St Molaise Gaels record second championship win

Back 25/08/2022 @ 01:26 | mainnews | St Molaise Gaels record second championship win

St. Molaise Gaels recorded their second successive victory in the Connacht Gold Intermediate championship when they had four points to spare over a youthful Eastern Harps team in Kent Park on Saturday evening.

 

In a well contested encounter, the winners' greater experience and strength in depth proved deciding factors.



The first half proved to pretty even overall although St. Molaise Gaels dominated the opening exchanges with two wides before Gerard Brady and Cathal Herron found the range.

 

Shawn O'Hara replied for Harps and the teams were level by the tenth minute when Tomás Taheny added Harps second.

 

Kyle Cosgrove gave Harps the lead following great movement from Ciarán Dorrian but Michael Langan pointed a 20m. free to equalise for St. Molaise Gaels.


 

Following a foul on Shawn O'Hara, Dylan Walsh pointed a 20m free but in a swift counter attack Herron had his second point to bring the sides level again.

 

Walsh restored Harps lead with aa 45m free but St. Molaise Gaels finished the half the stronger with points from Dean Carroll and Langan to leave the eventual winners 0-6 to 0-5 ahead at the interval.


The introduction of the experienced duo Eoin McHugh and Jason Brennan at the beginning of the second half gave the winners added strength to counter the lively Harps midfield sector.

 

Gerard Brady pointed from play after an Alan McLoughlin free broke in the Harps goalmouth. Harps replied immediately with a point from O'Hara.


 

The Gaels then added five points in a row from play to take control of the game. It started with Herron calling a mark and followed with points from Brady, Carroll, Luke Towey and Langan.

 

The Harps give themselves a little bit of hope when Matt Henry finished off some good work by Walsh with a well taken goal but St Molaise quickly replied through a Cathal Burns to keep the margin over three.


O'Hara brought it back to three again and Harps squandered a few further chances before St Molaise captain Alan Mc Loughlin slotted a free for the last score of the game to give his side a good four point win  0-14 to 1-7.


St. Molaise Gaels: N.Mc Loughlin;L.Kennedy,C.Clancy,J.Kerins; L.Casserly,K.Watters,L.Towey;D.Carroll,C.Burns;J.Keaney, A.Mc.Loughlin (capt.),J.Heraghty;C,Herron, M.Langan,G.Brady.Subs used: E.Mc Hugh,J.Brennan,P.Mc Gowan & J.Mc.Loughlin. 


Scorers: St. Molaise Gaels : G.Brady 0-3,C. Herron 0-3(0-1mark),M.Langan 0-3(0-1f.),D.Carroll 0-2,C.Burns, L.Towey 0-1 each, A. Mc Loughlin 0-1(f.).


E.Harps:A.Davey;C.Coyle,B.Molloy(capt.),D.Madden;D.Mitchell,T.Taheny,R.Mulligan;D.Walsh,T.Taylor,S.O'Hara,C.Hunt,J.Kiernan;C.Dorrian,K.Cosgrove, M.Henry. Subs used:C.Higgins,J.O'Hara,C.Mc Gill &L.Taheny

 

Scorers: E.Harps: M. Henry 1-0, S.O'Hara 0-3, D.Walsh 0-2(f.),K.Cosgrove &T.Taheny 0-1 each.


Referee: C.O'Donnell.