Bonniconlon steer safely into knockout rounds
Conor Igoe capped his excellent display with a goal in Bonniconlon's comfortable win against Killala on Sunday. Picture: David Farrell Photography
Bonniconlon secured their passage to the last eight of this year’s junior championship with a comfortable eight points victory over their North Mayo neighbours Killala in a wet and windy Bonniconlon on Sunday.
Two well-taken goals by wing-forward Darragh Fox and a brilliant finish from the impressive Conor Igoe proved the difference between the sides.
Killala’s poor run in this year’s championship continued but they showed enough green shoots to suggest they will make a good effort in this year’s junior ‘B’ championship.
Last year’s county finalists were getting their first run out in a month and it showed in the opening few minutes as Killala started the game the brighter, getting the first score thanks to a Ben Stowe two-point free.
Ciaran Gaughan would get things moving for the home side but James McLoughlin’s two-point effort left three points between the teams after ten minutes.
Bonniconlon turned the game around within the next two minutes as first Conor Igoe fired over from close range in the twelfth minute and from the resultant kickout, the ball made its way to Ciaran Gaughan who found Darragh Fox running from deep. The wing-forward carried closer to goal before letting fly into the top corner of Sean McAndrew’s net, leaving the goalkeeper with no chance.
Richard McKenzie followed up with a point to leave the home side in a two point lead midway through the opening half.
Ben Stowe levelled matters with a two-point free but that would be Killala’s last score of the half and the last time they would achieve parity in the contest.
Gaughan added a free for Bonniconlon to edge them back into the lead before Darragh Fox grabbed his second goal, palming a Conor Igoe pass to the net from close range.
Bonniconlon would hit a further goal and three points unanswered upon the restart of the second-half to secure the victory.
In a scrappy half-hour of football the home side were able to keep their North Mayo neighbours at arm’s length throughout.
First Darragh Fox raised a white flag on 36 minutes before a Ciaran Gaughan free left six between the teams ten minutes into the second-half.
The visitors were finding it increasingly difficult to get past the halfway line during the second period, with almost every long ball played into their forwards being returned with interest by a resolute Bonniconlon defence.
Gaughan added another free in the 49th minute before Conor Igoe got the goal his performance deserved, running on to a James Harrington pass before dummying the goalkeeper and tapping the ball to the net from close range.
Ben Stowe finally got Killala’s scoreboard moving again in the 55th minute with a free, and he quickly added two more points before Conor Igoe finished off the scoring in injury-time.
Scorers – Bonniconlon: Darragh Fox 2-0-1, Conor Igoe 1-0-2, Ciaran Gaughan 0-0-4 (2f), Richard McKenzie 0-0-1.
Killala: Ben Stowe 0-2-3 (2tpf, 2f), James McLoughlin 0-1-0.
Bonniconlon: Eugene Carlin; Martin Durcan, Eoghan Greavy, James McKenzie; Ronan Conlon, Conor Redmond, Conor Igoe; Richard McKenzie, Niall Greavy; Darragh Fox, Jonathan Lavelle, Sean Neary; James Harrington, Brian O’Malley, Ciaran Gaughan. Subs: Rory Upton (for Neary 28), James Kelly (for Durcan 46), Ronan Neary (for O’Malley 51), Aiden Gaughan (for Fox 58).
Killala: Sean McAndrew; Rory McGuire, Kevin Walsh, JJ Nealon; Michael O’Hora, Conor Gilvarry, Cian Monaghan; Liam Maughan, James McLoughlin; Matthew Long, Callum McDonnell, Michael Nealon; Sean Walsh, Ben Stowe, Sean Gildea. Subs: Andrew Newcombe (for Monaghan 42), Ronan Coyne (for K Walsh 46), Aaron McDonnell (for Maughan 46), Alan Murphy (for McGuire 54), Lorcan Hughes (for Gildea 59).
REF: Enda Nolan (Aghamore)
