Gormley uPVC Senior Football Championship
Latton 1-9 Truagh 1-8 18/8/12
County champions Latton survived a scare from Truagh to get their SFC hopes back on track with a one-point win at a sunny Scotstown on Saturday evening. Latton, who were without suspended duo Owen and Edmund Lennon, burst out of the starting blocks with an early goal by Owen Duffy, but a Niall Coyle strike had Truagh a point up at half-time. The teams remained neck-and-neck throughout the second period, but Latton called on all their experience to add this one to their growing list of narrow championship wins, despite kicking 14 wides. Aidan Farmer, Owen Duffy, Stephen Fitzpatrick and Shane and Owen Coyle did most to see Latton over the line, while Keith Sheerin, Pádraig and Seán McKenna and Niall Feely led Truagh’s challenge.
Bernard O’Brien gave Latton an early lead and they looked to be well and truly on their way in the ninth minute when Patrick Shannon got on the end of a cross-field pass by Hugh McElroy to release Owen Duffy, who fired home the game’s opening goal. Pádraig McKenna got Truagh on the scoreboard in the 12th minute with a well-taken left-footed point after he had been well-placed by Seán McKenna, before Christopher McKenna linked up with Niall Feely to kick an equally good point from distance.
Shane Coyle got a point back for Latton, but Truagh drew level on 18 minutes when Christopher and Seán McKenna and Damian McRory combined to release Niall Coyle to squeeze a shot into the corner of the Latton net. Seán McKenna could have had another three-pointer after good work by Pádraig McKenna and Coyle put him through, but his shot was deflected over the bar by Latton keeper Seán Farmer. Seán McKenna doubled Truagh’s lead after taking a pass from McRory, but Aidan Farmer finished well at the end of a move involving Hugh McElroy and Shane Coyle to leave Latton trailing by just a point at the end of the first half: 1-4 to 1-3.
It took less than a minute for Truagh to get the first point of the second half, courtesy of Pádraig McKenna, but Hugh McElroy tapped over a 20-metre free for a foul on Bernard O’Brien to keep Latton in touch and Owen Duffy raced through after a one-two with his brother Kieran to equalise. John McCarron regained Truagh’s lead following a long ball in from Rory Treanor to Pádraig McKenna and although Shane Coyle levelled it up after good work by Stephen Fitzpatrick and Shannon, a foul on Seán McKenna allowed Pádraig McKenna to regain Truagh’s lead via a 30-metre free.
Aidan Farmer equalised for the fourth and final time at the end of a counter-attack involving Thomas Connolly and sub Brendan Lennon, before McElroy converted a 30-metre free for a foul on O’Brien to hand the champions a slender lead going into the last ten minutes. Mark Counihan was inches away from bringing Truagh back onto level terms within a couple of minutes of his introduction, but his shot hit the left upright and the follow-up effort from McRory went wide, while Feely made a great block at the other end to deny Shannon.
Stephen Fitzpatrick got forward to move Latton two clear with four minutes left, but another 30-metre free by Pádraig McKenna, after a foul on McRory, ensured a nervy finish. Latton held on, however, to set up a meeting with Monaghan Harps, while Truagh must now concentrate on the league.
Latton: S Farmer; K Farrelly, D O’Brien (Capt.), O Coyle; S Fitzpatrick (0-1), K Duffy, P Fitzpatrick; S McElroy, A Farmer (0-2); P Shannon, O Duffy (1-1), T Connolly; S Coyle (0-2), H McElroy (0-2f), B O’Brien (0-1).
Subs: J Kingston for P Fitzpatrick (H-T), B Lennon for S McElroy (41 mins).
Truagh: I Treanor; J Halligan, N Feely, E Kelly; G Todd, J Treanor, J McCarron (0-1); P Treanor, K Sheerin; N Coyle (Capt., 1-0), R Treanor, D McRory; C McKenna (0-1), P McKenna (0-4, 2f), S McKenna (0-1).
Subs: A Coyle for Todd (20), N Rooney for I Treanor (inj., 30), M Counihan for C McKenna (48).
Temporary sub: N McQuillan for Sheerin (41-46).
Referee: M McNally (Corduff).
By michael Sat 18th Aug
