Longford JFC Final: Ballymore battle back to beat Killoe in Junior title triumph

Ballymore . . . 1-10   Killoe Emmet Og . . . 1-5

Dermot Murphy’s highly charged side recovered from the setback of conceding a goal in the early stages of the game with Emmet Og full-forward Shane Dooner planting the ball in the back of the net with just four minutes gone on the clock. 

Killoe were leading by 1-3 to 0-2 midway through the first half but Ballymore refused to panic despite missing no less than three goal chances.

Padraig Boyle smacked a shot against the post direct from the throw-in and Gavin O’Hara had a shot cleared off the line by Killoe defender Thomas Reilly in the 9th minute.

Oisin Flynn was clean through for a great opportunity of finding the net in the 22nd minute but the Killoe keeper Brian Carr produced a fine point-blank save.

The free-taking of Damien Monaghan kept Ballymore in contention as they trailed by just two points at the break, 1-4 to 0-5, but had a lucky escape immediately on the changeover when a goal attempt from Killoe wing back Mark Rowley was well saved by the Ballymore keeper Mattie McCrann.

Ballymore were dominant during the remainder of the match in adding another 1-5 to their tally with the man of the match award winner Damien Monaghan scoring the crucial goal with seven minutes gone in the second half after linking up with Ciaran Reilly.

Next up for the triumphant north Longford side is a clash away against Kilbeggan Shamrocks (Westmeath) or Lisdowney/Piltown (Kilkenny) in the Leinster Club Junior Championship quarter-final on Saturday November 4th.  

BALLYMORE: Mattie McCrann; Ben Creegan, Cian O’Hara, Ciaran Fahy; Mel Creegan, Padraig Boyle, Padraig Kavanagh; Sean Brady, David Reilly; Bernard McElvaney (0-1), Damien Monaghan (1-5, 4 frees), Oisin Flynn; Ciaran Reilly, John Boyle (0-1), Gavin O’Hara (0-3).

Subs:- Donal McElvaney for S Brady (39 mins); Peter Walker for C Fahy (43 mins); Philip Dawson for B Creegan (44 mins); Glen Kelly for C Reilly (54 mins); John Gorman for M Creegan (59 mins). 

KILLOE EMMET OG: Brian Carr; Adam Donnelly, Emmet Toher, Thomas Reilly; Mark Rowley, Gary Connell, David Moorehead; Niall Finneran, Cormac Harte; Killian Feeney, David Mimnagh (0-3, 2 frees), Shane McManus (0-1); Oisin McManus (0-1, free), Shane Dooner (1-0), Ger Carberry. 

Subs:- Darragh Gilna for E Toher (51 mins); Shane Mahon for G Carberry (51 mins); Joe Morrissey for T Reilly (54 mins).

Referee: Francis Kelly (Carrickedmond).