Both sides with reason to cheer after drawn game

AbbVie Mayo SFL Division 2 – Round 9 

Mayo Gaels 1-16 

Charlestown 3-10 

Paul O’Malley in Mayo Abbey 

Despite Mayo Gaels snatching a draw from the jaws of defeat to secure their promotion, Charlestown Sarsfields held their heads high as Saturday night’s result was enough to stave off relegation to Division 3.

The game was deadlocked coming into second-half injury time before a goal and a point fired Charlestown ahead but Mayo Gaels dug deep and scored back-to-back two-pointers to split the spoils between two teams fighting for causes at separate ends of the table.

For Charlestown, their quest to beat the drop started in riotous fashion and they put 1-3 on the board in the first three minutes. Thomas Holton fed Niall Murphy on a quick break and the half-back fired the ball into the net, the goal coming in-between points for Matthew Lenehan and Tomás Goldrick, the latter a two-pointer.

The visitors would be left waiting a long time for their next score but they were not without noteworthy goal chances. Another quick break saw Patrick Goldrick put Niall Murphy in space in front of goal once more and this time he sent a ball across to Ben Crean who palmed down towards goal only to be denied by goalkeeper Nathan McGurrin. Charlestown got in again and this time, Crean had his shot blocked on the line by the outstretched leg of Alan Brennan.

Andrew Quinn finally got Mayo Gaels up and running and scored three points without reply, the third from a free to create a gap of a goal between the sides, a goal which the home side would soon find. Kevin Lynch’s shot smacked the crossbar and while the sound was still resonating around Mayo Abbey, the ball came out to Ethan Henry who just had to tap-in to level matters.

On the stroke of half-time, Gareth O’Donnell scored Charlestown’s first point for 26 minutes to put them a point up at the break. Andrew Quinn brought it level within seconds of the restart but Charlestown raced ahead again.

Patrick Goldrick played an inch-perfect pass over into Matthew Lenehan’s path. He gathered the ball under pressure from his marker and scooped his shot over the keeper and into the net. Half-time substitute Colm Maye extended the lead to four points from a free but once again after starting a half strong, Charlestown took their foot off the gas.

A black card to Niall Murphy did not help matters and Mayo Gaels claimed the next four points from four different sources. Padraig Jennings, John Gallagher, Kevin Lynch and David Quinn all pointed to restore parity. The momentum grinded to a halt however when Ruairi Cullen scored a jaw-dropping two-pointer.

Charlestown’s lead was short-lived; Ronan Commons and Padraig Jennings scored to draw level. Points for PJ Dunleavy and Colm Maye nudged the away team back in front but Jack Fallon’s two-pointer on the 59 minute mark tied it up again.

Charlestown looked to have the game in the bag when Patrick Goldrick scored a point and substitute Cian Towey found the net but there was a late twist in the tale. Mayo Gaels conjured up two more two-point scores at the death to end the game all squared as Padraig Jennings and Peter Gallagher both struck.

A draw was a fair result after a frantic finish that had each set of players smiling come full-time. For Charlestown, their stint in Division 2 continues in 2027 while Mayo Gaels are headed for Division One next year.

Scorers – Mayo Gaels: Andrew Quinn 0-0-4, Ethan Henry 1-0-0, Padraig Jennings 0-1-2, Jack Fallon and Peter Gallagher 0-1-0 each, John Gallagher, Kevin Lynch, David Quinn and Ronan Commons 0-0-1 each.

Charlestown: Matthew Lenehan 1-0-1, Niall Murphy and Cian Towey 1-0-0 each, Colm Maye 0-0-2 (1f), Ruairi Cullen and Tomás Goldrick 0-1-0 each, Gareth O’Donnell PJ Dunleavy and Patrick Goldrick 0-0-1 each.

Mayo Gaels: Nathan McGurrin; James Finn, Alan Brennan, Myles Durkan; Ryan McGurrin, Keelan McNamara, Jack Jordan; Ethan Henry, Andrew Quinn; David Quinn, Adam Gallagher, Kevin Lynch; Padraig Jennings, Ronan Commons, John Gallagher. Subs: Liam Hughes and Ruairi Keane (for Jordan and Finn 36), Jack Fallon and Dara Patten (for McNamara and A Gallagher 38), Peter Gallagher (for J Gallagher 46).

Charlestown: Kenneth Brennan; Tadhg Horkan, Ben Conway, Owen Flannery; Alan Woods, Niall Murphy, Tomás Goldrick; Thomas Holton, Eoin Murphy; Ruairi Cullen, Patrick Goldrick, Matthew Lenehan; Ben Crean, Gareth O’Donnell, Niall Towey. Subs: Conor McArdle (for Crean 24), Colm Maye (for Towey ht), PJ Dunleavy (for Lenehan 43), Matthew Lenehan (for Holton 53), Cian Towey (for E Murphy 57).

REF: John Glavey (Aghamore) 

A victory for Davitts away to Parke-Keelogues-Crimlin on Saturday would have seen the South Mayo side avoid relegation to Division 3, however, they slipped to a 1-14 to 1-11 loss, which left them on five points from nine games, one point shy of Charlestown and Ballinrobe who also had better scoring differences.

Ballinrobe secured a point from their trip to Ballaghaderreen who scored 0-13 to Ballinrobe’s 1-10 while Aghamore overcame Moy Davitts 1-20 to 2-9, the former needing Mayo Gaels to lose if they were to reach the Division 2 final which will now be contested between neighbours Balla and Mayo Gaels.