Gormley uPVC Senior Football Championship

Inniskeen 1-9 Monaghan Harps 0-11                                  14/8/11

Inniskeen caused the shock of the championship so far when they knocked Monaghan Harps out of the SFC in Clontibret on Sunday. Inniskeen went into the game without a win to their name this season and on the back of a heavy defeat to Clontibret in the first round, but they tore up the form-book to grind out a one-point win against a disappointing Harps team. After an evenly-matched opening quarter, Inniskeen hit 1-5 without reply (including a very soft goal) to turn a one-point deficit into a seven-point lead and although the Harps bossed the final quarter, it took them too long to get to within touching distance and they fell short.

Paul Meegan gave an exhibition of free-taking for Inniskeen, while Ronan Meegan impressed with three points from play and Matthew McKenna, Gerry McArdle and Trevor Hilliard also put in strong performances. Conor Galligan, Donal Hahessy and Mark McCaughey worked hard to bring the Harps back into the game, but it wasn’t enough.

Nicholas Treanor and Paul Meegan swapped points from 20-metre frees in the opening minutes, after fouls on Emmett McArdle and Andrew Meegan respectively, before Ronan Meegan hit he first score from play. Donal Hahessy equalised from a 30-metre free after a foul on Treanor, before adding a good point from play, but Ronan Meegan replied after he had been well placed by Matthew McKenna.

Another good score by Ronan Meegan edged Inniskeen ahead, following a pass from Michael Lennon, before Paul Meegan converted a ’45. Paul Meegan linked up with his brother Ronan to kick a point from play and Inniskeen made it five-in-a-row when Lennon converted a 30-metre free for a foul on Ronan Meegan, which made it 0-7 to 0-3 in their favour at half-time.

Inniskeen pulled away further two minutes into the second half when they scored a gift of a goal after a defensive mix-up by the Harps presented Matthew McKenna with the easiest of tasks of tapping into the empty net. Neil McAdam ended 18 minutes without a score for the Harps when he won and scored a 35-metre free, before Treanor pointed a 25-metre free when Fergal Duffy had been penalised for bouncing the ball twice. Donal Hahessy converted a free for a foul on his brother Liam to close the gap to four, but Paul Meegan responded from a firmly-struck ’45, before repeating the trick with a 50-metre free after a foul on McKenna.

Hahessy got a point back from a 20-metre free after a foul on Shane Coyle, before David Hughes sent one over from play after good work by Mark McCaughey and Emmett McArdle. Hahessy tapped over another free after a foul on Conor Galligan, who tagged on a good point from play, while Inniskeen were reduced to 14 men for the last five minutes when Fergal Duffy was shown a second yellow card for a foul on McAdam. The Harps managed to reduce the gap to a point in injury-time when Hughes slotted over a ’45, but Inniskeen held out to set up a meeting with Magheracloone next Sunday.

Inniskeen: J Tavey; F McArdle, G McArdle, A Keenan; T Hilliard, S Loftus, D McArdle; F Duffy, G Dooley; M Lennon (Capt., 0-1f), M McKenna (1-0), D McGahon; A Meegan, P Meegan (0-5, 2f, 2 ‘45s), R Meegan (0-3).

Subs: N Lennon for A Meegan (49 mins), J McGeeney for Loftus (55).

Monaghan Harps: R McGann; C O’Hanlon, S Driver, M McCaughey; A Óg McAnespie, C Galligan (0-1), S Coyle; P Drohan, N McAdam (Capt., 0-1f); P Kelly, N Treanor (0-2f), P Murphy; D Hahessy (0-5, 4f), D Hughes (0-2, 1 ’45), E McArdle.

Subs: L Hahessy for Murphy (24), D Loughran for Kelly (39).

Referee: B Walshe (Ballybay).