Aughnasheelin storm into Final as Kiltubrid finish with 12 players

Aughnasheelin cruised into this year's Smith Monumentals Leitrim Intermediate Football Championship Final with a victory over Kiltubrid in Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada every bit as comfortable as this semi-final was strange.

That Aughnasheelin were deserving and convincing winners is not in doubt, what is strange is that they didn't score for the last 25 minutes of the game plus added time and never remotely looked as if they were in any danger from a misfiring Kiltubrid.

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Kiltubrid ended the game with just 12 players on the field but all came after Aughnasheelin opened up an eight point lead after 35 minutes. Two dismissals for James Tighe and Diarmuid McThiarnan robbed them of any hope of mounting a rescue mission in the second half while Mickey Early's black card deep into added time capped off a miserable day for Kiltubrid.

Aughnasheelin got off to the perfect start when Ciaran Cullen took off on one of those surging runs of his. However, he found Kiltubrid keeper Noel Gill equal to the task with a good save but unfortunately for Gill, the ball fell nicely for Brendan Mulvey who forced the ball to the net after just two minutes.

Kiltubrid tried to hit back but Wayne Gilgunn blocked Barry McWeeney’s shot while Fionn O’Brien saw the resulting 50 drop short. From Aaron Hoare’s catch, Aughnasheelin broke with Hoare playing a long ball for Gavin Sammon to fire over on five minutes.

Barry McWeeney opened Kiltubrid’s account after good work from Fergal McWeeey and Iarlaith O’Brien but the changing doors moment of this came after just nine minutes. Barry McWeeney somehow managed to keep his feet and break through the Aughnasheelin defence. Off-balance, he fired a snap shot at goal but his shot hit the woodwork and Emmet Mahon fired wide from the follow-up. 

Ballinamore club mourns the death of one of their "greatest"

To rub salt into the wounds, Gavin Sammon claimed a mark to leave Aughnasheelin four clear a minute later. With a real physical battle going on, there were yellow cards for James Tighe, Joe Earley and Cormac Sammon while Ciaran Cullen almost reprised his set-up for the opening score, a surging run, a toe-poked shot with the ball rebounding off Noel Gill and wide, Sean McWeeney converting the fifty.

Barry McWeeney fired over a free but Aughnasheelin were starting to put daylight between the teams with a Fintan Fitzpatrick free and a Brendan Mulvey point after good work from Gavin Sammon.

Fionn O’Brien replied for Kiltubrid but then left a fifty short while Danny McWeeney was narrowly off-target. The last score illustrated the difference between the teams as Kiltubrid lost possession in defence under seemingly little pressure and Aaron Hoare fired over to give his team a 1-6 to 0-4 halftime lead.

Fintan Fitzpatrick fired over a minute into the second half when Kiltubrid defenders Shane Foley and Eamon Geoghegan lost their footing as they challenged for a long ball with Gavin Sammon, the Aughnasheelin man also falling to the ground with his teammate Fitzpatrick firing over.

It proved a costly score as Geoghegan was injured and had to replaced by Shane Meehan but it was Aughnasheelin who moved eight points clear when Aaron Hoare fired over five minutes into the second after Ciaran Cullen’s long delivery goalwards.

Incredibly that was to be Aughnasheelin’s last score of the game but as it would turn out Kiltubrid couldn’t mount a late charge, scoring just three points for the remainder of the game while also seeing three players finish the game on the sideline.

Barry McWeeney pointed after good work from Fionn & Iarlaith O’Brien and Emmet Mahon but Brendan Mulvey summed up Aughnasheelin’s ferocious desire to win, diving on the ball in the sure knowledge he’d get a heavy hit and a free out.

Kiltubrid’s hopes started to unravel after Barry McWeeney was yellow carded and James Tighe received a second yellow following an off-the-ball clash with Aaron Hoare who was also booked. Barry McWeeney converted a free on 17 minutes while Shane Meehan went into the book for a heavy hit.

Aughnasheelin really should have had a second goal when another blistering Ciaran Cullen run saw him off-load the ball to sub Cian Sammon but his fisted effort hit the post and stayed out.

With both teams hitting some bad wides, Kiltubrid’s discipline started to go with Diarmuid Mac Thiarnain sent off after an off-the-ball clash with Gavin Sammon with five minutes to go. For a moment, it looked as if Sean McWeeney was joining him when referee Kevin Mallon flashed a yellow and a red at the veteran centre-back but after McWeeney protested, Mallon realised he had made an error and just showed a yellow.

The last score fell to Emmet Mahon with less than two minutes to go while Aughnasheelin missed out again when a Cormac Sammon pass just didn’t fall for Cian Sammon.

There was one final incident when Kiltubrid sub Mickey Earley got a black card two minutes into added time but there was never any danger of Aughnasheelin losing out in this one.

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AUGHNASHEELIN

Scorers: Brendan Mulvey 1-1; Fintan Fitzpatrick (f), Gavin Sammon (M) & Aaron Hoare 0-2 each; Sean McWeeney 0-1, 1 50

Team: Kevin McWeeney, Paul Earley, Niall Gallagher, Wayne Gilgunn, Cillan Cullen, Sean McWeeney, Ciaran Cullen, Cormac Sammon, Aaron Hoare, Darragh Gunn, Joe Earley, Pearse McTeigue, Brendan Mulvey, Fintan Fitzpatrick, Gavin Sammon. Subs: Cathal Egan for McTeigue (HT); Cian Sammon for Fitzpatrick (42)

KILTUBRID

Scorers: Barry McWeeney 0-3, 2f; Fionn O'Brien, Danny McWeeney & Emmet Mahon 0-1 each

Team: Noel Gill, Fergal McWeeney, Shane Foley, Diarmuid McKiernan, Eamon Geoghegan, Stephen McLoughlin, Conor Prior, Mick McCormack, James Tighe, Aidan McKiernan, Fionn O’Brien, Danny McWeeney, Barry McWeeney, Iarlaith O’Brien, Emmet Mahon. Subs: Shane Meehan for Geoghegan (32); Con Doyle for A McKiernan (37); Mickey Earley for I. O’Brien (50)

Referee: Kevin Mallon