Victory for
the Gaels in Masonite
Junior League Div 4 Final
Melvin Gaels 1-6,
Allen Gaels 0-5
Melvin Gaels scored a deserved four-points win (1-6 to 0-5) over Allen Gaels in Saturday’s Leitrim Division Four League final at Ballinaglera. It was also sweet revenge for the men from Kinlough, as Allen Gaels had decisively defeated Melvin Gaels earlier this year in the corresponding grade level – Leitrim’s Junior ‘B’ Championship final.
The turning point in this game came with 12 minutes of normal time to go when Simon Foley flicked the ball to the Allen Gaels net after a David McSharry free came off the crossbar. Melvin Gaels finished the game with 14 players after referee Thomas Forde dismissed Simon Foley for committing his second yellow card offence with three minutes of normal time left.
The Gaels started off impressively when taking a two-points lead in the opening five minutes. David McSharry and Simon Foley both hit the target from play for the Kinlough men in this period. But Allen Gaels got on level terms some 14 minutes later after Brian Wynne and Derek McGourty hit points apiece for the Drumshanbo side. Melvin Gaels again pulled ahead with two David McSharry points from play in the 23rd minute.
A Raymond Beirne point for Allen Gaels with three minutes of normal time left before the interval reduced Melvin Gaels’ lead to the minimum.
At the break Melvin Gaels led by one point (0-4 to 0-3). David McSharry stretched Melvin Gaels lead with a 37th minute point from a free and Stephen Clancy added a point from play eight minutes later for the Kinlough men. Simon Foley was on hand to flick the ball to the net in the 48th minute, after a David McSharry free rebounded off the crossbar, which put Melvin Gaels into a commanding six-points lead. Allen Gaels replied with two late points from Paddy McManus.
The Melvin Gaels
team and scorers were : Michael Mc Gowan, John Mc Gowan , Fergal Mc Gowan,
Matt Connolly, Colm Mc Gowan, Anthony Tiffoney, Paul Lipsett, Stephen Clancy
(0-1), Paul Mc Gurran, Damien Sheridan, David Mc Sharry(0-4), Thomas Lipsett,
Seamus Gallagher, Gerry Mc Gurran, Simon Foley(1-1)
Subs : Joe McGowan, Kevin Kelly, Bernard McGowan, David Gillespie, Ciaran
Curneen, Christopher Branley and Kevin O’Flaherty.
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Copyright © Sligo Weekender 2003.