Late Lennon point earns Kilkerley second bite of the cherry against Clan na Gael

Shane Lennon

A stoppage time point from Shane Lennon earned Kilkerley Emmets a replay against Clan na Gael in yesterday’s Louth Intermediate Championship final in Haggardstown.

The Dundalk side had been leading by a point for the closing 12 minutes before former county star Lennon popped up in the 61^st minute with the crucial equaliser to leave it 0-10 to 1-7 at full-time.

The sides will now meet again on Saturday at 6pm, once again in Haggardstown.

Both sides held the lead in the early stages with Billy Smith opening the scoring on five minutes before Lennon and James Fegan responded for Kilkerley.

Robert Curran then brought the sides level for the second time in the 11^th minute at 0-2 apiece before Mark Newell hit the net for the Clans a minute later to put them in the ascendancy.

A subsequent point from Kevin Carroll then had the Dundalk side 1-3 to 0-2 ahead but two Lennon points, either side of another from Tadgh McEneaney had the deficit back to two by the break on a 1-4 to 0-5 scoreline.

Within five minutes of the restart Kilkerley were back on level terms courtesy of another point from Lennon and an equaliser from Cathal Bellew.

Conal McKeever then briefly fired the Clans ahead only for Lennon to equalise almost immediately.

Daniel McKeown then fired Kilkerley 0-9 to 1-5 in front in the 43^rd minute but McKeever equalised three minutes later before Mark McGeown put the Clans back in front in the 48^th minute.

That looked like it would be the winner for a long time but up popped Lennon in the first minute of stoppage time to earn Kilkerley a second bite at the cherry.

Scorers: Kilkerley Emmets – Shane Lennon (0-6), Cathal Bellew (0-1), James Fegan (0-1), Tadgh McEneaney (0-1), Daniel McKeown (0-1).

Clan na Gael – Mark Newell (1-0), Conal McKeever (0-3), Billy Smith (0-1), Robert Curran (0-1), Kevin Carroll (0-1), Mark McGeown (0-1).

Louth juniors lose out to Cavan

Louth’s Patrick Sheelan in action against Cavan last night. Picture credit: Ciaran Culligan Photography

Louth’s junior team lost out to Cavan by the narrowest of margins on a 1-10 to 1-9 scoreline in last night’s Leinster JFC quarter-final tie in Dowdallshill.

Cavan, who won the Leinster title last year, got off to a dream start with Chris Conroy’s goal after just 30 seconds helping them into a 1-3 to 0-4 lead at the break.

The Wee County fought back on the restart though with a goal form Cathal Bellew helping them into a 1-8 to 1-6 lead with 20 minutes remaining.

The Breffni men finished the strongest, however, with four unanswered points from Barry Reilly (2), Paul Gorham and Ross Sheridan helping to turn a two point deficit into a two point lead.

A James Califf free did manage the cut the deficit back to the minimum but it was too little, too late for Louth at that stage.

The Wee County side on the night was: J Flanagan; P Nixon, B Mulligan, K McLoughlin; G O’Hare, R Brennan, P Sheelan; S McCann (0-1, f), B Duffy; J Califf (0-3, 2f), S O’Hanlon (0-2), C Bellew (1-0); S Hand (0-1), E O’Connor (0-2), P Carrie. Subs: N Conlon for P Carrie, G Connolly for G O’Hare.