Quarter final disappointment as Minor team lose out to Gort

Kilnadeema/Leitrim 1.09 Gort 0.15

The eagerly awaited and much looked forward to Minor B championship quarter final between Kilnadeema/Leitrim and Gort took place at a sunny Clarenbridge on Sunday October 12th. Having qualified directly from the group, this was Kilnadeema/Leitrim's first game in many months,  while Gort had the advantage of having played in a preliminary quarter final against Carnmore only last weekend which would sharpened them up considerably and this showed in the early exchanges as they were much quicker and sharper to the  ball and quicker to react,  and with county minor star Richie Cummins proving a handful at full forward all through, it took Kilnadeema/Leitrim a while to get to grips with the game. The aforementioned Richie Cummins opened the scoring in the first minute with a point from a free which he had won himself, one of many he would win all afternoon. Michael Donoghue soon replied for Kilnadeema/Leitrim with a nice point from play before we saw the first of many spectacular saves from goalie Paul Howard in the Kilnadeema/Leitrim goals only for his clearance to fall to Wayne Walsh who duely pointed from play, and he doubled his account a minute later with another point from play. Dara Herlihy pointed his first free four minutes later after he had been fouled himself before centre half forward Gary Curley levelled up the game for the last time with a good point from play on 13 minutes. Paul Howard was called upon again for a second time to keep his side in the contest with another good save from Albert Mullins before Wayne Walsh point his third score from play, another point to put Gort back in front, a lead they were never to lose again. If we though Paul Howard could not possibly be called upon again so soon we were wrong as he made a wonder save this time from Richie Cummins when you thought it  had to be a goal. Cummins did score shortly after though with a pointed free. Another lively forward for Gort was Ger Donoghue and he got a lovely point after 19 minutes to stretch the lead for Gort to three. Albert Mullins who was winning a lot of ball at centre half forward soon added another point from play. Colm Kelly, who was having a frustrating game in at full forward soon opened his account with a point when moved to wing forward. Gort midfielder Jason Grealish keep four between the sides on 27 minutes before Dara Herlihy closed the scoring in the first half with a brilliant point from play after he took a pass from Colm Kelly to leave the score board reading 0.05 to 0.08 in Gort's favour. Dara Herlihy added his third point immediately after the restart from a free before Pakie Lally shot a good point from play for Gort a minute later. Richie Cummins with two and Dara Herlihy with one soon shot pointed free's for their sides as Gort lead by four after five minutes. The games only goal arrived almost immediately when Dara Herlihy was fouled off the ball in the square which resulted in a free been awarded. Padraig Stapleton blasted the ball to the net to leave the minimum between the sides again. You would have thought this would spur Kilnadeema/Leitrim on, but it was Gort who responded the best with Richie Cummins pointing another free. One of the top scores of the game arrived on 13 minutes when Alvin Mitchell shot over a long range point for Kilnadeema/Leitrim to leave just a point between the sides again with the game their for the taking. Richie Cummins and Dara Herlihy soon added a point each from the place ball after they both were fouled themselves with eleven minutes remaining. Gort finished the stronger in those final minutes adding two more point from Richie Cummins free's, nine in all to leave the final score line reading 1.09 to 0.15 in the south Galway sides favour. While it was possible at most stages of this game that Kilnadeema/Leitrim could grab a win with maybe a vital second goal, Gort were always the slightly better team with more noticeable skill through out the team. For Kilnadeema/Leitrim's players and Management of Kevin Boyle, Eamon Hyland and Michael Keating this was a big disappointment after such a long year. It was a day when very few players reached their peak.

Scorers: Dara Herlihy 0.06, Padraig Stapleton 1.00, Gary Curley 0.01, Michael Donoghue 0.01, Alvin Mitchell 0.01, Colm Kelly 0.01.

Team Lineout: Paul Howard, Damien Donoghue, Kevin Kelly, Cathal Nevin, Brian Gardiner,  Padraig Stapleton, Shane Curley,  Mark Kelly, Alvin Mitchell,  Gary Winters,  Gary Curley, Michael Donoghue, Shane Lawless, Colm Kelly, Dara Herlihy.
Subs: Aiden Monaghan

Michael Donoghue takes on the Gort defence in the minor quarter final


Paul Howard pulls off one of his many super saves against Gort