Aughnasheelin show class down the stretch to claim Intermediate title

Led by Man of the Match Aaron Hoare, an impressive Aughnasheelin showed their class as they finished by far the strongest down the final stretch to claim the 2022 Smith Monumentals Leitrim Intermediate Championship title for a third time after a draining battle with Annaduff on Sunday in Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada.

Midway through the second half, Annaduff amazingly drew level as they defied the sin-binning of chief freetaker Sean McNabola to tie the scores at 0-7 to 1-4. But from there, Aughnasheelin showed their class as they fired over four unanswered points from Cormac Sammon, Fintan Fitzpatrick (2) and Ciaran Cullen to deservedly lift the Frank Reynolds Cup for the third time in their history.

Aughnasheelin celebrate third Intermediate Championship success in style - GALLERY

There were wild scenes of joy in Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada as Aughnasheelin won their third Smith Monumentals Intermediate Championship title after a hard fought 0-11 to 1-4 victory over Annaduff. Observer photographer Willie Donnellan was there to capture the scenes of celebrations ... see who you can spot!

With Aaron Hoare giving Terence Reynolds' side an enormous platform in the middle of the park while also making big catches in both attack and defence, the Leitrim panelist was the game's dominant figure as Annaduff could never quell his aerial ability or physical strength.

With Ciaran Cullen and Paul Earley repelling everything Annaduff threw at them, Aughnasheelin showed a clinical edge in front of the posts that Annaduff couldn't match in a match where the conditions meant that scores were at an absolute premium from two fully committed teams.

The early exchanges perhaps betrayed the nerves of both teams with Sean McNabola wide and short from two efforts while Aaron Hoare & Ciaran Cullen were also off target. Fintan Fitzpatrick's fifth minute mark opened the scoring before he hit a free wide and good work from Eoin Gill and Jack Hughes led to McNabola tying the scores on eight minutes.

Jack Hughes saw a shot blocked with Adam O'Hagan playing a dangerous ball across the face of the Aughnasheelin goal but Aughnasheelin went back in front when Sean McWeeney's fifty was tipped over the bar by a cautious Annaduff defence on 12 minutes.

Eoin Gill (wide) and Darragh Gunn (short) missed chances but the game exploded into life on 14 minutes when a long clearance saw Kenny Cox burst through on goal. He passed to Jack Hughes who sidestepped a defender before laying the ball back off to Cox who made no mistake from close range.

Man of the Match Aaron Hoare makes a spectacular catch from a Sean McWeeney fifty Picture: Willie Donnellan

Aughnasheelin's response was quick and very impressive - Fitzpatrick knocked over a free after a foul on Gavin Sammon before Cian Sammon pounced on a wayward kickout. With the keeper caught in no man's land, Sammon went for the goal but the ball struck off the post only for Fintan Fitzpatrick to gather and fire over from distance.

Annaduff tried to hit back but Kevin McWeeney made a superlative high catch from a McNabola free and with nine minutes left in the half, Aughnasheelin went back in front when Aaron Hoare was taken down after making a spectacular high catch from a McWeeney fifty, Fitzpatrick firing over the free.

THE FUTURE IS NOW FOR ST MARY'S

THE LAST POINT

Two minutes later, Aughnasheelin turned over a kickout, Joe Earley's run and pass led to Gavin Sammon pointing as they now led by two. Aaron Duignan was yellow carded for a late hit but Sean McNabola fired over after Annaduff won a throw-ball on the Aughnasheelin 21 yard line.

Cormac Sammon went into the book but McNabola's free went wide while both Gavin Sammon and Kenny Cox missed chances, leaving Aughnasheelin with a slender 0-6 to 1-2 halftime lead.

Barely a minute into the second half and Ciaran Cullen kicked a monster point to double the advantage. Dillon Keane was booked but Fitzpatrick's free came off the post while Annaduff kicked a number of costly wides, Kenny Cox from a fifty, Eoin Gill from play and another Cox effort fell short.

It looked as if Annaduff suffered a body blow when McNabola received a black card for a collision with Ciaran Cullen after the Aughnasheelin man played the ball. Annaduff supporters will argue it was harsh but it left them a man down for the next ten minutes.

Strangely, it seemed to bring out the best in Annaduff - Jack Hughes points after good work from Eoin Gill and Alan Glancy. Aughnasheelin were suffering their own misses with Fitzpatrick seeing a free knocked clear after an Eoin Gill foul that led to a yellow card.

But Annaduff drew level on 13 minutes when Conor Reynolds' run led to a fine finish from Alan Glancy that crept inside the posts for the 14 men. 

Yet when the pressure was on, Aughnasheelin responded - a foul on Gavin Sammon resulted in a successful Fitzpatrick free on 15 minutes and two minutes later, Cathal Egan's superb crossfield pass led to a fine point from Cormac Sammon and suddenly Annaduff's good work was undone.

McNabola got back into the fray but despite a wide seconds earlier, Fintan Fitzpatrick stretched the lead to three points after great work from Aaron Hoare and Ciaran Cullen. 

Annaduff's Kenny Cox scores the game's only goal in the first half Picture: Willie Donnellan

Wides and bookings were now the order of the day - Aaron Hoare, Eoin Gill and Fintan Fitzpatrick all missed chances while Dan Bosquette was yellow carded and Dillon Keane picked up his second yellow of the afternoon after a heavy hit on Fitzpatrick. Aughnasheelin played the ball short and Ciaran Cullen lofted over the insurance score to great Aughnasheelin cheers.

There was still time to worry for Aughnasheelin when Aaron Hoare got a black card for a blatant off the ball block of Conor Reynolds but apart from a McNabola free that went wide, Annaduff never looked like getting the goal they needed to get back into this game as Aughnasheelin comfortably saw out the three plus minutes of added time to claim the title.

Fans brave the rain to cheer on their heroes in Gotham Dry Wall LGFA Intermediate Final - GALLERY

Fans braved driving rain and cold in Carrigallen on Saturday to witness St Mary's Kiltoghert and Mohill footballers dey the conditions to serve up a cracking Gotham Dry Wall Leitrim LGFA Intermediate Final with St Mary's completing a great day for the club by adding the Ladies Intermediate crown to the Men's Senior & Minor titles .... see who you can spot in Willie Donnellan's photos of fans cheering on their heroes!

AUGHNASHEELIN

Scorers: Fintan Fitzpatrick 0-6, 3f, 1M; Ciaran Cullen 0-2; Sean McWeeney (50), Cormac Sammon & Gavin Sammon 0-1 each

Team: Kevin McWeeney, Paul Earley, Niall Gallagher, Wayne Gilgunn, Cillan Cullen, Sean McWeeney, Ciaran Cullen, Cormac Sammon, Aaron Hoare, Darragh Gunn, Joe Earley, Cian Sammon, Brendan Mulvey, Fintan Fitzpatrick, Gavin Sammon. Subs: Jason Ward for S Quigley (35); Sean Duignan for O’Hagan (36); Tommy Taylor & Shane Morrison for D Gill & Glancy (48)

ANNADUFF

Scorers: Kenny Cox 1-0; Sean McNabola 0-2; Alan Glancy & Jack Hughes 0-1 each

Team: Caolan Quigley, Sean Gill, Dillon Keane, Frank Shanley, Eoin Gill, Hugh Moylan, Conor Reynolds, Aaron Duignan, Daniel Bosquette, Adam O’Hagan, Alan Glancy, Kenny Cox, Sean McNabola, Jack Hughes, Sean Quigley. Subs: Jason Ward for S Quigley (35); Sean Duignan for O’Hagan (36); Tommy Taylor & Shane Morrison for D Gill & Glancy (48)

Referee: Martin Feeney