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Moortown Back In Senior
Saturday 16.11.2024
Moortown 2-12 Clonoe 1-9
Moortown will ply their trade in Senior football again next season after they produced a superb display to deservedly get the better of Clonoe at Coney Park Ardboe in the D1/2 Promotion/ Relegation playoff. For the St.Malachys it means a quick return after only one year while its the opposite for Clonoe as they make the drop down to Intermediate football for the second time in three years.
Connor McAliskey and Rian Smith traded early points as did Fintan McClure and Paul Quinn before a blistering run from Declan McClure saw him fist a point in the 8th minute. That proved to be the last time that the O’Rahillys would lead in the contest as Moortown enjoyed a purple patch with midfielder Sean Kelly to the fore. He hit two great scores either side of efforts from Mattie Conlon and Shea Lawn as Moortown dominated. Clonoe kicked half a dozen wides as well as dropping a couple short before a McAliskey free in the closing stages closed the gap to 0-7 to 0-4 at the break.
Points from Fintan McClure, Declan McClure and PJ Lavery had Clonoe level within seven minutes of the restart but they couldn’t get their noses in front. In the 4nd minute Moortown opened their second half scoring in style when a brilliant ball from Smith sliced open the Clonoe defence for corner back Connor McVeigh to race through and finish in style low to the bottom left hand corner of the net. Shea Lawn put the winners four clear only for Darragh McGrath to respond before Conlon left four between the sides again.
Clonoe were in trouble but with nine minutes left on the clock Dan McNulty won a penalty which McAliskey converted to leave the minimum between the sides. It looked like a body blow for Moortown but they didn’t panic as they held their opponents to just another point in the closing stages. An inspirational point from Tarlach Quinn was just what his side needed before Clonoe substitute James Taggart pointed. Extra time was looking a distinct possibility before crucially Moortown got their second major when a strong run from Liam Lawn saw his shot come back off the crossbar and hit the unlucky McGrath and into the net. Moortown weren’t losing the game from this position and Shea Lawn knocked over a “45” before Smith fisted a point to give them a deserved victory.
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