Connacht senior club championship quarter final

St Marys Leitrim 3-08

St Kiernans 1-08

If ever there was a score line that flattered a winning team then surely this must be it , we left it all out on the field and on another day may well have won this game with something to spare but forces combined to allow St Marys to score two goals late in stoppage time to end our dream year, in truth there was nothing between the teams on the day and only for some wayward shooting and not driving home our superiority at times in the match then it could well have been us in Sligo next weekend .

The first half saw us dominate the opening 15 minutes and we had scores on the board from Kenny 1-1 ,Chris Farley , Marcus and Oran and at this stage we held a 1-04 to 0-02 lead over them , we were turning over most of their attacks and they were finding it very difficult to break us down but after a turnover from our own attack they managed to break at pace and hit us for a goal when it seemed we would be pulling further ahead , we were winning most of their kick outs and had further chances that either went wide or dropped short and the half time score at 1-04 each was certainly not what it should have been , 4 wides and 4 dropped short ultimately would come back to haunt us .We lost Kevin McCarthy on 21 minutes too to injury and this gave the opposition a lift at a time when we were well on top .

The second half started with St Marys going ahead for the second time in the game but we clicked again and scores from Chris Farley , Kenny both from play and a free and Chris again from a free saw us dominate and open up a three point lead again half way through the second half , at this stage it looked as though it was going to be or day but again the crucial scores we needed wouldn't arrive and St Marys were able to get back in the game with scoreable frees , we made changes and Scratch replaced Dave Rogers , Sean Tucker replaced Oran Kerr, Brian Rutledge replaced Kenny o Connor and Shane Mcmanus replaced Willie Brazil , on 59 minutes we were 1-08 to 1-07 ahead and a dubious free was given to St Marys which Paul Keaney converted to level the match , we lined up our kick out and went looking for the winner only to be turned over and from this they got a goal when a point was aimed for and suddenly we were three down with a minute left , we launched again and after good build up play David Carabine was hauled down with his marker getting a black card ,we sent a high ball in to the square that St Marys managed to get a fist to , the ball broke and with all players including our keeper up the field they were able to run the ball in to an empty net for the most unlikely of victories , the final whistle blew and our lads were clearly distraught and St Marys were over the moon to have snatched it .

We knew it was an opportunity missed but our year will not be remembered for a few mistakes that cost us this game but more for the style of play in defending our senior championship and winning the senior league for the third time in our history , 2022 was an amazing year in the club and huge credit to all players , management and everyone working behind the scenes to ensure the club is in a strong place and we look forward soon to 2023 and the chance to go for three in a row .

Scorers

Kenny o Connor 1-02

Chris Farley 0-04

Oran Kerr and Marcus Mangan 0-1 each

Man of the match -David Carabine