IFC v Milltownpass

It was a bad day at the office last Saturday at TEG Cusack Park where we suffered a sobering 1-7 to 3-16 defeat to Milltownpass in Round 3 of the Shay Murtagh Intermediate Football Championship.

After a great win over Castledaly in the previous round, hopes were high that we could put it up to a team who are many people’s favourites to lift the Peter Geraghty Memorial Cup, but we never got to the pace of the game and it was all over bar the shouting at half-time when the winners held a commanding 2-8 to 0-3 lead.

The only bright spots in a poor display were a superb individual goal from the ever-improving Cillian Rochford in injury-time, which put a better complexion on the scoreboard, and the return of the evergreen Shaunie Pidgeon to championship action after an injury layoff.

Hopefully, we will learn from this defeat and move on. We have two huge games coming up against Maryland and Ballymore, who are also on two points after three rounds, so there is still a lot to play for as the battle to join Milltownpass in the knockout stages and avoid relegation hots up.

Team: Conor Mullins; Martin Ward, James Fox, Mel Kiernan; Conor Carroll, Colin Draper, Micheál Coffey; Ray Kennedy, Niall Carey; Paul Fennell, Cillian Rochford, Darragh Coffey; Padraig Carton, Nigel Scally, Dean Fitzgerald. Subs: Shaun Pidgeon for Carroll (34 min), Conor Delaney for D Coffey (41 min), James Finnegan for Fitzgerald (44 min), Jacob Browne for M Coffey (49 min), Danny Scully for Carton (53 min), Colm Heffernan for Browne (59 min, blood sub).

Scorers: Nigel Scally 0-5 (4fs), Cillian Rochford 1-1, Paul Fennell and Padraig Carton 0-1 each.

Ladies football v Clann Gaels

After enjoying comfortable victories over St Loman’s and Athlone in their first two games, our ladies suffered their first defeat in the Wright Windows Junior Championship at home to Clann Gaels last Friday night.

Despite coming out on the wrong side of the 2-6 to 2-8 scoreline, the girls could hold their heads high after pushing one of the championship favourites all the way. They also played most of the second half with 14 players which is testament to their battling qualities and the huge progress they’ve made since getting the band back together at the start of the year.

When the sides met in the League in Bunbrosna earlier in the season, Clann Gaels won at their ease, but Kilbeggan were determined not to let that happen again and threw down the gauntlet with early points from captain Jill Draper and Aideen Pettit. But back came the visitors with an unanswered 2-4, including a fine solo goal by their star player Annie Dolan.

Undeterred, Brendan Nannery’s charges replied with pointed frees from Aíne Pettit and Aleisha Fitzgerald before Aoibhin Jackson scored a brilliant team goal in the 26th minute. That left just a goal in it, but Clann Gaels got the last point of the half to take a 2-5 to 1-4 lead into the break.

When the Longford-border outfit stretched out their advantage to 2-8 to 1-4 after the restart and Kilbeggan had a player red carded – the visitors also had a player sin-binned for 10 minutes following the same incident – the signs looked ominous, but the girls refused to throw in the towel.

Aíne Pettit eventually opened our second half account in the 45th minute before raising our second green flag three minutes later after Ellie Fitzpatrick had won a great ball in defence. Pettit reduced the deficit to two from a 52nd minute free but, try as they might, the home side couldn’t get any closer as a relieved Clann Gaels left MJS Builds St James’ Park with a hard-earned win.

Next up is a big local derby away to Tyrrellspass this Friday evening at 7pm, the winner of which will be in a strong position to qualify for the knockout stages with one round still to play.

Team: Morna Brady; Olivia, Jennifer Barrett, Ellie Fitzpatrick; Aislinn Carey, Chloe Ruane, Becky Scally; Ayesha Roche, Anna Wrafter; Aíne Pettit, Jill Draper, Aideen Pettit; Ava Rochford, Aoibhin Jackson, Aleisha Fitzgerald. Subs used: Abbie Coffey and Grace Maloney. Rest of panel: Bláithín Kelly, Carol McCabe, Gillian Heeney, Chloe Gannon, Sharon Doonan, Holly Doyle, Aoife Finn, Ailbhe Rabbitte, Louise Whelan, Susan Carey, Sarah Kiernan, Narelle Saward.

Lotto

Last week’s lucky numbers were 5, 6, 17 and 26. There was no jackpot winner. The Match 3 winners were Brenda Smith and Mark Sonner.

The jackpot has been capped at €15,000 until it is won again. Make sure to buy your tickets online or at Centra, Mace and Whelan’s. Thank you for your continued support.

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