LETTERKENNY IT SUCCUMBED to St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra, in this evening’s Independent.ie Higher Education Senior Football League Division 2 semi-final at Cloghan, Monaghan.
St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra 1-23 Letterkenny IT 0-13
By Cóilín Duffy at the Monaghan GAA Centre of Excellence
Eamon O’Boyle’s team trailed by just a point on a 0-9 to 0-8 interval score-line, but suffered an onslaught on the restart as the teacher training college booked a date with NUI Galway in next week’s decider.
Letterkenny IT worked hard on the restart and won the bulk of their kick-outs, but crucially St Pat’s took their scores.
Photo caption: Letterkenny IT’s Daire McDaid looks for support during this evening’s Division 2 SFL semi-final in Monaghan. Photos by Cóilín Duffy
Fergal McMahon netted the only goal of the hour with 12 minutes remaining, and Pat’s finished strongly on the way to a 13-point win.
The St Patrick’s College side contained a strong Donegal representation with Niall Friel (Gaoth Dobhair), Caolan Loughney (Four Masters) and Feargal Doherty (Carndonagh) in the starting line-up, and Ryan Gillespie (Naomh Columba). Aodhán McGinley (Kilcar) and Michael Roarty (Gaoth Dobhair) in the subs.
Pat’s also included players such as Roscommon Senior Diarmuid Murtagh and Westmeath’s Shane Dempsey, with All-Star Ciarán Kilkenny calling the shots as their Co-Bainisteoir from the sideline, along with Paul O’Gara.
The sides were level on five occasions inside the opening 16 minutes, with the game tied at 0-5 apiece at that stage.
Willie Gillespie (0-2), Coalan McDaid, Sean Peyton and Daire McDaid with Letterkenny IT’s early points, while Dempsey (0-2), Murtagh, Brian Greenan and Ger Gibbons were on target with St Pat’s scores.
St Pat’s were unlucky to lose defender Aiden Quinn early on, with the only black card of the contest – a decision which was probably harsh, following an innocuous tackle, in a game where Monaghan referee Martin McNally gave a solid performance overall.
A Murtagh pointed free pushed Pat’s ahead after 17 minutes, and handed the Dublin students a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
Pat’s pushed 0-9 to 0-5 ahead with nine minutes remaining before the half, but Letterkenny bounced back with three unanswered scores, including scores from Gillespie and Hugh Boyle to cut the gap to the minimum at the break.
Niall Harley, Letterkenny IT under pressure from Keith Kindlon from St Pat’s Drumcondra during this evening’s Division 2 SFL semi-final in Monaghan.
However, this was as good as it got for Letterkenny, as within seven minutes of the restart, Pat’s opened up a 0-14 to 0-8 lead.
Murtagh and Gibbons were among those who continued to impress, but Letterkenny could have been further in arrears, but for some brilliance at the back.
Goalkeeper Blake Forkan put in a solid innings over the hour, and denied Dempsey of a certain goal in the 34th minute but when Jack O’Brien was sent off it was the side from north Dublin who took control.
A Daire McDaid pointed free broke Letterkenny’s scoring dead-lock in the 39th minute, but scores were at a premium.
Five points separated the sides entering the final quarter, but this was as close as it got.
Pat’s were looking good at this stage, but Letterkenny IT were still with a chance of turning the tables.
However, this opportunity was firmly ended after Connall O’Boyle gifted St Patrick’s College possession following a misdirected sideline ball, with Monaghan Harps clubman McMahon on the end of the move to hand St Pat’s a 1-17 to 0-11 lead.
Letterkenny only managed two further scores, with an injury-time point from Keith Kindlon sealing a 13-point win for St Pat’s.
Scorers for St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra: Shane Dempsey (0-3f), Diarmuid Murtagh (0-4f) 0-5 each; Ger Gibbons 0-4; Fergal McMahon 1-1; Keith Kindlon 0-3; Brian Greenan 0-2; Dermot Connolly, Darren McHale, Niall Lawlor, Thomas Carmody (0-1f), Cian O’Scannall 0-1 each.
Scorers for Letterkenny IT: Daire McDaid (0-5f) 0-5; Willie Gillespie (0-1f), Caolan McDaid 0-3 each; Sean Peyton 0-2.
St Patrick’s College: Danny Curry; Niall Friel, Aiden Quinn, Caolán Loughney; Niall Lawlor, Eoin Sommerville, Feargal Doherty; Dermot Connolly, Brian Greenan; Darren McHale, Padraig Moore, Ger Gibbons; Diarmuid Murtagh, Aaron Lynch, Shane Dempsey. Subs: Cian O’Scannall for Quinn (Black Card) (12); Fergal McMahon for Moore (24); Keith Kindlon for Lynch (35); Aodhán McGinley for McHale (45); Thomas Connolly for Murtagh (52); Ryan Gillespie for Dempsey (54).
Letterkenny IT: Blake Forkan; Jack Quinn, Sean Peyton, Thomas Courtney; Callum Gallagher, Connall O’Boyle, Ciaran Doherty; Niall Harley, Jack O’Brien; Ultan Larney, Willie Gillespie, Coalan McDaid; Ryan Langan, Hugh Boyle, Daire McDaid. Subs: Jack Scally for Courtney (28); Mark Kindlon for Boyle (38).
Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan)
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