Longford SFC: Colmcille knock Abbeylara out of the championship
Peter Hanley Motors Senior Football Championship Group 2 - Round 4
Colmcille . . . 2-14 Abbeylara . . . 2-6
Abbeylara, who have failed to reach the knockout stage for the first time since 2005, struggled for scores throughout this contest and could only muster a single point from play through an excellent Cian Brady effort midway through the second half.
Brady also got their only other score from play when he threw his side a lifeline with a fantastic goal in response to Colmcille’s first green flag through Shaun McKeon early in the second half after the reigning champions led by 0-9 to 1-3 at the break.
Abbeylara were severely hampered in the first half when their vastly experienced forward Robbie Smyth had to retire after just 9 minutes while another of their key players Colm P Smyth did not return to play for the second half.
Colmcille are now through to the quarter-finals and there is little at stake (apart from the seedings) in their remaining group game against Rathcline on Sunday next.
COLMCILLE: Noel Farrell (0-1); Conor Grant, Enda Macken, Gerard Mulligan (0-1); Shea Farley, Ruairi Harkin (0-1), Declan Reilly; Jack Macken (0-1), Fergal Sheridan (1-0); Cathal Reilly (0-2), Paul McKeon (0-3, 2f), Shaun McKeon (1-0); Eoin Hawkins, Cathal McCabe (0-4, 1m), Eoghan Williams (0-1).
Subs:- Vinny Hourican for S Farley (45 mins); Barry McKeon for E Williams (45 mins); Phillip McKeon for S McKeon (57 mins).
ABBEYLARA: Gavin Kelly; Mel Brady, Bryan Masterson, Cian O’Reilly; Colm P Smyth, Michael McHugh, PJ Masterson; Russell Brady, Caolan Lynch; Reece Reilly (0-1, f), Cian Brady (1-1), Jason Kelly (0-2, 2f); Robbie Smyth (1-0, penalty), Kevin Smyth, Cathal Gilligan.
Subs:- Bernard Crawford for R Smyth (injured, 9 mins); Nigel Rabbitt (0-2, 2f) for Colm P Smyth (injured, half-time); Fergal Battrim for R Reilly (42 mins); Kieran Mulvihill for K Smyth (50 mins); Cormac Smyth for B Crawford (55 min).
Referee: Mark Glancy (Rathcline).