Boland breaks local hearts in epic Aghamore comeback

Mayo SFC Group 1 – Round 2 

Aghamore 0-12 

Kilmeena 0-11 

Stuart Tynan at St Brendan’s Park, Kilmeena 

A first home game in the Mayo senior football championship in their 118-year history, it looked like Kilmeena were going to have the fairytale day as with 20 minutes to go as they held a 0-10 to 0-4 lead.

Aghamore, seasoned campaigners at this level, showed why they have been there year in and year out as they reeled in the Black and White before Fergal Boland blasted over the winner deep into stoppage time to put Paul Hunt’s side in a great position to reach the quarter-finals.

Boland, Brendan Harrison, Tom O’Flaherty, Sean Óg Tigue and Liam Lavin, who finished with six points, all stood up in the second-half and broke the spirits of John Reilly’s men. The hosts will have learned the harshest of lessons in the top tier of Mayo football.

St Brendan’s Park was basked in sunshine and the hosts started so well as two points by Caolach Halligan, one from a free, and a free from Darragh Keaveney set out their stall. Halligan’s second point could have been more after he collected Jack Carney’s pass and turned Liam Cassidy before barrelling down on goal, but the Meath native blazed over the bar.

At the other end, Lavin’s pace saw him sprint past two defenders along the endline only for his shot to be cleared away by Luke Durcan, but the corner-forward got Aghamore up and running with a point on nine minutes.

Kilmeena moved five clear through left-footed stunners by Keaveney and Halligan, either side of a Tom O’Flaherty point for Aghamore who were then awarded a penalty on 16 minutes after the Mayo U20 star was fouled by Luke Durcan. Boland’s penalty was saved by Groden but he rescued a point from the rebound.

That save fuelled Kilmeena’s efforts for the remainder of the half and they outscored Aghamore 0-3 to 0-1 through Halligan, a Liam Moore mark and a point from Keith Joyce to lead 0-8 to 0-4 at half-time. Despite a tricky breeze that was blowing into the stand for much of the half, that lead was pushed out to six points 10 minutes into the second-half through two Darragh Keaveney frees.

But as the breeze took a sharp turn, seeing Aghamore now play with the wind, it literally turned the game in their favour as over the next six minutes, Kilmeena’s lead would be reduced to one.

Two points each from Liam Lavin and Darren Duffy as well as one from James Lyons gave the travelling crowd plenty to cheer about as this contest entered the final quarter.

Keaveney continued his dead ball accuracy with another brilliant free off the ground to put the gap back out to two but that would be the final score for Kilmeena. The bare minimum was back between the two after another Liam Lavin point and matters were compounded for Kilmeena when they were reduced to 14 men after John Ryan was black carded.

It was all level going into stoppage time from a Lavin mark and Kilmeena were then reduced to 13 players when Liam Moore was also shown a black card. As the time ticked away, Aghamore won a free some 40 metres out. Goalkeeper Adam Byrne was called out to take it but played the ball short to Fergal Boland and he sent the Aghamore fans into raptures with a stunning point to win.

Allied with their draw against Ballintubber in Round 1, the result leaves Aghamore in a strong position to qualify heading into their final group game against Breaffy while Kilmeena will need a result against Ballintubber to have a chance of avoiding the relegation playoffs.

Scorers – Aghamore: Liam Lavin 0-6 (2f, 1m), Fergal Boland and Darren Duffy 0-2 each, Tom O’Flaherty and James Lyons 0-1 each.

Kilmeena: Darragh Keaveney 0-5 (4f), Caolach Halligan 0-4 (1f), Keith Joyce and Liam Moore (m) 0-1 each.

Kilmeena: Paul Groden; Luke Durcan, John Keane, John Ryan; Jack Mulchrone, Ciaran Kilcoyne, Colin Hastings; Jack Carney, Kevin Ryder; Ronan O’Donnell, Keith Joyce, Neil Duffy; Liam Moore, Caolach Halligan, Darragh Keaveney. Subs: Niall Feehan (for Duffy 48), Darragh Slattery (for Ryder 54).

Aghamore: Adam Byrne; Conor Morley, Liam Cassidy, Oisín Greally; Robert Lyons, Brendan Harrison, Brian Breslin; David Kenny, Sean Óg Tigue; Jack Concannon, James Lyons, Tom O’Flaherty; Liam Lavin, Fergal Boland, Darren Duffy. Subs: Dan Duffy (for Breslin ht), Conor Kilkenny (for R Lyons 37), Iarla Carty (for Concannon 54).

REF: Eamon McAndrew (Claremorris)