Farragher fires over winning scores in hard fought battle

CASTLEGAR 3-13

KILNADEEMA-LEITRIM 2-13

Mark Walsh in Loughrea

BEFORE Joe Canning, came Ger Farragher in the guise of Galway’s designated dead ball-taker. Farragher was one of the sharpest in the country, and late on in Saturday’s opening Senior A relegation play-off in Loughrea, he showed his eye is still very much in.

Oisin Connolly has been Castlegar’s chosen man for the placed balls in 2019, and has been doing a good job with them, but it was Farragher trusted with the responsibility of knocking over the two scoreable frees Cashel’ were awarded in injury time. Coupled with a point from the livewire Jack Coyne in time added on, those scores were just enough to see off Kilnadeema-Leitrim.

Coyne’s 44th minute goal had seen Castlegar into a 3-9 to 1-10 advantage. For all intents and purposes, they had been the better, more compact side up until the goal, but 10 minutes later, Kilnadeema-Leitrim were on terms after scoring 1-3, Jack Kenny’s goal which whistled past the right hand of Johnny Murphy between the Cashel posts the score to draw the game.

That Castlegar recovered their composure afterwards is a positive sign for the squad going into 2020. Consequently, Kilnadeema-Leitrim’s inability to push on after Kenny’s goal when momentum seemed to have flipped a switch in their favour, will be a major bone of annoyance for them over the winter months.

Kilnadeema end their 2019 SHC campaign having failed to register a win; the draw with Sarsfields in Group 2 being their sole aberration. Brian Molloy (0-9) again did the bulk of their scoring, although Mikey Lynch shot 1-1 in the first half, and Luke Kelly landed 0-2 from corner-forward.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.