Tag: mayo gaa

For a game that started very slowly there sure was a grand stand finish to round 2 of the Michael Walsh Intermediate League.

It took ten minutes and a few chances for both teams before The Neale took the lead. A Liam Moran free leveled the game before the visitors scored two from frees.

A fantastic goal from Liam Moran gave Swinford the lead for the only time in the game. The goal was a piece of individual brillance by Liam.

The Neale drew level and then retook the lead before Liam Moran leveled the game with a free. An error in the Swinford defence allowed The Neale in for a goal and they added another point before the break to leave it Swinford 1-2 The Neale 1-6.

Swinford started the second half with great urgency and rattled off three points. A punt in by Kevin McShea was fisted on by Darren Campbell and came back off the cross bar and put over by Jason McLoughlin. Jason soon added a second after a ball in from Mark McNicholas. Mark Forkan added the third to leave one between the teams.

This resurgence was soon ended as The Neale scored the next three points to go back four ahead. Kevin McShea pulled one back which was cancelled out by a Neale free midway through the half.

Swinford were not finished and points from Gordon Carter, Johnny Burke and Liam Moran (F) brought the game back to the bare minimum with just under ten minutes left. The Neale put two between the team and it looked like Swinford could not find their way back into the game.

Liam Moran got his fourth point from a free to set up a grand stand finish. On the mark of 30 minutes Gordon Carter leveled the game with a beauty from well out the field.

Shortly after John Finn blew the full time whistle and both teams will probably be happy with a point.

Swinford: Gavin Moore, Jonathan Moore, Paul McDonagh, Conor Conway, Mark McNicholas, Kevin Barry, James Lavin, Johnny Burke, Mark Forkan, Liam Moran, Kevin McShea, Joshua Smith, Gordon Carter, Darren Campbell Subs Aiden McLoughlin, Sean Brady, Caoimghin McLoughlin

Scorers: Liam Moran 1-4, Jason McLoughlin, Gordon Carter 0-2, Mark Forkan, Kevin McShea, Johnny Burke 0-1

It was an overcast morning in Belmullet but Swinford left the happier team after a tough tight game.

Due to leaving the bag of jerseys at home in the kitchen Swinford togged out in the Belmullet Under 21 colours and got a dream start to the game when an early free from Liam Moran sailed into the Belmullet goal after two minutes. This was followed up by three points from James Devaney, Jason McLoughlin (F) and Michael Predergast to give the travelling team a great lead.

It took till the 14th minute for Belmullet to get off the mark and they settled into the game with two frees over the bar. Swinford did not let that unnerve them and they soon returned the difference to six with points from Jason McLoughlin (F) and Kevin McShea.

Swinford were not going to have it all their own way and in the last ten minutes of the first half Belmullet rattled off four points (3F) to leave it at Belmullet 0-6 Swinford 1-5.

Belmullet kept the scoring up with the opening point of the second half which was soon cancelled out by an excellent point from Darren Campbell. Within minutes the game was level with two home points (1F). This fight back from Belmullet did not unnerve Swinford and points from James Devaney and Jason McLoughlin had the difference at 2 points after 15 minutes.

Again two Belmullet points leveled the game (1F) and with eight minutes left the game was on a knife edge. Swinford finished much the stronger and points from James Devaney, a Liam Moran free fisted over by a defender and another point from James Devaney and a successful free from Liam Moran in injury time left the full time result at Belmullet 0-11 Swinford 1-12.

It was a very good start to the year for Swinford and especially satisfying how the game was finished after been on edge with ten minutes left. Belmullet were missing a few players but it has been many a year since Swinford won up in North West Mayo.

Next game in the Michael Walsh Intermediate League is next  Saturday at 4pm at Robert McCallion Memorial Park

Swinford: Gavin Moore, James Lavin, Sean Brady, Kevin Barry, Darren Campbell, Paul McDonagh, Joshua Smith, Johnny Burke, Mark Forkan, David Brady, Kevin McShea, Liam Moran, Jason McLoughlin, Michael Prendergast, James Devaney Subs Sean Prendergast, Sean Kavanagh, Conor Conway, Kevin McDonagh, Caoimghin McLoughlin.

Scores: Liam Moran 1-2, James Devaney 0-4, Jason McLoughlin 0-3, Michael Predergast, Kevin McShea, Darren Campbell