Lahardane show nerves of steel to book ticket to Connacht final
Shane Finnerty, Jarlath Maughan and Kyran Jordan unleash their emotions after Lahardane's penalty shoot-out victory over Menlough in last Sunday's AIB Connacht Club JFC semi-final at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park. Pictures: David Farrell Photography
In what was a gripping encounter that kept both sets of supporters on tenterhooks, it was the men from Lahardane MacHales who eventually emerged victorious after edging a tense and dramatic penalty shoot-out at a wintry MacHale Park last Sunday.
This tie had more twists and turns than a Stephen King novel, and it was a cruel defeat for a gallant Menlough outfit that played its part in this epic showdown.
The fact that Lahardane didn’t manufacture a point from play until the thirteenth minute of the second-half only adds to the intrigue, and this is certainly a facet of their game that the Black and Amber will look to improve on in their attempt to add another coveted Connacht junior title to their trophy cabinet. But that is something for another day.
This game began at a lively place and despite playing into the teeth of a strong wind during the first half, it was Neil McHugh’s Menlough outfit who settled the better.
Robert Hughes, who had an outstanding game in the middle of the park for Menlough, swung over the opening point of the day after four minutes and this proved to be the prelude to a three-pointer for the Northeast Galway outfit. A raking long-range free held up in the wind and the leather eventually fell kindly to the poaching Kevin Reilly, who belied his centre-back role by drilling home a bullet finish past the beaten Joe Queenan on seven minutes.
Hughes’ midfield partner Tomás Mannion fisted a close-range effort over the crossbar and suddenly the Galway men held a healthy 1-2 to no score lead after thirteen minutes of action.
Lahardane MacHales eventually shook the cobwebs off, and despite their sluggish start the North Mayo men were beginning to make inroads past the Menlough defensive line. This new found Lahardane energy was epitomised on eighteen minutes when a swashbuckling run by Kyran Jordan forced the Green and Yellow into conceding a free, from which James Maughan guided over his team’s opening score of a wet and windy afternoon.
Two minutes later, Lahardane fashioned a goal chance when Mark Noone teed-up Aodán Cronin, but his tame strike, albeit under pressure, was easily dealt with by the alert Jason O’Neill.
Eddie Conroy’s troops were coming more into the game and a brace of frees from James Maughan and Shane Loftus on 23 and 26 minutes, left just two points separating the sides, 1-2 to 0-3. However, Hughes was playing a pivotal role for Menlough and he lifted the siege by guiding over a badly needed free on 29 minutes.
Backed by their raucous supporters, Menlough ended the half in a sprightly fashion and another free from Hughes coupled with Niall Carty’s white-flagged effort, helped glean a 1-5 to 0-3 interval lead.
Lahardane emerged for the second-half with renewed vigour and a brace of frees, converted by James Maughan and Shane Loftus, were warmly greeted by the loyal MacHales contingent in the stand.
The tide appeared to be turning in favour of the chasers, with Lahardane also having a ten-minute spell with an extra man after Menlough’s Seán Naughton picked up a black card on 35 minutes.
The dingdong nature of the tie continued apace, with Hughes and Maughan, a free, swapping singles before the Mayo champions finally registered their first point of the afternoon from play, and did some in some style as Maughan’s exquisite long-range kick bisected the posts.
A frantic period of the game then ensued, with both sides making some costly errors and turnovers in the wintry weather conditions.
Eddie Conroy’s men upped the tempo and went for broke, which saw points notched by Maughan, a free, and MacHales substitute Mickey Murph,y on 50 and 53 minutes respectively, thus levelling the tie at 0-9 to 1-6. Indeed, Murphy had a big impact on proceedings when introduced and can be satisfied with his contribution.
It was nigh impossible to predict a winner as the game entered its concluding stages, with Hughes’ free for Menlough on 56 minutes instantly replied to by Adrian Leonard who popped the ball over the bar down at the other end, to restore parity once again.
The Mayo men were the better side during the dying embers of normal time, however, their radar was slightly askew and they kicked two wides deep into stoppage-time, and the sounding of the full-time whistle meant that extra-time was required as the sides were deadlocked, Lahardane 0-10, Menlough 1-7.
The floodlights turned one, Menlough were awarded a spot-kick just one minute into extra-time after the raiding Donal Loftus was fouled inside the area. Loftus dusted himself down only to see his thunderous drive cannon back off the crossbar.
Lahardane made the most of their reprieve by edging in front for the first time in the tie on 64 minutes, courtesy of a peach of a sliced effort by the energetic Shane Finnerty, only for Hughes to notch an equally impressive score to level the tie once again.
Menlough nearly notched what could well have been a match-winning goal before the turnaround, but substitute Jason Fahy-Hansberry saw his gilt-edged opportunity flash agonisingly wide.
The second half of extra-time was tense, as Seán Hansberry regained the advantage for the Galwegians before Lahardane’s Eoin Fergus showed great guile and ingenuity as he somehow managed to fist over the leveller from a difficult angle on 76 minutes.
Lahardane’s bravery and resilience was probably summed up by a heroic block from James Maughan, when he put his body on the line to thwart a certain Menlough point, giving his team the chance to win the tie during the dying embers. Maughan himself stepped up to a stoppage-time free that fell short into the wind and the dreaded penalty shoot-out was required to determine a winner.
Lahardane were first up and successfully converted their opening four penalties courtesy of James Maughan, Chris Rowland, Shane Finnerty and Matthew Maughan. Menlough’s second penalty however, was sent over the crossbar by Robert Hughes, meaning the conversions of Loftus, Carty and Barry Laheen were powerless when Mickey Murphy bravely took Lahardane’s fifth spot-kick and sent it flying into the bottom corner at the Bacon Factory end. It was the final act of a dramatic and gripping encounter.
Scorers – Lahardane MacHales- James Maughan 0-6 (5f), Shane Loftus 0-2 (both frees), Shane Finnerty, Adrian Leonard, Mickey Murphy, Eoin Fergus 0-1 each.
Menlough- Robert Hughes 0-6 (3f), Kevin Reilly 1-0, Tomás Mannion, Niall Carty, Sean Hansberry 0-1 each.
Lahardane MacHales: Joe Queenan; Barry Leonard, Cathal Finnerty, Kieran Lynn; Aaron Murphy, Chris Rowland, Aodán Cronin; Kyran Jordan, Shane Finnerty; Shane Loftus, James Maughan, Mark Noone; Mathew Maughan, Darragh Walsh, Adrian Leonard. Subs: Benny Joyce (for Cronin 41), Mickey Murphy (for Loftus 43), Declan Langan (for Lynn 49), Keelan Dyra (for B Leonard 55, inj), Eoin Fergus (for A Leonard 59), Jarlath Maughan (for Walsh 66), Jack McHale (for Noone 76), Lynn (for Joyce 80+1).
Menlough: Jason O’Neill; Padraig Glynn, Barry Laheen, Kieran Dowd; Micheál Ryan, Kevin Reilly, Liam Gormally; Robert Hughes, Tomás Mannion; Colm O’Brien, Niall Carty, Seán Hansberry; Brian Monaghan, Hugh Keeley, Donal Loftus. Subs: Seán Naughton (for Dowd 33), Jason Fahy-Hansberry (for Keeley 49), Dowd (for Monaghan 66), Robert Lally (for Ryan 76).
REF: Ronan Hynes (Sligo)
