Gael-force final performance inspires an Eastern rising

Mayo SFL Division 3 – Final 

Eastern Gaels 3-14 

Breaffy ‘B’ 0-7 

Daragh Coyle at Fr O’Hara Park, Charlestown 

A rampant Eastern Gaels outscored their opponents by 16 points on a wet and windy Sunday in Charlestown to secure the Division 3 crown at the hands of their Breaffy opponents.

Solid in defence and clinical in attack, the game looked out of sight for the eventual champions after the first-half and despite a much stronger second-half from Breaffy’s junior team, the damage was done and the Gaels walked away with the title.

Eastern Gaels had to wait seven minutes for the game’s first score, coming courtesy of Senan Guilfoyle’s free off the floor, but they picked up two more in the following four minutes through Evan Godfrey’s stunning left footed curler from 25 metres out on the right-hand side and another Guilfoyle point, as he stepped into a similar shot on the opposite flank.

Dean Lyons then received a handpass from Nathan Hession down the left and cut inside to send another ball over the black spot and four became five for the Gaels as a mishap from Breaffy’s kickout allowed Lyons the opportunity for an easy tap over right after his first.

Joe Boyle, the captain, got his first point for Eastern Gaels in the 17th minute, striking the ball over on the move when Lyons looked backwards to find his wing-forward in space. It was seventh heaven for Eastern Gaels then when Boyle made a lung-busting run to support Lyons, who he had kicked the ball to from his own half beautifully. As Lyons faced down his man, the overlapping run arrived and an easy point from a central position followed and Boyle doubled his own tally before David Smith opened his account with a left footer from 20 metres out in the middle, giving Eastern Gaels a 0-8 to no score advantage.

Breaffy ‘B’ finally replied just before the half-hour mark with a free from midfielder Joe Mellett but Lyons and Guilfoyle tacked on two more for the runaway Gaels, as they hit the 10-point mark and a nine-point lead (0-10 to 0-1) entering the second period of play.

Gaels picked up where they left off courtesy of a Guilfoyle free before Nathan Hession’s run through the middle and close-range point added score number 12 shortly after. Yousif Coghill got the trailing side their second point from a free 10 minutes into the half and full-forward Steve McDermott also popped up with a right-footed curler from a tight angle on the right wing.

A point from Ryan Keadin came in reply from the Gaels but that was followed by Joe Mellett converting his second free for Breaffy, who were more competitive than in the first-half. However, Eastern Gaels substitute Michael McGarry got a point down the right as his electric pace saw him burn Tiernan Beirne and roll his shot at John Vahey, whose outstretched leg clipped the ball over the bar instead.

Super sub McGarry got his goal shortly after though, as Dean Lyons collected a great kick pass into him and offloaded with a handpass to his right, and McGarry would not make the same mistake twice, drilling the ball into the bottom left.

Breaffy momentarily stopped the bleeding as Keith Mulchrone converted a free off the deck and McDermott doubled his points tally, but two goals would seal their fate and yet again McGarry would be key. Identically for both goals, he blitzed down the right-hand side and fisted across the square, the first being thumped home with a fist from midfielder Luke Mannion, the second a gentler palm from Jack Madden.

Yousif Coghill would grab Breaffy one more point to finish the game, but the destination of the title was known long before.

Scorers – Eastern Gaels: Michael McGarry 1-1, Luke Mannion and Jack Madden 1-0 each, Senan Guilfoyle 0-4 (3f), Dean Lyons 0-3, Joseph Boyle 0-2, Evan Godfrey, Nathan Hession, Ryan Keadin and David Smith 0-1 each.

Breaffy ‘B’: Yousif Coghill (f), Steve McDermott and Joe Mellett (2f) 0-2 each, Keith Mulchrone 0-1f.

Eastern Gaels: Ronan Forde; Michael Waldron, Nathan McGarry, James Murphy; Darren Concannon, Henry Concannon, Jarlath Concannon; Luke Mannion, Nathan Hession; Joseph Boyle, David Smith, Ryan Keadin; Evan Godfrey, Dean Lyons, Senan Guilfoyle. Subs: Michael McGarry, Jack Madden, Jack Ronayne, Dean McGarry, Kealan Kilgallon.

Breaffy ‘B’: John Vahey; Tom Mannion, Mark Livingstone, Finnian Morrin; Conor Hughes, Yousif Coghill, Darragh O’Neill; Joe Mellett, Conor Golden; Steven Lavelle, Keith Mulchrone, Conor Bourke; Padraig Beirne, Steve McDermott, Paul McDermott. Subs: Tiernan Beirne, Aaron O’Neill, Shane Heneghan, Rory Deane, Ciaran Rice.

REF: John Walker (Cill Chomáin)