Dromahair get the job done early against Gortletteragh in battle of two halves

St Patrick’s Dromahair took the phrase ‘a good start is half the battle’ to heart as they built up a match winning 16 point lead in Saturday’s Smith Monumentals IFC Quarter Final in Heartland Credit Union Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada, a lead that proved insurmountable despite a fierce but ultimately futile late rally from Gortletteragh.

With a startling contrast between both halves, Dromahair sliced and diced Gortletteragh open in the first half, seemingly scoring at will to build up what seemed to be an impregnable 15 point halftime advantage. And was how it turned out as, despite a slow-burning Gortletteragh fightback, the north Leitrim men held on for a place in the quarter-finals.

With just two points between the teams at the end, Gortletteragh will have nightmares about this one as they hit the woodwork with two frees in the first half and gifted Dromahair a 14 metre free after a back-pass to their keeper, their first half performance completely mystifying as Dromahair led them a merry dance.

Gortletteragh manfully tried to haul themselves back into the contest in the second half but they never achieved the momentum that carried Dromahair to their lead in the first half. It helped that the strong wind died a bit but credit is also due to a Dromahair defence who creaked alarmingly but never truly broke in the second half.

Truth be told, there was never a sense that Dromahair were in any real difficulties until Jack Heslin grabbed a goal after 54 minutes – it provoked a late bout of pressure from Gortletteragh, a late two point free from Francie Flynn the last score of the game but, apart from a diving Tom Sweeney clearance, Dromahair never looked in true danger.

It took Dromahair three minutes to work the scoreboard but once they did, they took over with Karl and Adam Gethins both landing two pointers, Adam from a free, but it looked as if we were in for a battle royale when Noel Hynes made a spectacular one-handed save to prevent a certain Gortletteragh.

With Gortletteragh missing the 50 and a few other chances, the Gethins added a point each before the alarm bells were really sounding for Gortletteragh when Karl Gethins’ strong run saw him set up Gary Fowley for a clinically taken goal to leave Dromahair 1-6 to non score ahead after just seven minutes.

Noel Hynes saved a Keoghan McGovern shot at the expense of a fifty but that hit the woodwork as did another McGovern shot. Fowley and Niall O’Donohue added points before Cian McNulty opened Gortletteragh’s account after 15 minutes, Adam Gethins and Francie Flynn both swapping points.

But Dromahair were starting to pull away - Adam Gethins landed a two pointer before James Clinton, Adam and Karl Gethins struck for points that left the north Leitrim men a mind-boggling 1-14 to 0-2 in front at the break.

Gortletteragh, who missed some good chances, reacted by introducing Jack Heslin and Oran Boyle at halftime but it was Dromahair who missed early chances before Karl Gethins tapped over a free three minutes into the second half, a score answered by Francie Flynn two minutes later.

Noah McNulty converted a free before Jack Heslin added a third point of the second half after ten minutes. But the scores weren’t coming frequently enough, Noah McNulty driving a goal chances wide before Cian McNulty fired over two good points and Francie Flynn landed a huge two pointer.

Flynn pointed after good work from Heslin on 48 minutes but the scores weren’t coming quickly enough and Dromahair grabbed two vital scores, Michael Clancy’s strong run rewarded with a point before a pass back to the Gortletteragh keeper was penalised by an Adam Gethins free.

That left Dromahair ten clear with just over six minutes left but Gortletteragh’s improbable comeback got a boost when Tom Sweeney’s errant pass was intercepted. Jack Heslin played a one-two with Francie Flynn before rounding his man to fire a spectacular shot to the Dromahair net.

Two Noah McNulty frees got the gap down to five before Tom Sweeney made a vital interception to get a touch on a pass to a Gortletteragh forward going through and that was the big moment. With Dromahair missing some good chances to pad their lead, Gortletteragh did close the gap with a Flynn free, somewhat fortunate after the attacker jumped into the defender.

That left the gap at four points with James Clinton missing a chance to ice the win deep in added time before Francie Flynn converted a two point free in added time of added time to bring the game to a close.

ST PATRICK’S DROMAHAIR

Scorers: Adam Gethins 0-8, tp, tpf, 2f; Karl Gethins 0-5, tp, f; Gary Fowley 1-1; Michael Clancy, Niall O’Donohoe & James Clinton 0-1 each

Team: Noel Hynes, Tom Sweeney, Martin Clancy, Kyle Harte, Keelan McLoughlin, Cian McMorrow, Michael Clancy, Oisin Conlon, Leon Harte, James Clinton, Adam Gethins, Karl Gethins, James Clancy, Niall O’Donohue, Gary Fowley. Subs: Oisin Kelly for L Harte (51); Peter Cogan for K Gethins (57)

GORTLETTERAGH

Scorers: Noah McNulty 0-6, tpf, 4f; Francie Flynn 0-5, tp, 2f; Jack Heslin 1-1; Cian McNulty 0-3

Team: Niall Tiernan, David Liu Doyule, Gerard Campbell, Tommy Reen, Cian McNulty, Evan Ward, Conor Niblock, Jack Reynolds, Brian Liu Doyle, Ryan Cunningham, Noah McNulty, Oisin Niblock, Keoghan McGovern, Padraig Gallagher, Francie Flynn. Subs: Nathan Ward for O Niblock (21); Jack Heslin & Oran Boyle for D Liu Doyle & McGovern (HT); John Reynolds for C Niblock (39); Ultan McNulty for Gallagher (44)

Referee: Jason Glennon