Lahardane outclassed by Kerry and Munster champions in All-Ireland semi-final
Lahardane MacHales’ Shane Finnerty in action against Listowel Emmets’ Ger McCarthy during the AIB All-Ireland Club JFC semi-final at Tullamore today. Picture: David Farrell Photography
The gulf in class was too much for Lahardane MacHales to overcome in the end as favourites Listowel Emmets sailed into the All-Ireland Club JFC final in Tullamore this afternoon.
Chances for the North Mayo men were few and far between, their only score coming from Adrian Leonard on 27 minutes. Listowel, on the other hand, were clinical with their chances as David Keane was near-flawless from frees in the first half (four) while Cormac Mulvihill (three) and Eddie Healy also found their range. Lahardane may feel they did not get the rub of the green from the referee but they did themselves no favours as they coughed up concession of the ball too cheaply while Lahardane duo Kyran Jordan and Shane Finnerty were overrun in midfield by former Cork county star Joe Joe Grimes and Darragh Leahy.
A pivotal five-minute period effectively killed the game on 18 minutes as Joe Queenan’s kickout were ruthlessly punished, with the goal on 19 minutes coming from a short kickout intercepted by Bryan Sweeney who lobbed it over Queenan and into an empty net.
Leading 1-8 to 0-1 at half-time, Listowel were in cruise control for the second half. After scoring two points early in the half through Bryan Sweeney and David Keane, the contest much of its intensity. Darragh Lynch ended a 22-minute wait for a score with a free on 58 minutes while Darragh Walsh and James Maughan ended Lahardane’s wait for scores late on in the second half. Lahardane’s misery was compounded when Mickey Murphy was shown a red card deep into injury time.
