Longford SFC: Gutsy Granard crack Carrickedmond to register first win

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Under serious pressure after losing their first three fixtures in Group A of the Senior Football Championship, it eventually came good for Granard who cracked the challenge of Carrickedmond after producing a great second half display at Allen Park in Newtownforbes on Friday night.

St Mary's Granard . . . 0-19 Carrickedmond . . . 0-14

Carrick were in pole position to claim a place in the quarter-finals and were looking good when they established a 0-10 to 0-6 lead at the break but it developed into a fierce struggle in the second half as gutsy St Mary's came storming back to register their first win in the current Connolly Cup campaign.

A brace of two-pointers from frees converted by Darren Gallagher and another from last year's Leinster minor championship medal winner Ben Blessington changed the course of the game on the changeover for what was a terrific result for the Granard manager Paul Lynch from Mullahoran and his highly charged players.

The blues are now depending on qualified Dromard doing them a favour in the remaining group game against Carrick in a couple of weeks time to keep alive their hopes of reaching the last 8 going on the almost certain guarantee that St Mary's will beat bottom of the table Mostrim.

This was a very disappointing defeat for Eugene McCormack side who faded badly in the second half (outscored by 0-13 to 0-4) but at least they have another chance in a must win match against Dromard.

ST MARY'S GRANARD: Killian McGivney; Mark O'Neill, Tom Kearney, Aaron Smyth; Dylan Reilly, Mark Tully (0-1), Eddie Smyth; Darren Gallagher (0-6, 3 two pointer frees), James Kiernan; Eoin Sheridan, Harry Kiernan (0-3), Ben Blessington (0-4, 1 two-pointer play); Jordan Martin, Charlie Martin (0-1), Jamie Brady Hynes (0-4).

Subs:- Paul Smyth for E Sheridan (half-time); Ruairi Corcoran for C Martin (46 mins); Liam Sullivan for E Smyth (51 mins).

CARRICKEDMOND: Garret Higgins; Darragh Mulligan, Rioch Farrell, Conor Mulvey; Diarmuid Kelly, Barry O'Farrell, Dermot Brady; Sean Kelly (0-1), Enda Farrell; Pauric Dempsey (0-2), Eoghan McCormack (0-5, 1 two-pointer play, 2 frees), Brian Mulvey; Kyle Kenny, Liam Glennon, Aidan McGuire (0-6, 1 two-pointer free, 1 free).

Subs:- Cormac Mulvey for K Kenny (47 mins); Sean Egan for B Mulvey (51 mins); Jack Dempsey for E McCormack (injured, fourth minute of stoppage time).