It was a very disappointing afternoon in Islandeady where the ball never ran for us and we played some destructive defensive play. It took us 22 minutes to get on the scoreboard at which stage the home team had scored 3-4.
We got off to a bright start from the throw in and Jack McDonnell had a very tight wide but this was as good as it got for the next twenty minutes. Within two minutes Islandeady had the green flag raised and not too long later they had their second goal. For the second the corner forward was on his own on the edge of the box and despite getting a great hand to it Ryan Convey was left to gather the ball from the back of the net.
In the next fifteen miniutes Islandeady scored a further 1-4 while we had 4 wides and hit the butt of the post. Everything was going right for the home team yet nothing was coming off for us.
After 22 minutes Liam Moran got our first score with a free and shortly afterwards the number 11 for Islandeady was red carded for an off the ball offence on Dermot Keane.
Within a few minutes Mick Walsh had the ball in the net after a great ball into him by Liam Moran and Mick raised high and knocked the ball into the corner. Islandeady got another point before Eoin Gallagher got our second point. The half time whistle came leaving it Islandeady 3-5 Swinford 1-2.
With the restart Islandeady extended their lead before a great point by Eoin Gallagher and one more from another veteran Paul McDonagh gave us some life. Mick Walsh had a goal oppurtunity saved by the home goalkeeper.
Islandeady then got a point of their own before a free from Liam Moran and two more points from the outstanding Eoin Gallagher on his birthday brought the margin back to two goals. Then with a great attack first Mick Walsh hit the foot of the post and then with the follow up Jack McDonnell hit the same post.
Within minutes Islandeady got first a point back and then broke with speed down the middle and caught us with another goal. Eoin Gallagher with his fifth of the day got one back before on the full time whistle Islandeady finished the scoring to leave it at the end
Islandeady 4-9 Swinford 1-8
Our slim hopes of promotion are now gone while Islandeady cement their position at the top of the table.
There was spme positives in our comeback in the second half but after the first 20 minutes we had left ourselves with Everest to climb. We now have two home games left to finish the year off with Mayo Gaels and Achill. Heads must stay high and go out with a bang and put down a marker for 2016.
Swinford: Ryan Convey, Jason Carney, Mark Forkan, Fergal Harte, Danny McNicholas, Dermot Keane, Kevin Doyle, Joe Kelly, Barry Brennan, Liam Moran, Mick Walsh, Tom Horkan, Jack McDonnell, Eoin Gallagher, Jack McDonnell. Subs: Paul McDonagh, James Sweeney, Stephen McNicholas, Aiden McLoughlin.
Scorers: Eoin Gallagher 0-5, Mick Walsh 1-0, Liam Moran 0-2, Paul McDonagh 0-1.