St Mary’s Secures Leinster Final Spot: Match Highlights & Key Moments

St Mary’s Secures Leinster Final Spot: Match Highlights & Key Moments

November 23, 2024 Catherine Williams - Chief Editor Sports

Match Report: St Mary’s Ardee vs. St Loman’s

Final Score: St Mary’s Ardee 0-15, St Loman’s 0-14

Sean Callaghan scored a crucial point in the fourth minute of added time, securing a spot in the Leinster final for St Mary’s Ardee. The match, played at St Loman’s home ground in Mullingar, was intense and competitive.

Donal McKenny opened the scoring for St Mary’s in the third minute. However, St Loman’s quickly responded with four consecutive points from Ronan O’Toole, TJ Cox, and Sam and Danny McCartan, taking a 0-04 to 0-03 lead within the first eleven minutes.

Shane Matthews and Tiernan Markey’s free brought St Mary’s close at 0-04 to 0-03. The first half saw a slowdown in scoring, with both teams exchanging few points. John Heslin scored a free for St Loman’s, while Tom Jackson equalized for St Mary’s. The half ended with St Loman’s leading 0-06 to 0-05.

St Mary’s took the lead in the second half with two points from Ciaran Keenan. However, Kelvin Reilly equalized shortly after, and play remained tight. St Loman’s regained the lead with points from Cox, although his injury in the 47th minute was a setback.

Both teams continued to trade points, but St Mary’s pushed ahead with contributions from newcomer Ronan Carroll and Ciaran Keenan. As the match drew to a close, scores from Sam McCartan and Eoghan Hogan equalized the game at 0-14.

In a dramatic finish, Callaghan’s late point led St Mary’s to victory while St Loman’s missed a chance to level the game. Sam McCartan’s last free kick fell short, sealing the win for St Mary’s.

Team Line-ups

St Mary’s Ardee: T Markey (0-01, free); T McDonnell, K Faulkner, E Keenan (0-01); J Commins (0-01), D McKenny (0-01), P McKenny; RJ Callaghan, S Callaghan (0-01); C Keenan (0-04, one free, one mark), L Jackson, K Moran (0-01); S Matthews (0-01), D McConnon (0-01), T Jackson (0-02). Subs: R Carroll (0-01, free) for Matthews (39), R Leavy for RJ Callaghan (56), A Gillespie for McConnon (60+2).

St Loman’s: J Daly; D Whelan, D O’Keeffe, O Hogan; K Reilly (0-01), E Hogan (0-01), S McCartan (0-03); J Geoghegan (0-01), F Ayorinde; R Sheahan, R O’Toole (0-01), S Flanagan; D McCartan (0-01), J Heslin (0-01, free), TJ Cox (0-04, one mark). Subs: E Gaffney for O Hogan (35), K Regan (0-01) for Sheahan (39), P Foy for Cox (inj., 47), S Dempsey for Ayorinde (57).

Referee: B Tiernan (Dublin).