Kiltubrid 2 – 9

Glencar/Manor 1 – 11

Kiltubrid claimed Leitrims last adult championship title of the year on Sunday in Carrick-on-Shannon when holding off a late Glencar/Manor rally, to win the County Junior ‘B crown by a single point after a thrilling contest.

However Glencar/Manor started brightly when Niall Hickey put over a 3rd minute free.

Meanwhile Kiltubrid responded decisively five minutes later when Paul McGirl finished to the net after he took full advantage of an error by Glencar/Manor fullback, Kenneth McMorrow.

Keelan McKeon increased Kiltubrids lead when he fisted over in the 10th minute.

Glencar/Manor managed to cut Kiltubrids advantage back to the minimum by the 14th minute after Niall Hickey put over his second free and Pat Gilmartin shot a point.

But Kiltubrid took a decisive grip on the proceedings over the next twelve minutes when they hit 1 – 5 without reply.

In this period Gavin Kelly shot Kiltubrids second goal while Conor Doherty popped over three points from play with Keelan McKeon also converting a free and Aidan McKiernan adding a point from play.

Before the break Glencar/Manor replied with a Declan Ryan point and a Seamus Leddy free conversion, which still left Kiltubrid leading comfortably by 2 – 6 to 0 – 5 at halftime.

But a goal, which Pauric Kerrigan finished to the net within two minutes of the restart, brought Glencar/Manor to within four points of Kiltubrid.

However within the space of another minute Keelan McKeon replied with a Kiltubrid converted free, which kept his side in control.

ThenÓglencar/Manor closed the gap on Kiltubrid to three points by the 37th minute after Seamus Leddy put over a free and James Gilmartin shot a point.

But the north Leitrim side had a let off in the 39th minute when ‘keeper, Sean Boylan had to make a super save from a goal bound Michael McGirl effort.

After that Kiltubrid pulled five points clear of Glencar/Manor over the next eleven minutes when Keelan McKeon converted a free and Michael McGirl fisted a point.

The Kiltubrid men did not score in the remainder of the action, as Glencar/Manor staged a fighting late rally to salvage the game.

Over five minutes of additional time was played in this period and Kiltubrids lead was whittled down to a point.

In the closing exchanges Seamus Leddy converted a Glencar/Manor ‘45 and Niall Hickey slotted over a 13 metre free while sub Patrick McEneaney and Ian Feeney shot points apiece.

At the end Kiltubrid held out for the win but they certainly had a close shave during the Glencar/Manors last ditch assault when the north Leitrims sides full-forward Niall Hickey blazed a 56th minute goal chance narrowly wide from just a few yards out.

Kiltubrid: Adrian Lee, Neil Slevin, Barry MacThiarnain, RonanÓgeoghegan, David McCormack, David McGirl, EamonÓgeoghegan, Richard Mahon, StephenÓguckian, Aidan McKiernan 0 – 1, Conor Doherty 0 – 3, Michael McGirl 0 – 1, Keelan McKeon 0 – 4 (4f.), Paul McGirl 1 – 0, Gavin Kelly 1 – 0.

Subs Patrick Whitlow for Kelly (38 mins.), Anthony Tighe for M. McGirl (51 mins.).

Glencar/Manor: Sean Boylan, Colin Farrell, Kenneth McMorrow, Enda Healy, Ian Feeney 0 – 1, Seamus Leddy 0 – 3(3f.), Dermot McMorrow, Pat Gilmartin 0 – 1, Ronan Haslette, Declan Ryan 0 – 1, James Gilmartin 0 – 1, Sean Watters, Pauric Kerrigan 1 – 0, Niall Hickey 0 – 3(3f.), Damien McDermott.

Subs Colin Ryan for Watters (26 mins.), Patrick McEneaney 0 – 1 for McDermott (38 mins.), Kevin Rogers for D. McMorrow (57 mins.), Thomas Coyle for J. Gilmartin (57 mins.).

Referee: Cyril McKeon (Allen Gaels).

18-Nov-08 by PJ Leddy

Intermediate Champions Aughnasheelin ended a great year on a sour note after they were relegated last Saturday following their four point loss to Division One Finalists Melvin Gaels.

With intense relegation battles in both Division One and Two, next weekends games will be closely watched as St. Marys must gather at least three points to go above Carrigallen in Division One while Division Two sees an almighty battle to avoid the drop with eight teams all capable of making the drop to Division Three depending on the results next weekend.

St. Marys, however, are facing a doomsday situation as their teams in Divisions Two, Three and Four would all be relegated, regardless of where they finish, if their First team are relegated from Division One. It is a situation that would be welcomed in quite a lot of Divisions as only one other team would therefore make the drop.

Marys must pick up three points against Allen Gaels and Melvin Gaels but they can also stay up if they improve their Scóring difference by seven points or more to go above Carrigallen in the Scóring averages.

However, that will be a very tough task as Allen Gaels have been rejuvenated since the return of Adrian Cullen and have been the form team in Division One recently while Melvin Gaels booked their place in the Final with a 0-13 to 1-6 win over Aughnasheelin last Saturday.

The Kinlough men recovered from a four point halftime deficit to win by four points, a result that condemned Aughnasheelin to the drop. The Intermediate champions can still end up with six points if they win their remaining two games but they cannot over-take two teams to avoid the drop.

Melvin Gaels trailed 0-5 to 1-6 at the break but the dismissal of an Aughnasheelin midfielder for a second yellow card handed the impetus to Melvin Gaels who scored seven unanswered points to take the win.

What makes the win all the more notable is that the Gaels achieved it without Emlyn Mulligan as Conor Sheridan, Paul Og Ferguson and Brendan Brennan scored three points apiece.

Carrigallen ensured they would make it very difficult for St. Marys when they defeated Annaduff 0-12 to 1-6 in Annaduff on Saturday. Four unanswered points in the first half from Ciaran Flynn (3) and Eoin Ward put Carrigallen in the driving seat and another four without reply in the second half from Ciaran & David Flynn, Eamon OMalley & Eoin Ward extended the lead.

Carrigallen led 0-12 to 0-4 after 50 minutes and seemed to be cruising but they were put under pressure in the closing minutes with points from Brendan Guckian and David McHugh and a goal from sub Derek Cox.

Kiltubrid, who had started the day under threat, secured their Division One status with a 0-9 to 2-3 draw against Mohill last Saturday, a point that lifted them out of the relegation zone. The draw, however, has dented Mohills chances of making the League Final as Glencar/Manor, with three games to play, are only a point behind.

Glencar/Manor were due to play Bornacoola but the game fell victim to the weather, the only one on the day.

The postponement almost definitely means another delay in the completion of Division One.

Division Two remains a complete minefield as only finalists Sean OHeslins and Aughawillan are completely safe mathematically.

Ballinaglera would have been relegated had they lost to Dromahair last weekend but a 1-11 to 0-8 keeps their survival hopes alive and drags Dromahair back into it, although the superior Scóring average of the north Leitrim men should mean they are safe.

The big game is the clash of Aughavas and Fenagh St. Caillins – Fenagh simply have to win as their poor Scóring average means they cannot rely on Scóring difference to stay up. Both teams are on six points and a draw will not suffice for Fenagh who have minus 53 points as their difference.

Glenfarne/Kilty & Cloone are two teams anxiously looking over their shoulders – the north Leitrim side take on Drumkeerin needing at least a point to survive while Cloone need to defeat Dromahair to stay up in what should be an exciting relegation battle.

14-Nov-08 by Leitrim Observer.ie

When it comes to Leitrim football championship semi-finals this year, more evidence was produced in Drumreilly on Sunday that Glencar/Manor seems to hold the Indian sign over St. Mary, as they Carrick men suffered a late defeat for a second time at the hands of their north Leitrim rivals.

JUNIOR B CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINAL
GLENCAR/MANORHAMILTON 2-7
ST MARYS KILTOGHERT 1-8

A late rally in the dying minutes of Sundays entertaining GWP Junior B semi-final in Carrickmakeegan secured a place for Glencar/Manor against Kiltubrid in the County Final at the expense of St. Marys, who had got on level terms in the 55th minute with a Ross McLoughlin free.

A goal in the first half by Niall Hickey gave Glencar/Manor a slight edge in the an evenly match opening 30 minutes. Another Hickey goal, in the final ten minutes, enabled Manor to pull off a come from behind win by the time the final whistle sounded.

Glencar/Manor will face Kiltubrid in the Final as they chase their second adult football crown of the year, highlighting once again the great reserves at the disposal of the Manorhamilton club.

Kiltubrid, who defeated a strong Aughawillan team, will take some beating in the final but Manor will be confident of adding another crown to their list of achievements for 2008.

St. Marys, on the other hand, are locked in a relegation battle that could yet see all their teams relegated down a Division if their Senior team fails to maintain its Division One status.

St. Marys controlled the proceedings for greater part of the of the second half after Shane Fitzpatrick put them three points ahead when he shot an unstoppable 36th minute goal. Glencar/Manor was forced to play second fiddle until Niall Hickeys late goal resurrected their drive for a place in the final.

Manor impressed in the opening exchanges and took a two points lead in the first three minutes after Niall Hickey put over a free and Declan Ryan added a point.

But St. Marys battled back to get on level terms by the 9th minute thanks to a Damien Butler free while his brother Barry hit over a well-taken point from play.

St. Marys grabbed the lead two minutes later when Damien Butler found the range with his second free. However, Glencar/Manor got their noses ahead again in the 14th minute when Niall Hickeys ground shot eluded the clutches of St. Marys keeper Colm Guckian after Hickey was put through with a pass from a quick thinking Damien McDermott.

The Carrick men cut Manors lead to the minimum some eight minutes later after Damien Butler found the target from his third free. But James Gilmartin put some more daylight between the sides when whipped over a 24th minute point.

St. Marys ended the half firing on all cylinders when they levelled matters by the break with points from play by Owen Tivnan and Shane Fitzpatrick. St. Marys finished the half strongly with 0-6 to their credit while Glencar/Manor had notched up 1-3 at this stage.

A Shane Fitzpatrick goal, six minutes after the restart, gave Marys what appeared to be a decisive grip on the proceedings. But Manor cut back the Carrick sides lead to a single point over the next eight minutes after Dermot McMorrow shot over and sub Seamus Leddy tapped over a free.

Neither side managed to register a score for a spell as the battle for supremacy continued unhindered.But Mary’s then edged back into a two point lead in the 49th minute after Fitzpatrick fired over from play.

It was four minutes later whenÓglencar/Manor breached the Mary’s defence decisively after sub Patrick McEneaney sent a long ball into the goalmouth and Niall Hickey was on hand, to finish to the St. Mary’s for a second time.

Hitting back with admirable resolve, St. Mary’s fought hard to grab a lifeline, which Ross McLoughlin provided, when he slotted over a 55th minute free, to level matters. But the Carrick men’s challenge lost its impetus to some degree following the score.

Glencar/Manor went on to stage a grandstand finish and Pauric Kerrigan led their charge for victory when he coolly shot over 57th minute point from play. Following that Niall Hickey made the win secure for his side, six minutes later, when he tapped over a 13 metre free.

Glencar/Manorhamilton

Sean Boylan, Colm Farrell, Kenneth McMorrow, Brian Kerrigan, Dermott McMorrow (0-1), Ian Feeney, Enda Healy, Pat Gilmartin, James Gilmartin (0-1),Pauric Kerrigan (0-1), Colin Ryan, Sean Watters, Declan Ryan (0-1), Niall Hickey (2-2), Damien McDermott. Subs Seamus Leddy for B. Kerrigan (28 mins), Patrick McEneaney for Gilmartin (39 mins).

St. Mary’s Kiltoghert

Colm Guckian, Rory McLoughlin, Barry Crowe, Sean Clancy, Barry Guckian, Barry Butler (0-1), Brian Crowe, Francis Molloy, Brian O’Donnell, Damien Butler (0-3), Ross McLoughlin (0-1), Ashley Molloy, Owen Tivnan (0-1), Olcan Conway, Shane Fitzpatrick (1-2). Subs Alan Duffy for Conway (24 mins), David Keegan for Molloy (40 mins), Richie Doran for R. McLoughlin (48 mins), Paddy Guckian for D. Butler (56 min).

Referee: Gerry Spellman.

This full report is available thanks to John Connolly and Leitrim Observer
– its available in this weeks edition of the Observer

13-Nov-08 by Leitrim Observer.ie