In June 2017 these two sides met in round 2 of the championship with Isleadeady winning out easy winners by 3-16 to 0-13.
Ten months later it was a different story as Swinford travelled to Islandeady for the first round of Egan Jewellers Intermediate Championship. Given very little chance by the local papers with one scribe suggesting that we should not be in the Championship Swinford upset all the odds.
After three minutes of play all the doubters were smiling as Isleadeady got off to a great start with two points and a goal. Swinford then awoke and took the game straight at Isleadeady with a point from James Devaney and a great individual goal from Johnny Burke. Further points from Liam Moran, Michael Walsh, Conor Conway and Liam Moran had Swinford leading by 3 with ten minutes on the clock. It was a lead that they were never going to relinguish.
Both teams shared points with Swinford from Liam Moran, added to by a free from Jason McLoughlin. Both goalkeepers earned their places with the home keeper saving well from James Devaney and Aaron Kinsella making a great save at the other end. Swinford lost their full back Sean Brady to a black card after 20 minutes to be replaced by Sean Prendergast.
Islandeady pulled one back but a number of wides did not assist their cause. Just before the break Jason McLoughlin got his second point of the game with a fine kick from play. At half time Swinford led by 4 points.
It was at this stage last June that the home team took control of the game but this was a different Swinford side. Isleadeady got the opening score that was cancelledout by James Devaney. The next point from Isleadeady could have proved very controversial as the umpire signalled a wide ball, only to be overruled by the linesman and a point awarded.
Both teams shared a number of wides with Swinford kicking a lot of ball short into the goalkeeper hands. Islandeady landed a free and there was two between the teams. Then on the 47th minute the crucial score of the game came Swinford’s way. Their plan of pressing the Islandeady kickouts bore fruit as a poor kick came straight to Jack McDonnell who with a bit of work to do buried it in the net. That was to be Swinford last score of the game as Islandeady threw everything at them. They rattled off four points to leave it a one point game with time up on the clock. 4 and a half minutes of injury time were played with a free to the home team with the last kick of the game, that went of to the right and wide.
Emotional scenes from all the Swinford players, management and supporters as they celebrated their well derserved win.
In the other game in group 2 saw Burrishoole defeat Bonniconlon 2-12 to 0-10.
Swinford: Aaron Kinsella, Alan McLoughlin, Sean Brady, James Lavin, Conor Conway, Mark Forkan, Joshua Smith, Michael Walsh, Johnny Burke, Darren Campbell, Michael Predergast, Liam Moran, Jason McLoughlin, Jack McDonnell, James Devaney Subs Sean Prendergast, Tom Horkan, James Sweeney, James McNicholas
Scorers: Johnny Burke, Jack McDonnell 1-0, Liam Moran 0-3, James Deveany, Jason McLoughlin 0-2, Michael Walsh, Conor Conway 0-1
