St Manchan's leave it very, very late to break Melvin Gaels hearts

A match with drama, excitement and a healthy dollop of controversy was decided in the final minutes with a moment of pure brilliance and one of cynicism as St Manchans held off a stubborn Melvin Gaels to win the Cox’s Steakhouse U20 Division 2 Final last Wednesday in Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada.

Matthew Murphy’s winner in added time only embellished an impressive outing for the Mohill man that saw him land a dramatic goal a minute from time as the eventual winners prised the lead away from Melvin Gaels.

That’s where the cynicism came in as the impressive Conor Quinn pulled down Melvin Gaels’ Joseph McGloin as he raced through  with only the keeper to beat on 58 minutes. It was a tackle that we’ve come to expect from any player nowadays and it proved to be a match winning intervention from the Mohill man.

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Quinn paid the price for his tackle with a black card, Melvin Gaels drew level but Mohill were still alive, allowing Murphy to cap off an impressive display with a fantastic winner to break Kinlough hearts.

For most of the first half, it didn’t look as if this game would be that exciting - Mohill, or St Manchan’s on the programme but without any players from Eslin or Cloone so essentially Mohill, looked in a different class to the Gaels as Murphy and Harry Boyle caused havoc upfront and Conor Quinn ruled the roost around the middle of the field.

Only the dangerous Joseph McGloin was making any headway for Melvin Gaels but after Mohill scored their third goal five minutes before halftime, something happened as the Kinlough men rattled off an unanswered 2-6 either side of halftime.

That put them a goal to the good and from there to the finish, we had a titanic struggle with Melvin Gaels hanging on for dear life and Mohill doing everything in their power to get back into a game where they had badly lost their way.

Mohill got off to a blistering start with Matthew Murphy converting a free before chasing a long ball into the corner to score a fine point. Murphy dropped a free short before Melvin Gaels saw Gero Gilmartin unluckily hit a 50 yard free off the post while John O’Doherty Pugh shot wide.

It looked as if it would be one-way traffic as a strong run from Conor Quinn led to a well finished goal from Harry Boyle but then Mohill started to shoot some wides and the impressive Joseph McGloin opened the Melvin Gaels account from a free on seven minutes.

McGloin swapped frees with Conor Quinn and hit another free before Harry Boyle fisted over on 20 minutes, leaving just four points between the teams but the notion that this game was as good as over took flight over the next five minutes as Mohill twice found the net.

The first game with a hint of controversy as Harry Boyle, chasing a long ball, clearly pulled the defender back before winning the ball. In fairness, he did a lot of work to round the keeper and plant the bal int the net.

Sean McNeice replied for Melvin Gaels but the game looked over when Matthew Murphy burst in from the sideline, sidestepped a defender and buried the ball in the net. Another McNeice point, a fine free from the corner, was followed by a fisted Luke Clancy point and McGloin free as the Gaels hit some form.

That left Mohill with a commanding 3-4 to 0-7 halftime lead but in a slow burning comeback that started to gather momentum, Melvin Gaels started to fight back. Frees from McGloin and Gilmartin (50 yards) cut the gap back to four points inside the first five minutes.

From the second kickout, Mohill went short but Melvin Gaels  forced a turnover with Joseph McGloin showing great footwork to evade the retreating defenders to plant the ball in the net.

McGloin added a ninth minute free to tie the scores and barely a minute later, Melvin Gaels were in front. A long ball to Joseph McGloin saw him quickly feed Gero Gilmartin, he spotted Darragh McSharry unmarked in space and a pass allowed the number 14 to produce a great finish for a dramatic goal.

Credit Mohill, they dug in after conceding an unanswered 2-6 either side of halftime with Evan Kilrane desperately unlucky not to go as he connected with a cross virtually right on the goalline, the ball going over rather than under the bar.

Both teams had wides, Melvin Gaels the more wasteful, before Harry Boyle availed of good work from Daniel Scott to point on 19 minutes. The tension of the game meant scores were few and far between but a Joseph McGloin free on 55 minutes left the Gaels two clear.

Conor Quinn had a bad wide for Mohill but they dramatically got themselves back in front when they kept a long range effort in play, Senan Curran fed the ball back to Matthew Murphy and despite about four Melvin Gaels players attempting to save his shot, the Mohill man blasted the ball to the net.

Then came the game’s most controversial  moment - Melvin Gaels won a ball in midfield and with the entire Mohill defence behind him, Joseph McGloin raced through on goal with only keeper Luke Bohan to beat. However, the chasing Conor Quinn dragged McGloin to the ground just outside the 21 yard line.

Quinn was  black carded, McGloin converted the free to tie the scores but Melvin Gaels had been denied a clear goal scoring opportunity and that tackle would pay huge dividends just into added time when Matthew Murphy soloed across the field to score a wonderful match winning point for Mohill.

Mohill celebrate dramatic victory over Melvin Gaels to claim U20 Division 2 crown - GALLERY

Mohill claimed a dramatic 4-7 to 2-12 victory over a defiant Melvin Gaels in the Cox's Steakhouse Leitrim U20 Championship Division 2 Final on Wednesday evening in Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada, sealing victory with an injury time winner from Matthew Murphy. Observer photographer Willie Donnellan was there to capture the drama, see who you can spot!

ST MANCHANS

Scorers: Matthew Murphy 2-3, 1f; Harry Boyle 2-2; Conor Quinn & Evan Kilrane 0-1 each

Team: Luke Bohan, Daniel Scott; Eoghan Duignan, Diarmuid Casey, Donal Duignan, Cillian Walpole; Oscar Reynolds, Conor Quinn, Tomas Mayock; Evan Kilrane, Senan Curran, Harry Boyle; Matthew Murphy

MELVIN GAELS

Scorers: Joseph McGloin 1-8, 8f; Darragh McSharry 1-0; Gero Gilmartin (f) & Luke Clancy 0-1 each

Team: David Cleary; Matthew San Pedro; Emmet McGloin; Adam Dolan; Ben Higgins; John James Lipsett; Sean McNeice; Aaron Brennan; Gero Gilmartin; Luke Clancy; Darragh McSherry; Joseph McGloin; John O’Doherty Pugh. Subs: Eoghan Gallagher for Dolan (21); Andrew Gallagher for O’Doherty Pugh (47)

Referee: Kevin Mallon