Goals are key as Kiltimagh claim bragging rights in the east

East Mayo Canon Henry Cup – Final 

Kiltimagh 2-9 

Swinford 0-13 

Stuart Tynan at CoE Bekan 

There was not just silverware on the line at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence last Friday evening but a chance to lay down a marker ahead of the Mayo junior ‘A’ club championship – and Kiltimagh struck the first blow, defeating Swinford to win the East Mayo Canon Henry Cup.

Despite the sunshine beaming down on Bekan, a cross-field wind proved tricky for both sides in the first-half. Paul Kelly got the game’s opening score inside 40 seconds for Kiltimagh but they would have to wait until the eighth minute for their next through Jack Creighton, after some wayward shooting at the posts.

Swinford, however, were struggling to make any inroads through a tightknit Kiltimagh defence but almost made a breakthrough as Dylan Toner bundled his way through soccer-style, with Sean Gilmartin quick off his line to clear.

The Black and Red were up and running on thirteen minutes through Sean McDonagh and levelled matters for the first time seconds later through Thomas Tuffy’s first point of the evening. Indeed the sides would be level on three more occasions before half-time, as a point from David Taylor and two singles by Tuffy were matched by a pair of well-taken scores by Brian Gallagher and one from Jordan Henry to leave it at 0-5 apiece at the interval.

It appeared that the second-half would take on a similar vein to first, with points at a premium once again in the opening ten minutes. Gallagher nudged Kiltimagh in front before the sides were level for a fifth time through Luke McNicholas, but Swinford shot five wides in that period, and it would come back to haunt them on 43 minutes when Paul Kelly finished a swift move through the heart of the Swinford defence into the back of the net.

But with less than ten minutes to go, Swinford would go back in front. Seconds after scoring their major, Kiltimagh were reduced to fourteen men after Brian Gallagher was shown a black card, and Swinford’s Liam Moran would punish them by scoring the next five points, two of his scores coming via two-pointers, to make it 0-11 to 1-6.

Kiltimagh, however, would strike back with their second goal of the game as Oisin Mulderrig smashed the ball home to the delight of the Blue and White support. Swinford did peg back level on two more occasions through Luke McNicholas and Thomas Tuffy but their earlier wides would prove to be costly as a point from Stephen McDonnell and two frees by Sean Gilmartin saw Kiltimagh pick up the early bragging rights as well as the Canon Henry Cup.

Scorers – Kiltimagh: Paul Kelly and Oisin Mulderrig 1-0-1, Brian Gallagher 0-0-3, Sean Gilmartin 0-0-2f, Jack Creighton, Jordan Henry and Stephen McDonnell 0-0-1 each.

Swinford: Liam Moran 0-2-1, Luke McNicholas and Thomas Tuffy 0-0-3 each, Sean McDonagh and David Taylor 0-0-1 each.

Kiltimagh: Sean Gilmartin; Ryan Carroll, Kevin Mulderrig, Jack Niland; Niall Mulderrig, Darragh McGovern, Evan Cosgrove; Paul Kelly, Stephen McDonnell; Aidan Cosgrove, Callum McNicholas, Oisin Mulderrig; Jack Creighton, Jordan Henry, Brian Gallagher. Subs: Liam Lydon (for Henry ht), Max Bennett (for Creighton 47), Jonathan McHugh (for Carroll 49, inj), Mikie Flatley (for Niland 58).

Swinford: Niall Cassidy; Alan McLoughlin, Stephen McNicholas, Alan Howie; Daniel Molloy, Paul McNicholas, Mark Forkan; Dylan Toner, Luke McNicholas; David Taylor, Liam Moran, John Dunleavy; Joshua Smith, Sean McDonagh, Thomas Tuffy. Subs: Colin Dempsey (for McDonagh 42), Mark McNicholas (for S McNicholas 53).

REF: John Glavey (Aghamore)