Gowna win despite Galligan's best efforts

Senior Football Championship

Gowna 1-18

Lacken 3-8

The reigning senior champions opened this year’s proceedings in the senior championship last Thursday night against their neighbours Lacken. Carrying the favourite’s tag entering the game, Gowna were asked plenty of difficult questions by a well organised and hard working Lacken side with Raymond Galligan causing plenty of problems at full-forward.

Gowna management had to make in-game adjustments to try to curtail both Raymond and James Galligan’s influence but in the end the best way turned out to be by scoring heavily themselves. The green and reds finished with ten different scorers on the night and they came from every line on the field.

A foul on Ryan Coyle allowed Raymond Galligan to get the scoring underway with a 46 meter free off the ground. Cian Madden set up Fionn Harten for the equalizer on the fifth minute but an interception and 60 meter solo run by Shane Moynagh edged Lacken back into the lead.

With nine minutes played Oisin Pierson levelled the sides after Conor Casey was fouled as Lacken tightened up the space available in the Gowna scoring zone with bodies back. A minute later Raymond Keogh identified one way to beat a mass defence as he kicked a point from near the 45 unopposed to give Gowna the lead for the first time.

That lead didn’t last long as a little over a minute later, Shane Moynagh sent a high ball towards the Gowna goalmouth. With Ryan Brady backtracking, Raymond Galligan turned his body to face the Gowna goal and timing his jump to perfection he connected with the ball over Brady’s head and punched it to the back of the Gowna net.

Gowna responded with an injection of speed from Cian Madden who fisted the ball over the bar to leave the score 1-2 to 0-4. Raymond Galligan converted a 50 meter free after James Galligan was fouled on one of his many driving runs. An outside of the left boot shot by James Madden left the minimum between the sides as the second quarter began.

Lacken persisted with the high ball tactic and after gathering a break 25 meters from goal Raymond Galligan used maximum back lift to lob over his fourth score of the game. Gowna replied like champions by taking seven of the remaining eight scores that came before the break.

Oisin Pierson sent over a free and from the resulting kick-out Cian Madden sailed over a point to level the sides. A beautiful long-range point by midfielder Ryan Donohoe pushed Gowna back into a temporary lead.

With five minutes remaining in the half, a Gowna kick-out was won by Shane Finnegan and he immediately dropped the ball back in on top of Ronan Bannon. Raymond Galligan with a running jump broke the ball down to himself and with the ball on the ground he rolled it into the corner of the net with his left foot.

Gowna’s response was again notable as they hit four points without reply before the short whistle. Again Cian Madden fisted the ball over the bar followed by a Daire Madden point to level matters entering injury-time. There was still time for Conor Casey and James Madden to add a point each for Gowna to give them a two point lead at the break.

Gowna introduced their captain Ryan McGahern at half-time to try to stop the problem Raymond Galligan was causing with Ryan Brady now picking up James Galligan further out the field. Lacken’s challenge was dealt a major blow when Daryl Buckey’s kick-out went straight to the hands of Conor Casey who ran the ball into the back of the net handing Gowna a five point lead.

Raymond Galligan and Casey traded points before a determined solo run by Shane Moynagh brought him from the 45 meter line to the edge of the box where he laid off to Mark Wilson who blasted to the corner of the net leaving the score 1-13 to 3-5 in favour of Gowna.

With 19 minutes to go Darragh O’Reilly closed the gap to a single point but that was as close as it got. A Tiarnan Madden free from the right corner and a super long range effort from Ryan Donohoe restored Gowna’s three point lead. Raymond Galligan converted a free after James Galligan was fouled but two more points from Cian and Ryan Madden extended Gowna’s lead to four point.

Two minutes from the end Raymond Galligan brought his tally to 2-6 with a fifth free while Tiarnan Madden had the final say four minutes into injury-time with his second free before the final whistle sounded.

Gowna: Ronan Bannon, Cormac Brady, Cillian Brady, James Madden(0-2), Fionn Hartin(0-1), Conor Brady, Tiarnan Madden(0-2f), Ryan Brady, Ryan Donohoe(0-2), TJ Fitzpatrick, Oisin Pierson(0-2f), Cian Madden(0-4,1f), Seanie Harten, Conor Casey(1-2), Daire Madden(0-1).

Subs: Ryan McGahern for O Pierson, Ryan Madden(0-1) for D Madden, Shane Harton for S Hartin, Fionan Brady for C Brady, Oisin Fleming for R Brady.

Lacken: Daryl Buckley, Kevin Shanaghy, David Wilson, Aodghan Halton, Shane Finnegan, Peter Galligan, Ryan Coyle, Shane Moynagh(0-1), Craig Lanauze, Karl Clerkin, James Galligan, Darragh O’Reilly(0-1), Donal McSorley, Raymond Galligan(2-6,5f), James Moynagh.

Subs: Mark Wilson(1-0) for K Clerkin, Philip Moynagh for C Lanauze, Torin Brady for D McSorley, Finn Riley for R Coyle, Joseph Galligan for S Finnegan.