O’Shea turns on the style to keep Breaffy in top tier
Aghamore dropped down to Division 2 of the Mayo SFL following their one-point defeat at home to an Aidan O'Shea-inspired Breaffy last Friday night,
Mayo SFL Division 1 Relegation Playoff
Breaffy 2-11
Aghamore 1-13
Mike Kelly in Aghamore
Aghamore have dropped down to Division 2 of the Mayo SFL following a one point defeat at home to Breaffy in East Mayo on Friday night, despite a brilliant scoring performance from their full-forward line who delivered 1-9 of their total.
Aidan O’Shea and Aidan Cunningham combined to be the heroes for Sean Deane’s side with the Mayo star hitting a monster free as time ticked past the hour mark, while wing-forward Cunningham threw himself in front of two goal-bound shots in second-half stoppage-time.
Despite playing with a strong breeze in the first-half, Aghamore got off to the worst possible start when Tommy O’Reilly was played in on goal by Davitt Neary and was tripped by David Kenny inside the penalty area. The midfielder was lucky to escape a black card for his hand trip.
Robbie Fadden lined up the spot kick but it was saved by Keith Cassidy. However, referee Kevin Connolly ordered for a retake and Fadden made no mistake at the second time of asking.
Brendan Harrison opened the scoring for the home side and further points followed from Liam Lavin and James Lyons either side of a Conor O’Shea effort, to leave Breaffy one ahead on the quarter hour mark.
Aghamore’s swarm defence was doing a good job in stopping Breaffy from getting close to goal and they turned over their opponents numerous times in the early stages. However, they couldn’t get a grip on Aidan O’Shea, who laid on a point for Neary with five defenders around him.
Aghamore would level with two quick points from Darren Duffy and Sean Og Tighe before taking the lead for the first time through Lavin’s second point of the game in the 20th minute.
That lead was pushed out to two when Fergal Boland landed his first of the game a minute later and with the wind at their backs it looked like the hosts might open up a gap before the break. However, Breaffy came roaring back into contention with three in-a-row from Pierce Deane, John Vahey and O’Shea, but Darren Duffy would level for Aghamore on the stroke of half-time.
O’Shea got the scoring started in the second period, linking up with his brother, Conor, to point straight from the throw-in. Duffy and Lavin scored quick replies for the locals to edge them ahead and in the 35th minute Duffy found himself in on goal but when attempting to fist over the bar instead of hit the net from inside 10 metres, the ball hit the bar and was cleared.
Pierce Deane levelled the game with a free on 38 minutes before O’Reilly grabbed Breaffy’s second goal with a brilliant finish a minute later to leave four between the sides.
Briain Breslin and a Fergal Boland double matched efforts from Keith Mulchrone, Deane and Conor O’Shea, which kept the gap at four points with 10 minutes left.
A Boland free on 58 minutes reduced the lead to three before Aidan O’Shea hit a monster point from near the sideline, some 45 metres out, to keep Breaffy two scores ahead going into added time.
Aghamore pushed for the goal they needed and two attempts by Darren Duffy and Jack Concannon were blocked by Cunningham before Breslin saw his goal-bound shot blocked by the foot of Aidan O’Shea and a penalty was awarded.
Boland dispatched that but it was too little too late as the final whistle went as soon as the ball hit the net.
Scorers – Breaffy: Robbie Farren (pen) and Tommy O’Reilly 1-0 each, Aidan O’Shea and Pierce Deane 0-3 (2f) each, Conor O’Shea 0-2, Davitt Neary, Keith Mulchrone and John Vahey (’45) 0-1 each.
Aghamore: Fergal Boland 1-3 (1-0pen, 1f), Liam Lavin (1f) and Darren Duffy 0-3 each, James Lyons, Sean Og Tighe (m), Brendan Harrison and Briain Breslin 0-1 each.
Aghamore: Keith Cassidy; Conor Morley, Liam Cassidy, Briain Breslin; Justin Kelly, Brendan Harrison, Robert Lyons; David Kenny, Sean Og Tighe; Jack Concannon, James Lyons, Tom O’Flaherty; Fergal Boland, Liam Lavin, Darren Duffy. Subs used: Dan Duffy, Conor Hunt.
Breaffy: John Vahey; Mark Ward, James Minogue, Conor Melly; Keith Mulchrone, Robbie Fadden, David Livingstone; Conor O’Shea, Niall Carter; Aidan Cunningham, Davitt Neary, Rory Martyn; Tommy O’Reilly, Aidan O’Shea, Pierce Deane. Subs used: Paul McDermott, Conor Golden.
REF: Kevin Connolly (Hollymount)
