Streamline Coaches Intermediate Football League Final
Inniskeen 1-10 Doohamlet 1-8 16/1/11
Inniskeen are the 2010 IFL winners after they deservedly beat Doohamlet in the final at Drumhowan on Sunday. The long-postponed game finally went ahead at the fifth attempt after the bad weather had played havoc with previous attempts to play it. With promotion at stake for Inniskeen, the Grattans were the sharper team and they should have had the win wrapped up long before Gavin Dooley’s goal, which sealed a remarkable turnaround for the south-Monaghan men, who had been in relegation trouble until more than halfway through the league. A typical burst late in the first half by Doohamlet turned a two-point deficit into a three-point lead at the end of a half which Inniskeen had dominated, but Inniskeen’s greater hunger shone through after the restart. Anthony Keenan, Paul and Ronan Meegan, Michael Lennon, Stephen Callan and Séamus Loftus led the way for Inniskeen, while Glen Cumiskey, Niall Johnny Connolly and Colin Walshe were best for Doohamlet, who had Kevin McArdle sent off late on.
Doohamlet got the first point through their captain Glen Cumiskey, after good work by Niall Johnny Connolly and Shane McManus, but Paul Meegan replied with a well-taken point after he got on the end of a Fergal Duffy pass. 20-metre frees by Michael Lennon and Paul Meegan, after Martin Hughes and Gabie Casey had both been penalised for touching the ball on the ground, gave Inniskeen a two-point lead, which became three when Meegan converted a 35-metre free. Mark Murphy ended 23 scoreless minutes for Doohamlet when he tapped over from a close-range free, following a foul on Shane McManus, but Michael Lennon responded in kind after Séamus Loftus had been fouled. Doohamlet burst into life in the last five minutes of the half, as Ted Duffy pointed a 13-metre free for a foul on Niall Johnny Connolly, who quickly tagged on a point from play. Ted Duffy curled over from a 30-metre after a foul on Shane McManus, before the IFC winners struck for a fortunate goal. Darren Connolly raced down the left wing onto a Colin Walshe pass and Connolly’s cross evaded Inniskeen keeper Jonathan Tavey to fall for goal-poacher Niall Johnny Connolly, who found the net yet again. That ended the first-half action with Doohamlet in front by 1-5 to 0-5.
Inniskeen started the second half brightly, with Ronan Meegan kicking a point at the end of a strong run almost straight from the throw-in. A foul on Ronan Meegan allowed Paul Meegan to add a point from a 25-metre free, but Cumiskey hit back with a fine score for Doohamlet. Niall Lennon kept a Michael Lennon free in play to kick a point for Inniskeen, although Doohamlet got their first score for 17 minutes when Shane McManus booted over a well-struck 40-metre free after Trevor Hilliard had been penalised for over-carrying. A 20-metre free by Paul Meegan, after a foul on Anthony Keenan, closed the gap to the minimum, before Gavin Dooley poked the ball home following a goalmouth scramble for a crucial goal for Inniskeen. Doohamlet had Kevin McArdle sent off for a late tackle on Hilliard two minutes from time, although their sub Ollie Hughes briefly gave them hope when he pulled a point back after a quickly-taken free by Ciarán McManus. Inniskeen closed the game out, though, as Michael Lennon converted a 30-metre free for a foul on Paul Meegan to secure their place in senior football in 2011.
Inniskeen: J Tavey; K Boylan, R Lennon, S Callan; A Keenan, S Loftus, T Hilliard; F Duffy (Capt.), G Dooley (1-0); M Lennon (0-3f), M Fitzpatrick, A Ryan; N Lennon (0-1), P Meegan (0-5, 4f), R Meegan (0-1).
Subs: TJ Byrne for Ryan (44 mins), M Dooley for N Lennon (55).
Doohamlet: J Casey; G Casey, M Hughes, S Johnny Connolly; K McArdle, C Walshe, D Connolly; G Cumiskey (Capt., 0-2), C McManus; G King, T Duffy (0-2f), Greg Duffy; M Murphy (0-1f), S McManus (0-1f), N Johnny Connolly (1-1).
Sub: O Hughes (0-1) for King (45).
Referee: X Coyle (Tyholland).
By michael Mon 17th Jan
