Our stay in junior football has been a brief one as we comfortably saw off Easter Gaels in the county junior final on a scoreline of 1.17 to 0.07, and return to Intermediate football after only one year. Whilst not played in great conditions, the game never truly ignited for either side until the last quarter. But it was the impact from our bench that made the difference. The introduction of Aiden Cosgrove (he had travelled from the U.S.A. to play in this game) in the 49^th minute, ultimately ended Easter Gaels resistance. After scoring a point in the 53^rd minute, he was then teed up by fellow substitute Liam Smyth for a great goal that all but sealed our victory.

We had heroes all over the pitch. Jack Niland and captain Liam Kelly were superb in defence, Paul Kelly was dominant in midfield, wing forward Brian (Chuckie) Gallagher (man-of-the-match) turned Eastern Gaels over time after time and corner forwards Thomas Keegan and Fionnan Burke impressed in attack.

Easter Gaels were first to score in the fourth minute but they could have had a goal in the first minute had Eastern Gaels corner forward Jack Maddens goalward shot come back off the post. Our first attempts at scoring wasn’t much better as our first two attempts at scoring resulted in two wide. Thomas Keegan scored our first point on the sixth minute but even though we were dominating possession and the Gaels kickout, we our scoring count was one point from five scoring attempt.

Easter Gaels went two points ahead but we brought the score back level with points from Paul Kelly and Conor Malle. The Gaels scored a point from a free putting them ahead again by one point but a brilliant two pointer from Fionnan Burke put us ahead for the first time in the game. We added two more points from Jack Niland and Jordan Henry and at this stage we were dominant all over the field and in control. The Gaels has two attempts at points from free before half time but both tailed off wide as we went in at half time leading 0.07 to 0.04.

In the first minute of the second half, Conor Malle extended our lead to four points but the Gaels scored in the 35^th and 36^th minutes to reduce our lead to one point. They also created two chances for goals but our goalkeeper Jamie McNicholas, who had a fine game, read both situations perfectly and cleared away the danger.

Thomas Keegan scored another point but this was cancelled our by Eastern Gaels immediately. Keegan scored again, his third point, from a free to extend our lead but the Gaels cancelled this our with another point of their own. Play was back and forth but then up stepped Paul Kelly in the 47^th minute with a monster two-pointer to give us a double score lead. At this stage, our superior physicality ensured we were dominant all over the field and in the 53^rd minute, substitute Aiden Cosgrove scored his first point only to follow it up by a beauty into the net, after being played in by substitute Liam Smyth.

The final whistle went and the Pete McDonnell Cup, last won by the club in 2009, was on its way back to Kiltimagh. It was a fitting finale to a great month following the opening of our new playing area and stand at our re-developed Gilmartin G.A.A. park. Whilst our journey may have ended in Mayo, we now begin a new journey  entering the All Ireland Junior series at the Connacht where we await the winners of St Croans (Roscommon) V Cloonacool (Sligo) to be played on the 15^th or 16^th of November.

Our junior team beat Ardagh in a pulsating county semi-final on a scoreline of 1.18 to 2.13. At half time, we were down by 4 points but observers at the game would say we should have been down by far more.

Ardagh were looking to secure their first county final appearance and started with great purpose, cutting our defence wide open on many occassions. They led 1.8 to 0.7 at half time but should have had the game wrapped up by then and only had themselves to blame due to wasteful kicking. They also found our goalkeeper Jamie McNicholas in excellent form, making two outstanding point blank saves, denying Ardagh the nescessary scores to put the game out of our reach. He also contributed 6 points (3 x 2 pointes) from frees to our scoreline.

In the second half, Liam Smyth was introduced to midfield and his efforts spurred on the rest of the team. We attacked with purpose and the scores started coming. Conor Mallee finished off a fine move with a goal and suddenly we were back in the game just a point behind. Thomas Keegan scored and we were level and we then went ahead with a fine point by Eoghan Lavin. However, former Mayo player, James Carr was having a fine game and he finished off a move with a goal to restore Ardagh’s advantage to 3 points.

Jamie McNicholas started our comeback with another 2 pointer and these were followed up by 1 pointers from Conor Mallee, Jack Niland and Fionnan Burke. However despite these scores, Ardagh matched us all the way and after 55 minutes the scores were level at 2.12 to 1.15.

Extra time looked likely but up stepped Jack Niland with another fine point followed by another from Fionnan Burke. But there was drama right at the end with James Carr finishing off a fine move, scoring a goal which would have won the game for Ardagh only for it to be cancelled out by the referee for an Ardagh breach in defence.

TEAM
Jamie McNicholas, Mattie Cummins, Jack Mahon, Darragh McGovern, Jack Niland, Liam Kelly, Evan Cosgrove, Paul Kelly, Stephen McDonnell, Oisin Mulderrig, Conor Mallee, Brian Gallagher, Fionnan Burke, Jordan Henry, Thomas Keegan

SUBSTITUTES USED
Eoghan Lavin, Liam Smyth, Liam Lydon