Leitrim Junior Football Division 5 Final
Carrigallen v Aughnasheelin
Venue: Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada Date: 18.07.09 Throw-in: 6:30pm
Final Score: 0-13 / 4-10

Keeper turns poacher as Mahon leads Aughnasheelin to title
by John Connolly, Leitrim Observer

Instrumental in helping Aughnasheelin win last year's Intermediate title with a save over his own cross-bar in the final, Sean Mahon showed he hasn't lost the touch at the other end as he scored three goals in the Masonite Division Five League Final victory over Carrigallen. With these teams meeting in the Senior Championship next Sunday in Ballinamore, both clubs would have been eager enough to lay down some sort of marker, no matter how small.

And it was Aughnasheelin who did just that with a powerful display that saw the veteran Mahon 3-4 on the night along with a goal for his brother Ollie as Carrigallen had no answer to the goal-scoring prowess of the Mahons. In fairness, Carrigallen never recovered from the blow of conceding two goals in the first five minutes and, despite sharing as much possession as Aughnasheelin and a fair degree of effort, they just couldn't recover from the bad start and were vulnerable to sharp, incisive counter-attacks.

All four Aughnasheelin goals were real killer blows and while a harsh critic may point out that Carrigallen keeper Ciaran Kellegher may have done more, the keeper was left isolated in all four cases and without protection as Aughnasheelin punched big holes in the Carrigallen defence. Aughnasheelin worked tremendously hard with Joe McGirl Senior, Paddy and Richard McManus, Ciaran McGirl, Tommy Tubman, Brendan Mulvey, Sean McWeeney and Keith Boyle showing plenty of purpose and determination. Aughnasheelin seemed to come by their scores that little bit easier and despite the efforts of Martin Dolan, Anthony Kenny and subs Barry Reilly, Clifford Richardson & Killian Ward, they couldn't close the gap.

Aughnasheelin got the start that teams dream of just 45 seconds in when Brendan Mulvey's pass found Ollie Mahon in oceans of space. Rather than advance, Mahon audaciously shot from 25 yards, his low shot flying to the corner of the net. Carrigallen were not deterred and replied with quick points from Daniel Lyons and Dara Brady, both well worked but Tommy Tubman, another vital veteran for Aughnasheelin, hit back with a great score from a tight angle on four minutes. That score was set up by Sean Mahon and he soon took part in proceedings, firing home a great goal on the turn a minute later, the ball going over the head of despairing keeper Ciaran Kellegher after the first shot had been blocked.

Carrigallen tried to hit back instantly but Rory Harte's effort went into the side-netting while a block on Keith Boyle's shot led to Mahon gathering the rebound in the air and firing over a fine point. Carrigallen's Eoin Ward capped a fine run with a point and Martin Dolan curled a great shot from the right wing over the bar on 14 minutes to cut the gap to four points. But Aughnasheelin kept the pressure up with Sean Mahon converting a free and Sean McWeeney catching a kickout to run through and point.

Boyle added a well taken point and with less than six minutes left in the half, they killed off the game completely when a ball over the top found Sean Mahon in space and he blasted home. With quite a few injuries and added time as a result, Carrigallen tried to make the most of injury time with sub Barry Reilly and Martin Dolan hitting points, Reilly’s point coming after Colm McGirl made a great save to deny Eoin Ward a goal. A poor kickout allowed Sean Mahon tag on a point while Martin Dolan scored a wonderful point, his third of the half, to leave the score at 3-6 to 0-6 at the break.

The scoring rate slowed greatly in the second half although the first five minutes seemed to spell more of the same with Rory Harte pointing after good work from sub Brian Doyle while Aughnasheelin hit back with points from Brendan Mulvey, after a great run, and Sean McWeeney. Two Carrigallen points from Dolan and Barry Reilly reduced the gap to seven before Ollie Mahon and Martin Dolan swapped scores. Carrigallen tried to cut the gap but clever Aughnasheelin defendingmeant they never got a clear sight of goal. With less than five minutes to go, a long relieving clearance from defence was cleverly punched into space by Keith Boyle into the path of Sean Mahon. The evergreen attacker needed no second invitation and planted an easy finish in the net.

Aughnasheelin keeper McGirl kept a clean sheet with a good save from a Martin Dolan flicked effort who then added two further points from frees before Sean Mahon capped off a vintage display with a brilliant point from the left corner.

Aughnasheelin

Colm McGirl, Gary McPartland, Joe McGirl Senior, Paddy McManus, Paul Earley, Richard McManus, Ciaran McGirl, Joe McGirl Junior, Tommy Tubman (0-1), Brendan Mulvey (0-1), Sean McWeeney (0-2), Chris McNulty, Ollie Mahon (1-1), Sean Mahon (3-4), Keith Boyle (0-1). Subs: Fergal Earley for B. Mulvey (54 mins), for S. Mahon (62 mins).

Carrigallen
Ciaran Kellegher, Paul Harrington, Killian Grey, Anthony Kenny, Dara Brady (0-1), Ciaran Harte, Hugh Magee, Martin Dolan (0-7), Mark Kerrigan, Ciaran Reilly, Rory Harte (0-1), Daniel Lyons (0-1), Conor O’Neill, Eoin Ward (0-1), Niall Reilly. Subs: Derek Reilly for D. Brady (11 mins), Barry Reilly (0-2) & Clifford Richardson for Kerrigan & N. Reilly (24 mins), Brian Doyle for Lyons (HT), Cillian Ward for Harrington (45 mins).

Referee: Michael Leydon.