St Molaise Gaels edged out Shamrock Gaels by the narrowest of margins in an exciting round 1 game in Corran Park last Sunday.

Brian Boyd got Shamrock Gaels’ first point after a minute with a quick response from Molaise Gaels with a point from Daniel O’Connor. This was to be the pattern of the game with both sides exchanging points with no more than one between them until late in the second half. In a low scoring first half, there were plenty of goal chances, the first coming within four minutes when Shane McCann blocked Molaise Gaels’ Daniel O’Connor’s goal bound shot while Ultan McKenna was called upon to save from the impressive Oisin Gilmartin on ten minutes.

The first substitution of the game came shortly after when referee Declan O’Boyle was forced to retire with an injury with lineman Ciaran O’Donnell called into action.  

There was nothing to separate the sides at half time with four points each, Shamrock Gaels scores coming from a great long-range point from Conor Kearns and pointed frees from Brian Boyd and Frank Quinn while for St Molaise Gaels, Conor Watters scored after weaving through the Gaels defence while Daniel O’Connor and Jack McGovern converted two frees. 

Shamrock Gaels were down to 14 men after six minutes of the second half when Captain John Craig was sent off after two yellow cards picked up in quick succession.

The pattern of scoring continued in the second half with both teams exchanging points, but all the drama was reserved for the last eight minutes. After twenty-two minutes, Shamrock Gaels’ Seamus Hailstones, who had just come on as a substitute called the mark on the halfway line from Ultan McKenna’s kick out and after a number of exchanges, he was on hand to blast the ball into the net to give the East Sligo side a one-point lead. This was followed by an outrageous point from Steven Willis to extend the lead to two. 

With the game entering the final minutes, St Molaise Gaels needed a goal and after good work from the impressive Jack McGovern, Ethan Watters shot came of the crossbar and substitute Ed Mullane, making his championship debut, was on hand to scramble the ball to the net to put Molaise Gaels one up.

There was still time for more drama with the veteran Frank Quinn pointing to level the game in injury time but there was an immediate response from Molaise Gaels with Daniel O’Connor pointing to restore the lead. Jack McGovern had a chance to extend the lead with a free, however it came back of the post and from the resulting counter attack, Shamrock Gaels swept up the pitch and a high ball into the square was knocked down by Frank Quinn to the on-rushing Seamus Hailstones and it looked like Shamrock Gaels were going to snatch victory until Darren Gilsenan pulled off the save of the match to deny Hailstones at the death and secure a 1-11 to 1-10 victory for St Molaise Gaels. 

Shamrock Gaels: Ultan McKenna, John Craig (c), Declan Willis, Shane McCann, Patrick Barrett, Eoin O’Connell (0-1), Gavin McMorrow, David Barlow, Arron McKenna, Daire Kearns, Brian Boyd (0-2), Conor Kearns (0-1), Steven Willis (0-3), Frank Quinn (0-2), Paddy O’Grady (0-1). Subs: Conor Merrick for B Boyd, Dylan McKenna for D Kearns, Keith Candon for P O’Grady, Seamus Hailstones (1-0) for C Kearns, Patrick Kenny for D Barlow 

St Molaise Gaels: Darren Gilsenan, Tristan Watters, Evan Farrell, Tola Carway (0-1), Oisin Gilmartin, Ethan Watters, Michael Gillen, John Gilsenan, Daniel Keaney, Oisin Sheridan, Daniel O’Connor (0-3), Conor Watters (0-1), Jack McGovern (0-4), Aaron Currid, Josh Fallon. Subs: Luke Gallagher for A Currid, Ed Mullane (1-0) for T Watters. 

Referee: Declan O’Boyle/Ciaran O’Donnell