St. Michael’s and Sean MacCumhaills were inseparable on the pitch tonight as both sides leave with a point from The Bridge.
St. Michael’s 1-11 Sean MacCumhaills 1-11
Both sides were hoping for a win to boost their chances of making the quarter-finals but had to settle for the point in the end as the teams drew level eight times in the game.
Michael Langan and Oisin Gallen
Two county stars for both sides got off the mark quickly as Langan and Oisin Gallen pointed from frees.
MacCumhaills almost had a terrific start when a Gallen ball dropped short and fell to Joel Bradley Walsh but his effort was blocked by his own teammate in Gary Dunnion.
Dunnion was vital at the other end however as he blocked an almost certain goal from Martin McElhinney’s shot.
Langan scored twice more from play, as did Hugh O’Donnell and Colin McFadden as St. Michael’s went in to the water break 0-5 to 0-1 ahead.
But MacCumhaills came back with a Kevin McCormick mark and a brilliant point from Gallen to get away from the two men marking him before again coming short and firing over on his left foot.
Joel Bradley Walsh converted a free just before half time as the sides went into the break level at 0-5 apiece.
Carlos O’Reilly got his first score of the game with a great point out on the left but Cian Mulligan soon got MacCumhaills level as he fired straight over the black spot.
Two points from Stephen O’Reilly either side of an O’Donnell score gave MacCumhaills a one point lead and led for the first time in the game nearly 40 minutes in.
O’Reilly levelled again and Gallen got his fourth point as MacCumhaills took a one point lead
But St. Michael’s would be back ahead in the contest after a quick break saw Michael Langan take the ball off McFadden and fire low into the bottom corner past Eoin Gallen.
The kick out was then won by St. Michael’s and Langan instantly fired over for a super score for a three point lead just before the water break.
MacCumhaills almost had the equaliser straight away as Joel Bradley Walsh’s point attempt dropped and hit the post and the rebound from Brian Lafferty was well saved by Oisin Cannon.
The Twin Towns men would get their goal however as Gallen’s shot from the sideline at a tight angle dropped and Joel Bradley Walsh was there to fist it over the line.
Hugh O’Donnell got his second score of the game out right but MacCumhaills came fighting back as another Gallen shot dropped and Gary Wilson got the touch to take it over the bar .
Substitute Daniel McLaughlin got St. Michael’s ahead again but another leveller from Joel Bradley Walsh with a brilliant free from almost 50 metres had the two sides once again level.
In the last minute of the game St. Michael’s had a chance to win it and it almost looked like a certain point as Michael Langan stepped up but surprisingly, he fired wide.
MacCumhaills tried to get up the pitch for one last attack but St. Michael’s kept them back as the referee Jimmy White blew the final whistle.
A point would have to do for both sides as St. Michael’s travel to Milford while MacCumhaill’s host Four Masters next week.
St. Michael’s: Oisin Cannon, Patrick McGinley, Stephen Doak, Kyle McGarvey, Hugh O’Donnell (0-3), Oisin Langan, Martin Breslin, Michael Langan (1-4,2f), Bryan Creed, Antoin McFadden, Colin McFaddden (0-1), Michael Gallagher, Michael Cannon, Martin McElhinney, Carlos O’Reilly (0-2).
Subs: Andrew Kelly for Creed (38 mins) Daniel McLaughlin (0-1) for Cannon, Michael McGinley for Breslin
Sean MacCumhaills: Eoin Farrah; Cian Mulligan (0-1), Ronan McMenamin, Gary Dunnion, Chad McSorley, Joe Boyle, Andrew McCloskey, Gavin Gallagher, Padhraic Patton, Gary Wilson (0-1), Marty O’Reilly, Stephen O’Reilly (0-2), Joel Bradley Walsh (1-2), Oisin Gallen (0-4,1f), Kevin McCormack (0-1m)
Subs: Luke Gavigan for Patton (23 mins), Brian Lafferty for Stephen O’Reilly (43 mins), Carl Dunnion for McSorley (50 mins) Jamie Keegan for Wilson (52 mins)
