Several close finishes in Co. Intermediate football ties

THE first game of the weekend intermediate football championship was played in Tuam Stadium on Saturday with the battle of the greens as Dunmore McHales advanced to the winners group with six points to spare over Oughterard.

Only a point separated the sides at the break as Oughterard led by 0-4 to 0-3. Matthew Reddington opened the scoring with a point, but Enda Tierney levelled matters with a pointed 45. Reddington replied with his second point for Dunmore before the Connemara side hit three unanswered points from Martin Coady (two) and Ronan Molloy.

The McHales had the last score of the half from Ronan Cleary. Molloy had Oughterard first off the mark in the second half, but they were only going to add one more before the finish as Dunmore McHales shot 1-6 with Thomas Gleeson raising the green flag.

They had points from Reddington and Jamie Coen who scored two each, Aidan Fallon, Jamie Coen and Brendan Bowen as they ran out 1-9 to 0-6 winners. There was a double header in Pearse Stadium on Sunday with Killanin and Claregalway meeting in the opening fixture, but the crowd had to wait until midway through the half for the opening score as Danny Cummins shot high and over the bar.

Cathal Sweeney, who gave the Claregalway defence a torrid time, shot his first of four points after 16 minutes and quickly added two more. Niall Walsh, Rory Green, Johnny Heaney and Sweeney also hit the target for Killanin. Sean Moran scored Claregalway’s other points as they trailed at the break, 0-7 to 0-3. Mark Rohan began a Claregalway fightback when he pointed on the resumption and they went on to shoot four of the next five points with Eoghan Commins adding two and Moran, Darren Hennessy shooting the others. Walsh landed Killannin’s solidary point to leave the sides all square at 0-8 each after 40 minutes.

Killanin then pulled ahead with three points in a row with Stephen Kavanagh (2) and Walsh on the mark and when Kenneth Hansberry replied with a point for Claregalway, they were two points behind with ten minutes remaining. Points from Greene and Cadwell gave the ‘Men from the West’ a four point lead with only six minutes remaining.

Rohan and Marvin Lee exchanged points, but deep into injury sub Richie Commins crashed home a goal for Claregalway as Killanin hung on for a one point victory, 0-14 to 1-10. For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.