Carrickmore Lift League Title Following Exciting Final

Tuesday 26.11.2013

Club

Carrickmore and Ardboe served up a real end of season pre festive cracker before the men in green and gold snatched victory with a late goal from corner back Michael Slane. With time almost up Ardboe led by two points and seemed destined to win the title. However when it was needed most Carrickmore’s key men Gormley, Penrose and Donnelly combined to send corner back Slane through and he finished low to keeper Conor Mc Grath’s left.
It was an exciting end to what had been a superbly entertaining game between two very committed and evenly balanced sides. The teams were level on eight occasions throughout in what was a very close fought encounter. Caolan Daly bagged a first half goal seven minutes into the first half but Ardboe refused to panic. Ronan Campbell, Brian and Shay Mc Guigan kept their team on the offensive and with big John Mc Conville a constant menace on the edge of the square the lough shore lads remained in touch.
Carrickmore reached the break a point in front after a wonder score from Paul Mc Aleer but few present would have confidently predicted the outcome of the second half. Half time score : Carrickmore 1-6, Ardboe 0-8.
Once again the scores remained close although Ardboe began the second period well with points from Mc Conville, Shay Mc Guigan and Michael Cassidy to move 0-11 to 1-6 in front. A Penrose point kept Carmen in touch before Conor Gormley tied the game for the eighth time as the match entered the last quarter.
Carrickmore went down to fourteen men following the sending off of Colm Mc Gurk but the men in green and gold did not allow it to upset their rhythm. However they were still struggling to cope with John Mc Conville’s physical presence and game intelligence around the edge of the square. He landed two late points before Mick Hagan extended Ardboe’s lead to three. Time was against Carrickmore but once again they dug deep. Micky Donaghy landed a free to reduce the gap to two before Slane bagged the goal that put them in front and Penrose sealed the win with a lovely point from out wide on the left. Final score: Carrickmore 2-10, Ardboe 0-14.