Lahardane denied surprise win by late Clarke frees for Moysiders
Lahardane’s James Maughan shields the ball from Moy Davitts Paul Byrne during the Egan Jewellers Mayo IFC at James Stephens Park, Ballina, last Saturday. Picture: David Farrell Photography
Two late frees by Ronan Clarke stopped Lahardane pulling off what would have been the surprise result of the weekend in a thrilling game in Ballina.
Both sides already knew their fate ahead of the final group game. Moy Davitts were going through as group winners while Lahardane were facing a relegation playoff but Eddie Conroy’s men will go into that playoff full of confidence following an excellent display in a game they should have won were it not for some poor wides in the first half.
It was tit-for-tat in the opening eight minutes as Lahardane scores by Shane Finnerty and James Maughan (two) were countered by Cian McHale, Conor Reid and Brian Reape.
Each side had a chance to find the net shortly after. Cian McHale’s rasper went wide while Mark Noone will feel he should have hit the target after he pounced on a loose pass in the Moy Davitts backline and raced through only to shoot wide himself when one-on-one with Dylan Dunleavy.
Last year’s county semi-finalists would punish them as Ronan Clarke put Moy Davitts ahead before he turned creator for their first goal, punishing a poor Lahardane pass before teeing up Brian Reape to finish.
More Lahardane wastefulness in front of the posts was punished as Moy Davitts extended their lead through Brian Heneghan, a Cian McHale free, Conor Reid and a Brian Reape mark but Lahardane’s two shining lights in the first half, Finnerty and Maughan, brought the gap back to six before the break, Moy Davitts leading 1-8 to 0-5.
That gap was reduced to one going into the final quarter. A trio of efforts by Finnerty and one by Adrian Leonard, with Sean Ruane and Ronan Clarke responding, saw Lahardane get off to a flyer before James Maughan palmed it into the net after a clever one-two with Keelan Dyra.
A skyscraper from Lahardane full-back Cathal Finnerty levelled it before Ronan Clarke, a free, and Colm Reape restored the lead for Moy Davitts. However, Lahardane retook the lead for the first time since the eighth minute when Aaron Murphy got on the end of a high ball in and he motored away before smashing it into the net with four minutes of normal time remaining.
That would be the last score for Lahardane however, who also saw Mark Noone sent off late on, as two Ronan Clarke frees denied the black and amber a famous win.
