Longford SFC: Mullinalaghta hang on for hard earned win over Abbeylara
Peter Hanley Motors Senior Football Championship Group 2 - Round 2
Mullinalaghta St Columba’s . . . 1-11 Abbeylara . . . 1-10
St Columba’s were a comfortable four points in front when David McGivney converted a free in the third minute of stoppage time but Abbeylara launched an immediate counter attack with Caolan Lynch finding the back of the net at the second attempt in a crowded goalmouth.
Time ran out for Abbeylara in a determined bid to avoid defeat and they were left to rue their failure to convert a couple of glorious goal chances with full-forward Lynch blasting the ball over the bar just before the break.
While Mullinalaghta had another lucky escape when Cian Brady had a close range shot blocked down in the closing stages of the game, Ollie Fay’s side had established a tight grip from the moment Donal McElligott scored a goal with just six minutes gone in the first half.
Abbeylara were fighting a tough battle from there on despite the fact that they only trailed by the minimum of margins at the break, 1-4 to 0-6.
Without the injured James McGivney, Mullinalaghta did enough to come out on top and the highlight of their steady display was the three cracking points scored by Aidan McElligott.
MULLINALAGHTA ST COLUMBA’S: Patrick Rogers; James Rogers, Simon Cadam, Patrick Fox; Francis Mulligan, Connor Leonard, Donal McElligott (1-0); Cian McElligott, Aidan McElligott (0-3, 1 mark); Gary Rogers (0-2), Shane Mulligan, Michael Cunningham; Emmet Brady (0-3, 2 frees), David McGivney (0-3, 2 frees), Mark McNerney.
Subs:- Cian Mackey for M McNerney (half-time); Conan Brady for J Rogers (injured, half-time); Tom Meehan for F Mulligan (56 mins); Jack Darcy for S Cadam (stoppage time).
ABBEYLARA: Gavin Kelly; Mel Brady, Bryan Masterson, Cormac Smyth; Michael McHugh, Colm P Smyth (0-1), Russell Brady; Fergal Battrim (0-1), Ciaran Scanlon; Cian Brady (0-1), Bernard Crawford, Reece Reilly (0-1); Robbie Smyth (0-4, 4 frees), Caolan Lynch (1-1), Cathal Gilligan (0-1).
Subs:- Jason Kelly for B Crawford (37 mins); Kevin Smyth for R Reilly (51 mins).
Blood Sub:- Aaron Dalton for R Brady (45 mins); Brady for Dalton (47 mins).
Referee: Patrick Maguire (St Mary’s Granard).