Dominant Aughnasheelin prove far too strong for Bornacoola

A dominant Aughnasheelin cruised into the Smith Monumentals Intermediate Championship Semi-Finals as they outclassed Bornacoola in Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada on Saturday evening.

Though they laboured at times, Aughnasheelin never looked in any danger as they proved far too strong for a battling but limited Bornacoola who managed just two points in the first half in response to 1-7 from the eventual winners.

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A Brendan Mulvey goal four minutes into an underwhelming second half put the game beyond Bornacoola's reach as the Bors couldn't match the pace and strength of their opponents.

The only concern for Aughnasheelin was the fact that chief scorer Fintan Fitzpatrick had to leave the fray early and that will cause concern ahead of their semi-final meeting with neighbours Kiltubrid.

Ciaran Cullen showed all his county class to burst through to score after just 15 seconds to get Aughnasheelin up and running and a sweeping move two minutes later ended with Darragh Gunn firing over for the favourites.

Daniel Farrell left a long range free short while Liam Mulligan saw his follow up go wide but a brilliant Ronan Mulligan free, won by himself, left a point in it after five minutes. Ollie Vaughan picked up a costly yellow for a needless foul with Sean McWeeney gathering the free and releasing Gunn for his second point after eight minutes.

Cian Mallon drives a shot over the Aughnasheelin bar in the second half Picture: Willie Donnellan

Cian Mallon dropped a shot into the keeper after a strong run as Fintan Fitzpatrick opened his account with a tenth minute free that was moved in for dissent. Aughnasheelin keeper Kevin McWeeney made a good catch from a high Damian Moran shot and off-the-ball holding allowed Fitzpatrick extend the lead to four points.

The writing was on the wall 17 minutes in when a defender misjudged a long delivery towards Fintan Fitzpatrick, allowing the Aughnasheelin man to gather and blast to the net with considerable power and style.

Joe Earley and Fitzpatrick added points before an off-the-ball holding foul allowed Ronan Mulligan to stroke over his second free of the half. 

Check out part one of our Smith Monumentals IFC Quarter-Finals fans gallery

Fans turned out in great numbers for Saturday's Smith Monumentals Leitrim Intermediate Championship Quarter-Finals with Aughnasheelin and Kiltubrid booking their places in the semi-finals. Observer photographer Willie Donnellan was there to snap up some photos of fans enjoying the action in Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada .... see who you can spot!

Bornacoola tried to rally but had four missed chances in as many minutes, from frees and play, leaving a dominant Aughnasheelin with a 1-7 to 0-2 halftime lead.

The second half was slow to get going with both teams kicking some bad wides but when the deadlock was broken, it killed off the game completely. Ciaran Cullen’s power and incisive running ended with a pass across the face of the Bornacoola goal where Brendan Mulvey palmed the ball to the net.

Fitzpatrick fired over two frees either side of a good Daniel Farrell save from Joey Earley’s shot. Farrell was involved at the other end for Bornacoola’s third score, converting a fifty on eight minutes before Sean O’Riordan reacted best after a high ball broke in the Aughnasheelin goal to point.

Damien Moran saw an effort brilliantly blocked by Paul Earley, the Leitrim star’s follow-up going wide and a Brendan Mulvey free on 13 minutes left 12 points between the sides.

Joe Earley fires a shot at the Bornacoola posts in the first half Picture: Willie Donnellan

The game became fractured and stop-start at this start but Cian Mallon continued to bring the fight to Aughnasheelin, battling to win a high ball and forcing a good chance but the pressure of the Aughnasheelin defence meant his shot went high over the bar.

With both teams flooding the game with subs, the next score came when Cian Mallon converted a free after a long run from the same player but the last word fell to Aughnasheelin or should that be Bornacoola when a Joe Earley pass was deflected into the Bornacoola net by a defender ahead of Brendan Mulvey to complete a comfortable Aughnasheelin win.

Part 2 of fans gallery from Smith Monumentals IFC Quarter-Finals

Part two of Willie Donnellan's gallery of fan photos from Saturday's Smith Monumentals Leitrim Intermediate Championship Quarter-Finals in Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada .... check out who you can spot!

AUGHNASHEELIN

Scorers: Fintan Fitzpatrick 1-5, 5f; Brendan Mulvey 2-1, 1f; Darragh Gunn 0-2, Ciaran Cullen & Joe Earley 0-1 each

Team: Kevin McWeeney, Paul Earley, Wayne Gilgunn, Cillan Cullen, Ciaran Cullen, Sean McWeeney, Niall Gallagher, Cormac Sammon, Aaron Hoare, Darragh Gunn, Brendan Mulvey, Pearse McTeigue, Joey Earley, Fintan Fitzpatrick, Gavin Sammon. Subs: Cathal Egan for Sammon (HT); Fergal Flynn for Fitzpatrick (44); Sean Flynn for Gallagher (51); Sean Flanagan for Cillian Cullen (52); Brian Boyle for Ciaran Cullen (54)

BORNACOOLA

Scorers: Ronan Mulligan (2f) & Cian Mallon (f) 0-2 each; Daniel Farrell (50) & Sean O’Riordan 0-1 each

Team: Danny Farrell, David Mulligan, Damian McGuinness, Jason Conroy, Brian Duffy, Liam Mulligan, Ciaran McGlynn, Cian Mallon, Liam Jones, Kevin Mulligan, Sean McKeon,Ollie Vaughan, Sean O’Rirodan, Damian Moran, Ronan Mulligan. Subs: Alan Bohan for McGlynn (43); Gearoid Mulligan for O’Riordan (46), Conor McCauley for L Mulligan (51); Sean Ryan for McGuinness (52); Robert O’Beirne for K Mulligan (53)

Referee: Enda Egan