Cuchulainns safely through to quarter-finals

Intermediate Football Championship round 4

Cuchulainns 3-11

Lacken 0-14

Paul Fitzpatrick at Dolan Park

Cuchulainns safely secured their passage to the last eight, in the process banishing Lacken to the relegation play-offs, with this win before a small crowd at Virginia.

At half-time, Cuchulainns led by 1-6 to 0-8 thanks a well-worked early goal from wing-back Micheál Kenny and as the second half wore on, their younger legs came to the fore as they dominated the closing stages and spurned a few goal chances.

In perfect conditions, the sides served up an entertaining, evenly-contested clash for the most part. Lacken were the better side in the first half but five wides, plus the concession of the goal, meant contributed to their trailing at the break.

Late call-up Paudie Donohoe, who replaced regular goalie Daryl Buckley but played up front (Ray Galligan lined out between the sticks) opened the scoring with a well-taken point but Cuchulainns struck for a goal with their first attack of substance when Kenny tore through the centre, played a one-two and palmed home.

A sweetly-struck 45 from captain Evan Doughty was cancelled out by a Donohoe free before Lacken took charge for a 10-minute spell, during which they pinched four of five Cuchulainns kick-outs. The Celts forced Cuchulainns to go long and were on top in the midfield exchanges, where James Galligan was especially prominent.

High-quality points from the lively Shane Moynagh and Mark Wilson tied the game at the end of the first quarter. Bryan Magee replied with a point off the left but Ray Galligan, off-target with two earlier efforts, nailed a 45 to leave it all square on 20 minutes.

Magee added a difficult free from the left corner and then Evan Doughty knocked over another after good work from his brother Cian, who played well after coming on.

A long-range free from Wilson and a super score from Aodhgán Halton levelled matters once again on 27 minutes; the same pattern continued as Cormac O’Reilly and James Galligan traded scores before Micheál Kenny, who turned in a great shift, had the final say of the half with a nice piece of improvisation to leave just one in it at the short whistle.

The game turned just after the restart when Cuchulainns were awarded a penalty, a decision about which Lacken were aggrieved. Good work from Turlough Farrelly, Evan Doughty and Cormac O’Reilly created a chance but after a scramble, during which Cuchulainns hit the crossbar, Lacken cleared their lines.

However, ref Daire Donohoe signalled for a foul on O’Reilly, who had appeared to tangle feet accidentally with Craig Lanauze, and Doughty stepped up to convert the spot kick to make it 2-6 to 0-8 within 90 seconds of the restart.

But back came Lacken with four points in succession. A 50-metre Ray Galligan free got them going again; Micheál Shanaghy sent over a fine effort with the outside of the left, Shane Finnegan added another and Mark Wilson kicked a good free to level the game again.

By this stage, it was 12 scores to eight and Lacken had played the better football but Cuchulainns upped it a couple of gears and dominated the final 20 minutes. Cian Doughty kicked a super point from the right after a good move involving the Magee brothers – and then came the killer third goal.

Again, Lacken were aggrieved at this one, calling for a square ball, but the video replay would later show that while the call was marginal, the referee got it right. The goal was made by Niall Carolan, who carried possession 50 metres in a brilliant run. Glenn McCann did very well to squirm away from a couple of tackles and square it for Bryan Magee to palm in.

That put five between them and was the killer score for Lacken. Wilson (free) and Evan Doughty traded scores, as did Shanaghy and Doughty, as the game opened up. Cuchulainns got through for a few goalscoring opportunities and should have put away at least one – and were denied by a Galligan save on another.

Doughty added a 45 and Kenny rounded off the scoring with his second point, to add to his early goal, as Fintan Cahill’s men won pulling up and now look ahead to a quarter-final against Cootehill Celtic with three wins under their belts and plenty more in the tank.

For Lacken, who played well here but whose score difference is two points worse than Killinkere’s one place above them in the table, the relegation play-offs beckon.

Lacken: Raymond Galligan (0-2, 1f, 45), Kevin Shanaghy, David Wilson, James Moynagh, Peter Galligan, Craig Lanauze, Shane Finnegan (0-1), James Galligan (0-1), Micheál Shanaghy (0-2), Aodhgán Halton (0-1), Shane Moynagh (0-1), Darragh O’Reilly, Karl Clerkin, Paudie Donohoe (0-2, 1f), Mark Wilson (0-4, 3f)

Subs: Finn Riley for A Halton (52), James Pryce for S Finnegan (58)

Cuchulainns: Conor Gallagher, Christopher Tully, Cian Donoghue, Niall Carolan, Paddy Lynch, Micheál Kenny (1-2), Eoghan Donoghue, Turlough Farrelly, Adam O’Reilly, Niall Magee, Oisin Donoghue, Glenn McCann, Bryan Magee (1-2, 1f), Cormac O’Reilly, Evan Doughty (1-5, 2f, two 45s, 1-0 pen)

Subs: Cian Doughty (0-1) for A O’Reilly (21), Ruairi O’Connell for O Donoghue (39), Conor O’Reilly for G McCann (47)

Ref: Daire Donohoe