Mellody’s goal helps Menlough strike the right note

Both sides miss chances

By Pádraic Ó Ciardha

At The Priarie

IT wasn’t a contest that will live long in the memory but the most important thing for Menlough was that they left The Prairie last Sunday afternoon with a victory.

After a scorcher of a summer, early autumn rains turned this one into a slog but it was Cathal Ryan’s side who came out on top with a five-point victory over An Spidéal.

Having racked up 4-19 in their opening round win over Clifden, An Spidéal came into this clash as favourites, but they left their scoring boots behind this time, managing just six scores from 23 efforts.

Menlough weren’t much better, seven from 20, but Thomas Mellody’s goal put them six points clear midway through the second half and they never looked like being caught.

There was a touch of fortune about the goal, Mellody deflecting a ‘45 which landed well-short into the far corner, but Menlough deserved their luck.

In a game that was littered with loose possession, it was the men in green who were first to the break more often than not and An Spidéal’s marquee men were well-marshalled. Colm O’Brien was influential in midfield while Dónal Loftus did the business up front when needed, knocking over two two-point frees and another brace of white flags from play.

While the fine but incessant rain was the most notable element of the conditions, there was a slight breeze favouring An Spidéal in the first half and it was they who got off the mark first through Cillian Ó Laoi.

Liam Carty put Menlough ahead with a two-point free in the sixth minute, but An Spidéal missed a glorious chance to retake the lead a minute later when Antaine Ó Laoi shot tamely at goalkeeper Conor Jackson after excellent work from his brother Finnian in the buildup.

A point from Loftus and another two-point free from team captain Carty put Menlough 0-5 to 0-1 ahead after ten minutes but An Spidéal enjoyed a strong second quarter and set about reducing the deficit.

Antaine Ó Laoi halved it with a well-worked two-pointer in the 19th minute before adding a close-range free. Diarmuid Dunne then brought An Spidéal level but momentum flipped again just before half-time when Finnian Ó Laoi was shown a black card before Dónal Loftus fired over the resulting long-range free, a superb effort in the conditions, to leave Menlough two ahead at the break, 0-7 to 0-5.

It was Loftus who opened the scoring in the second half and the lead was five by the 35th minute when he converted another two-point free.

An Spidéal were given a golden opportunity to reduce the deficit when Antaine Ó Laoi won a penalty three minutes later, but he pulled his effort from the spot to the right and wide. Even when Colm O’Brien was black carded in the 40th minute, An Spidéal couldn’t take full advantage.

Liam Ó Conghaile did fire over a two-pointer to leave a goal between them, 0-7 to 0-10, heading into the final quarter, but when Mellody found the net for Menlough, it looked to be decisive.

Maghnus Breathnach converted a two-point free for An Spidéal in the last 10 minutes but Shane Quirke responded for Menlough and An Spidéal’s day was summed up in injury time when Antaine Ó Laoi was shown a second yellow.

MENLOUGH: C. Jackson; L. Gormally, D. Hansberry, M. Ryan; J. Jordan, N. Carty, K. Dowd; J. Fahy Hansberry. C. O’Brien; S. Hansberry, S. Quirke (0-1); A. Fahy; L. Carty (0-4, two 0-2 frees), D. Loftus (0-6, two 0-2 frees), T. Mellody (1-0). Subs: D. Reilly, for Fahy, 51 mins; C. Keating, for Mellody, 60 mins.

AN SPIDÉAL: M. Breathnach (0-2, one 0-2 free); S. Ó Droighneáin, D. King, L. Ó Curraoin; A. Feeney, L. Kelly, C. Farragher; M. Ó Donnchú, F. Ó Laoi; Cillian Ó Laoi (0-1), L. Ó Conghaile (0-2, 0-2 score), D. Dunne (0-1); F. O’Connor, Cormac Ó Laoi, A. Ó Laoi (0-3, one 0-2 score, 0-1 free). Subs: Ciarán Ó Laoi, for A. Ó Laoi, temp, 20-23 mins; S. Ó Curraoin, for O’Connor, 43 mins; F. Robertson, for King, 51 mins; Ciarán Ó Laoi, for Ó Donnchú, 58 mins; C. Ashe, for Cormac Ó Laoi, 61 mins.

REFEREE: Ronan McNulty.

HERALD SPORT MAN OF THE MATCH: Dónal Loftus (Menlough).