Ramor rescue point in slow-burner against Mullahoran

SFC round 3

Ramor United 1-6

Mullahoran 0-9

More questions than answers were generated at Kingspan Breffni where long-time leaders Mullahoran were prevented by a resurgent Ramor from making it two wins from as many outings in this year’s SFC.

For once, the cliché of ‘a fair result’ felt comfortable in the box labelled ‘truisms’ with neither camp doing quite enough to merit taking home both points on offer.

The early exchanges were of the shadow-boxing variety with Ramor operating on the counter-attack for the most part.

Mullahoran were the brighter, more tenacious side early on but the loss through injury of county star Killian Brady in the 9th minute provided an early setback to the match underdogs.

Mullahoran were suitably up for the task though as they looked to consolidate their surprise opening round victory over Cavan Gaels.

Ramor slowly but surely meandered their way off the starting blocks but Mullahoran successfully hunted in packs in the face of more sustained attacking spells for the Virginia-based crew.

However, Ramor’s failure to click up front and glue-like policing by Mullahoran at the rear meant that Mullahoran grew in confidence and made look their opponents very ordinary and not at all like pretenders to the championship title.

Conor McCrystal’s no-nonsense finish – following a great run by Conor Nulty – belatedly opened Ramor’s account in the 11th minute but was a poor consolation for Oliver McCrystal’s earlier near-miss when he rattled the post.

With the likes of Senan Sheils consistently looking to push forward from the back, Mullahoran always posed a threat in the final third and, overall, they continued to out-fight and out-think their rivals.

And yet, for all that, the Dreadnoughts never really looked like cutting Ramor adrift for all the comfort they seemed to exhibit while out in front.

Ramor huffed and puffed in trying to unhinge their opponents’ lead but after creating their second goal opportunity of the evening, Conor Nulty shot high and wide in the 18th minute.

Nulty was to make great amends though from a much more difficulty mini-opportunity in the second half which turned the game on its head after the Dreadnoughts had carved out a 0-8 to 0-4 interval lead.

Matthew Smith’s 24th minute point had reduced Ramor’s deficit to just two points (0-4 to 0-6) but a tour de force by Cormac O’Reilly in the dregs of the first half upholstered Mullahoran’s long-time lead in a timely fashion.

Fortunately for the leaders, Adrian Cole’s half-volley (38) was blocked on the line by a vigilant Daithí Sheils in a rather claustrophobic opening to the second half but Ramor retained their hands on the tiller for the remainder of a third quarter which was garlanded by Nulty’s fine solo goal.

Nulty’s major – after he latched onto a brilliant Matthew Smith crossfield pass - catapulted the townies into the lead (1-6 to 0-8) for the first time in the match and the smart money suddenly switched to a win for United.

A black card shown to Ramor’s Matthew Smith eight minutes into added-on time presented a significant window of opportunity for Mullahoran but with the chequered flag in sight the Longford-border side were destined to miss out on nabbing a big scalp.

Both sides promised but didn’t deliver on promising attacks in the run in. With just seconds left to play, Mullahoran’s Dylan Brady saw his punt drop short but the prostrate Caolainn O’Reilly just couldn’t get enough purchase on the dropping ball to beat the advancing Oisín Rourke and the chance was lost.  The resultant kick-out echoed to the sound of the final whistle, leaving both camps – but especially Ramor one suggests - emitting a hefty sigh of relief.

Ramor United: Oisín Rourke; Lorcan Lynch, Damien Barkey, Adam O’Connell; Ben Smith, Jack Brady, Matthew Magee; Sean Brady, Brían O’Connell; Adrian Cole, Eoin Somerville, Conor Bradley; Conor Nulty (1-0), Oliver McCrystal (0-1), Matthew Smith (0-4, 2f, ‘45).

Subs; Nathan Levy-Valensi for M Magee; Cathal Maguire for A Cole; James Bradley (0-1) for E Sommerville; James Brady for C Nulty (inj); Martin Comey for D Barkey.

Mullahoran: Evan Byrne; Senan Sheils, Colm O’Reilly, Matthew Hynes; Gavin Brady (0-1), Killian Brady, Cormac McKeogh; Caolainn O’Reilly, Dominick Cadden; Edward Dalton, Ray Lynch (0-1,f), Ryan O’Reilly; Tom Harten, Cormac O’Reilly (0-6, 3f), Daithí Sheils (0-1).

Subs; Conor Sharpe for K Brady (inj); Enda Reilly for R Lynch (inj); Dylan Brady for C Sharpe; Derrick Dalton for G Brady (inj).