Nov 24,2024
St Mary's Ardee 0-15 St Loman’s 0-14
A well-taken point from Sean Callaghan in the fourth minute of added-time earned a place in next Saturday’s Leinster final for St Mary’s Ardee after a pulsating encounter against St Loman’s on the losers’ home pitch in Mullingar.
Most neutrals expected this to be a close affair, and so it proved. Indeed, Sam McCartan was unable to convert a 47-metre free from the ground with just seconds remaining which would have brought the game to extra-time.
All-Star nominee Donal McKenny opened the scoring in the third minute at the end of a patient move, but the wind-assisted home team responded very well and they scored four unanswered points by the eighth minute courtesy of Ronan O’Toole, TJ Cox, and one each from the McCartan brothers, Danny and Sam (both coming after quickly-taken frees).
Points from Shane Matthews and goalkeeper Tiernan Markey (free) left the visitors trailing by just the bare minimum, 0-04 to 0-03, with 11 minutes elapsed.
The scoring rate dropped during the remainder of a niggly first half, with some of the referee’s decisions – in both directions – proving unpopular with the sizeable crowd. The influential John Heslin opened his account from a free with Tom Jackson cancelling this out in fine style from play.
Both sides pointed just once in the time remaining – Cox for St Loman’s and Ciaran Keenan for St Mary’s.
A Heslin free in injury-time came back off the upright and O’Toole was unable to goal from the rebound due to staunch Ardee defending, but led 0-06 to 0-05 at the break.
Ciaran Keenan pointed twice, the second courtesy of a mark, by the 34th minute to edge his side ahead, but Kelvin Reilly equalised shortly afterwards.
Daire McConnon was almost in on goal in the 36th minute before Eimhin Keenan and Cox traded points. Cox nudged St Loman’s ahead from a mark and his withdrawal through injury in the 47th minute was a major blow to the Westmeath champions.
In the 43rd minute, Jonathan Commins was black-carded.
After a fisted effort from O’Toole came back off the woodwork, a counterattack by the Louth men ended with Jackson doubling his tally.
Further point exchanges ensued between Jack Geoghegan, Ciaran Keenan (free), Sam McCartan, McConnon, sub Kevin Regan and Kian Moran.
Ardee sub Ronan Carroll slotted over a 40-metre free in the 57th minute and the returned Commins soon opened up a useful two-point lead before fine scores from Sam McCartan and Eoghan Hogan levelled the contest by the third minute of added-time.
Callaghan however proved to be the Ardee hero and it was tough on the outstanding Sam McCartan that he was unable to equalize.
St Mary’s Ardee: T Markey (0-01, free); T McDonnell, K Faulkner, E Keenan (0-01); J Commins (0-01), D McKenny (0-01), P McKenny; RJ Callaghan, S Callaghan (0-01); C Keenan (0-04, one free, one mark), L Jackson, K Moran (0-01); S Matthews (0-01), D McConnon (0-01), T Jackson (0-02). Subs: R Carroll (0-01, free) for Matthews (39), R Leavy for RJ Callaghan (56), A Gillespie for McConnon (60+2).
St Loman’s: J Daly; D Whelan, D O’Keeffe, O Hogan; K Reilly (0-01), E Hogan (0-01), S McCartan (0-03); J Geoghegan (0-01), F Ayorinde; R Sheahan, R O’Toole (0-01), S Flanagan; D McCartan (0-01), J Heslin (0-01, free), TJ Cox (0-04, one mark). Subs: E Gaffney for O Hogan (35), K Regan (0-01) for Sheahan (39), P Foy for Cox (inj., 47), S Dempsey for Ayorinde (57).
Referee: B Tiernan (Dublin).
