Melvin Gaels edge past Aughavas

After what was a hard fought contest in terrible wet weather conditions in the Boggaun on Saturday, Melvin Gaels emerged as deserved winners of the Corrib Oil Junior C title when they successfully saw off the challenge of a battling Aughavas side.

Melvin Gaels held the upper-hand from start to finish in this nip and tuck low scoring encounter but Aughavas were always in the hunt, even up to the final whistle. The Gaels slightly shaded the first half action and went in leading at the break by two points.

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Aughavas made a determined start after the second half began and got on level terms by the 32nd minute. But Melvin Gaels responded in a workman-like manner and got their noses back in front some five minutes later.

After that Melvin Gaels dictated matters when doggedly defending their slight scoreboard advantage and added two further points to their tally as well. Aughavas battled on right up to the finish and drove strongly at the Gaels defence in the closing minutes in an unsuccessful effort to score what would be a levelling goal for them to force a replay.

Melvin Gaels stood firm at the heel of the hunt and denied the Aughavas men's best efforts to force a replay at the death. Meanwhile the Gaels side were sharper in the opening exchanges and after early wides were traded by both teams, Paul Simpson got the scoreboard ticking for the North Leitrim men when splitting the Aughavas posts on the 6 minute mark.

Gaels centre forward Aidan Keegan put his side 0 – 2 in front when he fired over seven minutes later. But Aughavas, who had been playing second fiddle for most of the first quarter, did get their account opened when full-forward Colm Maguire tapped over a 15th minute free.

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Aughavas made it level pegging almost immediately when Fintan Gallogly shot over after he was put through by a quick thinking Fintan McBrien ,who after being fouled dispatched the resultant free speedily to unmarked Gallogly near the Gaels posts.

But the Gaels responded decisively to get back in front when Paul Simpson slotted over a 17th minute free. Near side managed to raise a flag for another eight minutes but then Melvin Gaels increased their advantage further when Aidan Keegan lofted a 25th minute effort over the Aughavas crossbar.

The Gaels men ended their first half on another positive note when Mathew San Pedro fired over two minutes later at the end of a well executed run at the Aughavas posts, which put his side ahead by 0-5 to 0-2 at the interval.

After the restart Aughavas certainly came out fighting and got on level terms by the 33rd minute. In this period Colm Maguire whipped over two points in quick succession for the Aughavas men and Fintan McBrien levelled matters from a placed ball.

However this Aughavas purple patch only lasted for approximately three more minutes and it was ended when Melvin Gaels surged up-field with Conal McGowan darting forward from his right half back berth to fire over and get the North Leitrim men on top again in the proceedings.

When Paul Simpson shot over a 42nd minute Melvin Gaels point, some five minutes after McGowan got the Gaels opening second  half score, a renewed pep in the north Leitrim men's step was evident all over the field.

Neither side managed to score for another fifteen minutes as Aughavas gamely continued in their bid to turn the tables on their rivals. However Melvin Gaels clinically mopped up everything Aughavas threw at them in this period when not allowing the South Leitrim men to get any scoring efforts on target.

A 47th minute Simpson point put Melvin Gaels three in front. Before the end Aughavas had a goal chance denied when  Kevin McGloin made a smart save to stop Fintan Gallogly's piledriver from close range as Melvin  Gaels held on for the victory to great celebrations.

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MELVIN GAELS

Scorers: Paul Simpson 0-4; Aidan Keegan 0-2, Mathew San Pedro & Conal McGowan 0-1 each

Team: Kevin McGloin; Oisin Fox, Stephen Clancy, Dermot Clancy; Conal McGowan, Fabian McMorrow, Mathew San Pedro; Peter McGowan, Brendan Brennan; Daithi McGloin, Aidan Keegan, Paul McGowan; Jakub McGowan, Paul Simpson; Iarlaith Keegan. Subs: Ruairi McGowan for I. Keegan (HT); Marcus McGowan for P. McGowan (39); Christopher Branley for Simpson (58)

AUGHAVAS

Scorers: Colm Maguire 0-3, 3f; Fintan Gallogly Fintan McBrien (f) 0-1 each

Team: Ross Williams; Diarmuid Casey, Mick Fitzpatrick, Fiachra Casey, Shafik Oubihi, Fintan McBrien, Eugene O'Rourke; Conor McKiernan, Aidan Maguire; Gavin Farrelly, David Charles, Conor Bohan; Declan Brooks, Colm Maguire, Fintan Gallogly. Subs: Niall Maguire for Farrelly (32); Oisin Brennan for Brooks (42); Derek Maguire for Bohan (53)

REFEREE: Kieran Moran