Serious knee injury sustained by Mostrim player stops conclusion of Longford GAA league fixture

Mostrim were leading by three points (3-5 to 0-11) and looking set to record a morale boosting win in the build up to the start of the county championship at the end of July before the unfortunate Adam dislocated his knee and suffered considerable pain in the process as he lay on the pitch. 

Young Connaughton received the best possible medical attention from the club physios in attendance at the game and was gradually able to sit up in the wait for the ambulance to arrive.

In the fading light, 20 minutes after the ambulance was called, the referee Mark Glancy made the decision to bring the match to a conclusion with less than two minutes left on his stopwatch.

For the record, Granard were leading by 0-6 to 0-3 at the break with Aaron Smyth, Micheal Hynes, Harry Kiernan, Mark Tully, Jamie Brady Hynes (free) and Jordan Martin accounting for the St Mary’s scores in the first half.

Jack Belton, Shane Campbell and Tiarnan Hussey (free) replied for Edgeworthstown but the course of the game changed completely in the second half with Fintan Coyle, Ronan Courtney and Seamus Hannon shooting the goals for the home side. 

The most notable absentee for Granard, under the guidance of their new manager Paul Lynch from neighbouring Mullahoran, was Longford midfielder Darren Gallagher due to a recurrring injury. 

St Mary’s suffered a significant setback when their full-back Dylan Corcoran was forced to retire in the early stages of the second half after sustaining what appears to be a bad injury.

The new Mostrim manager is Ciaran Gallagher and the Edgeworthstown native takes over from fellow clubman Ray Hussey who has stepped down from the role.

Mostrim were missing no less than seven players from the team that started in the one-point defeat against the eventual Connolly Cup winners Colmcille in the senior championship quarter-final last year, including the midfield pairing of Brian Farrell (in Australia) and Daniel Connell (in New York). 

Longford attacker Darragh Doherty was also missing for the league fixture against Granard and there will be a lot more at stake when the clubs clash again in the group stage of the 2023 championship. 

MOSTRIM: Ciaran Garvey; Aaron Gallagher, Niall Quinn, Adam Connaughton; Darren Bloomer, James Connell, Shane Campbell (0-1); Jack Belton (0-2), Seamus Hannon (1-0); Andy Devine, Ronan Courtney (1-0), Benny Dempsey; Tiarnan Hussey (0-1, free), Caolan Hussey, Matthew O’Donohoe (0-1). 

Subs:- Fintan Coyle (1-0) for C Garvey (injured, 26 mins); Cameron Nugent for R Courtney (injured, 46 mins). 

ST MARY’S GRANARD: Thomas Gallagher; Edward Smyth, Dylan Corcoran, Tom Kearney; Mark O’Neill, Mark Tully (0-1), Sean Corcoran; James Kiernan, Charlie Martin; Aaron Smyth (0-1), Harry Kiernan (0-1), Eoin Sheridan; Jordan Martin (0-5, 3 frees), Micheal Hynes (0-1), Jamie Brady Hynes (0-2, frees). 

Subs:- David Callaghan for C Martin (injured, 15 mins); Paddy McGivney for D Corcoran (injured, 39 mins); Dylan Reilly for E Sheridan (41 mins); Declan Hynes for M Hynes (59 mins). 

Referee: Mark Glancy (Rathcline).