Sean O’Mahony’s All-Ireland hopes are ended

Sean O’Mahony’s Stephen Fisher is consoled by his wife and son at the full-time whistle yesterday

The Sean O’Mahony’s hopes of All-Ireland glory were ended by St Croan’s of Roscommon yesterday after their comeback at Kingspan Breffni Park in Cavan fell just short on a 0-14 to 2-7 scoreline.

The Point Road men had got off to a dream start when Stephen Kilcoyne hit the net after just a minute.

However, seven unanswered points had the Connacht champions 0-7 to 1-0 ahead after 20 minutes.

A Conor Crawley goal then reduced the deficit back to one but the Roscommon men kicked the final two scores of the half to lead by 0-9 to 2-0 at the break.

The O’Mahony’s finally found their shooting boots on the restart with Kilcoyne firing over two points and Garry Mulligan also on target as the gap was reduced back to one.

The same two players then responded to a Croan’s point to level the game and then with less than five minutes to go Stephen Fisher landed a point to put Brendan Nordone’s side in front.

However, Croan’s managed to level with two minutes to go and when John O’Brien’s free was blocked down they managed to break up field to win a free which they fired over to go ahead.

The O’Mahony’s did have one last chance of forcing extra time but Conor Finnegan couldn’t get the connection he required and his effort drifted wide of the post.

St Croan’s: Vincent Egan; Gerard Mockler, Gregory Grogan, Keith Keenan (0-1); Daniel Malone, Eamonn Towey, Maurice Connaughton (0-2, 1’45); Ross Timothy, Brian Mullin; Kevin Smyth (0-5, 4f), James Connaughton, Keith Muldoon; Robbie Keenan, Michael Holland (0-2), Aidan Brogan (0-3). Subs: Shane Smyth (0-1) for Brian Mullin, P Leech for Daniel Malone (BC), M Towey for Keith Muldoon, C Connolly for Aidan Brogan.

Sean O’Mahony’s: Kevin Brennan; Pat O’Brien, Mickey Clarke, Ronan Byrne; Keith McLaughlin, John O’Brien, Kurt Murphy; Shane Brennan, Peter Nixon; Liam Dullaghan, Conor Finnegan, Gary Mulligan (0-2); Stephen Fisher (0-2), Conor Crawley 1-0, Stephen Kilcoyne (1-3, 0-2f). Subs: Conor Martin for P O’Brien, Jonathan Connolly for C Martin, David Dowling for C Crawley.

O’Mahony’s celebrate Leinster title success

O’Mahony’s captain Pat O’Brien lifts the cup

The Sean O’Mahony’s tasted provincial success yesterday after seeing off Meath side Ballinlough by 0-10 to 1-4 in Drogheda to clinch the Leinster Club Intermediate Football Championship.

Only the third Louth club to claim the title, the Point Road side have now emulated the feat that the Geraldines achieved 12 months ago with an All-Ireland semi-final to look forward to in the New Year.

The Dundalk side got of to a great start with a brace of points from Stephen Fisher and one apiece form Stephen Kilcoyne and Garry Mulligan giving them a four point lead after 15 minutes.

Ballinlough responded well, however, with a goal and three points over the course of the next 10 minutes, including a Peadar Byrne penalty, as the side went off level at 1-3 to 0-6 at the break.

The O’Mahony’s task was made that much tougher when Conor Crawley was sent off for a second yellow card five minutes into the second half but that failed to deter Brendan Nordone’s side.

Keith McLaughlin and John O’Brien tagged on a point each and although Ronan McGuinness responded for the Meathmen, further scores from Fisher and Kilcoyne ensured a famous win for the men from the Quay.

Sean O’Mahony’s book place in Leinster final

Sean O’Mahony’s booked their place in the Leinster Club IFC final with a narrow 0-10 to 1-6 victory over Kildare side Eadestown at Clan na Gael Park yesterday.

The Point Road men now advance to face Meath champions Ballinlough in the final in Drogheda on Sunday week, November 30^th.

The O’Mahony’s had to recover from going five points down in the first half before turning the game around with Conor Finnegan landing what proved to be the vital score in the end as his side held out for a famous win.

Stephen Kilcoyne and Conor Crawley were on target early on for the hosts as they led by 0-2 to 0-1 but three unanswered points from the visitors was followed by a goal from Shane Dowling that had the Kildare men 1-4 to 0-2 in front.

The O’Mahony’s responded well to this setback, however, with two further points from Kilcoyne and another from Liam Dullaghan helping them to close the gap to 1-5 to 0-5 by half-time.

Points from Finnegan and Kurt Murphy then reduced the deficit on the restart before Kilcoyne leveled matters at 0-8 to 1-5.

Stephen Fisher then edged the Quay side in front before Finnegan landed a free five minutes from time in what was to prove the crucial score.

Eadestown did fight back to reduce the deficit back to one through Emmet Bolton but the same player dropped a free short in the closing stages as the O’Mahony’s held out for a huge win.

Sean O’Mahony’s: Kevin Brennan; Pat O’Brien, Mickey Clarke, Ronan Byrne; Kurt Murphy 0-1, John O’Brien, Keith McLaughlin; Shane Brennan, Peter Nixon; Liam Dullaghan 0-1, Conor Finnegan 0-1, Gary Mulligan; Stephen Fisher 0-1, Conor Crawley, Stephen Kilcoyne 0-4. Sub: Conor Martin for K Murphy.

O’Mahony’s advance to Leinster semi-finals with victory over Castleknock

The Sean O‘Mahony’s booked their place in the Leinster Club IFC semi-finals with a hard foguht 1-10 to 0-12 victory over Castleknock after extra time in Clan na Gael Park yesterday afternoon.

Points from Stephen Fisher and Conor Martin in the second period of extra-time proved decisive in the end as the Point Road outfit advanced to the last four.

Despite conceding the opening point, two Stephen Kilcoyne points either side of scores from Liam Dullaghan and Conor Finnegan had the Dundalk side ahead.

They then doubled their advantage when Conor Martin got on the end of a long delivery to flick the ball to the net to leave it 1-4 to 0-1.

Castleknock responded with for successive points at that stage but a further Kilcoyne point meant the O’Mahony’s led by 1-5 to 0-5 at the break.

Four points without reply from Dessie Carlos had the Dublin side in front soon after the restart, however, before the O’Mahony’s restored their lead with points from Fisher and Finnegan.

The visitors managed to level again though before both sides passed up good chances to steal it before extra time was required.

Castleknock briefly forged in front at the start of extra-time but a Ronan Byrne point left the sides level once more at the break.

Fisher and Martin then fired over on the restart to put the O’Mahony’s in the driving seat and despite Castleknock responding, the men from the Quay did enough to hold out for the victory.

Meanwhile in the Leinster JFC, Drogheda outfit the Oliver Plunketts advanced to the quarter-finals courtesy of a 0-8 to 0-7 victory over Craobh Chiarain from Dublin in Drogheda on Saturday afternoon.

Sean O’Mahony’s: Kevin Brennan; Pat O’Brien, Mickey Clarke, Ronan Byrne 0-1; Keith McLaughlin, John O’Brien, Kurt Murphy; Shane Brennan, Peter Nixon; Conor Finnegan 0-2, Liam Dullaghan 0-1, Stephen Fisher 0-2; Conor Crawley, Conor Martin 1-1, Stephen Kilcoyne 0-3. Subs: Gary Mulligan for K McLaughlin, Barry Mackin for C Martin, Keith McLaughlin for B Mackin, David Dowling for K Murphy, Conor Martin for D Dowling, Alan Watters for P O’Brien.

 

Crawley goal helps O’Mahony’s advance in Leinster

The Sean O’Mahony’s advanced to the next round of the Leinster IFC with a 1-11 to 0-10 victory away to Westmeath champions Caulry in Mount Temple on Sunday.

The Point Road outfit had led from the start but just as in their Seamus Flood Cup triumph over St Fechin’s they did things the hard way by letting their opponents back into the game as four unanswered points saw them get back on level terms at 0-8 apiece.

However, after Stephen Kilcoyne had put Brendan Nordone’s side back in front, midfielder Conor Crawley fisted to the net in the 44^th minute. Two further points from Louth minor player Kilcoyne then put the game beyond the home side.

Scorers – Sean O’Mahony’s: Stephen Kilcoyne 0-5 (1 free), Conor Finnegan 0-3 (1 free), Conor Crawley (1-0), Liam Dullaghan 0-2 and Stephen Fisher 0-1.

Caulry: David Brookes 0-4 (3 frees), Peter Smyth 0-3 (2 frees), Eoin Fox 0-2 (1 ‘45’) and Eoghan Grennan 0-1.

Sean O’Mahony’s: Kevin Brennan; Pat O’Brien, Michael Clarke, Ronan Byrne; Liam Dullaghan, John O’Brien, Keith McLaughlin; Conor Crawley, Shane Brennan; Peter Nixon, Conor Finnegan, Kurt Murphy; Stephen Fisher, Conor Martin, Stephen Kilcoyne. Subs: Gary Mulligan for Martin (33 min), Barry Mackin for Kilcoyne (56 min) and Niall McLaughlin for Crawley (56 min).