Fenagh had the wind in the first half of extra time and they made good use of it with points from Ryan O’Rourke (free) and Oisin McLoughlin (2) to edge three points in front. But then Brian Leydon did his best super-sub impression, fisting the ball over the bar before Shane Moran hit a wonderful point from the corner.

Leydon charged through and looked set to goal but his shot dragged wide of the far post. Ballinamore got even closer, Paul Honeyman shooting from almost on the goal-line with the keeper beaten - unfortunately for him, the far post wasn’t beaten, the ball rebounding and cleared as O’Heslins lamented two missed goal chances.

The second period of extra time was slow to get going but Ballinamore got a huge boost when Ryan O’Rourke picked up his second yellow, leaving his team a man short. It seemed to bring out the best in them with Oisin McLoughlin converting a free after a foul on Ruairi O’Rourke.

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Brian Leydon notched his third point, fisting the ball over after a long run and the drama continued - Donal Wrynn’s free from the left corner was on target but Wayne McKeon rose high to pluck the ball from the sky just under the crossbar.

With the game in added time, Ballinamore had one final chance as they broke free, Michael McKiernan bearing down on goal but his shot flew wide of the post, sending the game to a replay next Sunday.

BALLINAMORE SEAN O’HESLINS

Scorers: Paul Honeyman 0-10; 8f; Michael McKiernan 1-3, 1 tp; Brian Leydon 0-3; Luke Murphy 0-2, 2f; Shane Moran, Paul Moran & Tom Prior 0-1 each

Team: Darren Maxwell, Conor Moran, Brian Banks, Matthew Murphy, Michael McBrien, Donal Feely, Cathal McHugh, Shane Moran, Wayne McKeon, Paul Moran, Michael McKiernan, Keelan McHugh, Tom Prior, Paul Honeyman, Luke Murphy. Subs: Brian Leydon for L Murphy (40)p Paddy Connaughton for McBrien (48); Naoise McManus for P Moran (54); Liam Ferguson for M Murphy (63); P Moran for K McHugh (75); M McBrien for Feely (76)

FENAGH ST CAILLINS

Scorers: Oisin McLoughlin 0-11, 4 tp; 3f; Ryan O’Rourke 0-6, 3f; Colm McLoughlin 1-0; Dan McLoughlin, Riordan O’Rourke, Fergal McLoughlin & Ruairi O’Rourke 0-1 each

Team: Shane Doonan, James Gilheany, Aaron McLoughlin, Conal McGovern, Caillin O’Rourke, Mark Keegan, Eoin McLoughlin, Jack Gilheany, Colm McLoughlin, Tom Gilheany, Ryan O’Rourke, Dara Greenan, Dan McLoughlin, Riordan O’Rourke, Fergal McLoughlin. Subs: Oisin McLoughlin for A McLoughlin (20); Donal Wrynn for Greenan (54); Conor Dwyer for C McLoughlin (54); Ruairi O’Rourke for James Gilheany (59); Oisin McLoughlin for T Gilheany (34); Colm McLoughlin for Dwyer (70); Dara Greenan for F McLoughlin (80)

Referee: Michael McGirl