Annaghdown reach last eight after topping their group
Late Ryan Monaghan two-pointer secures draw for Oughterard
Annaghdown 2-15
Oughterard 1-18
By Mike Rafferty
At Pearse Stadium
DESPITE so much being at stake in Group 4 of the Galway Senior Football Championship, Annaghdown and Oughterard served up a classic encounter in Pearse Stadium on Sunday evening and the outcome left both teams with something to play for in the knockout stages.
For Norman O'Brien's charges the reward was greater as they went directly through to the quarter-finals after topping the group. Oughterard, who finished third, will now face Dunmore MacHales in a preliminary quarter-final meeting.
While the game was well contested for the duration, it was Annaghdown who continued to be the driving force as Oughterard had to keep coming from behind and responding to the challenges put to them. Indeed, they only led briefly on two occasions throughout and courtesy of a Ryan Monaghan two-pointer, got the closing score of the day to rescue matters in additional time.
Enjoying the advantage of the elements, it was Annaghdown who broke the deadlock when Diarmuid Kilcommins curled over a two-pointer with the outside of the boot. The impressive Cathal Heavey held off a few challengers to add their next score before Oughterard's Niall Lee slotted over two points from play and one from a free to level matters on 16 minutes.
Goal opportunities were spurned at both ends as Annaghdown's Stephen Curley was denied by a smart save from Ciaran Noone. Adam Tierney had a shot that came back off a post, while his Oughterard teammate Eric Lee fired wide when through.
The first goal of the game arrived on 17 minutes when Eoin Reddington climbed high to outreach Ciaran Noone and fist a Curley delivery to the net to give Annaghdown a 1-4 to 0-3 advantage. Just like they did all day, Oughterard responded and Eric Lee floated over a two-pointer and that was added to by another Niall Lee score from play.
More goal opportunities were spurned as Colin Forde and Adam Tierney had efforts blocked before the overlapping Johnny Creaven, with a fisted effort, and Heavey responded to leave a goal between the sides.
Cue Oughterard's response with Matthew Tierney (free) and Cian Monaghan scores and they then took the lead for the first time in additional time when Ciaran Noone slotted over a two-point free. The last action of the half saw Damien Comer – who was generally not let out of the sight of at least two markers in close proximity – converted a free to leave matters level at the break, 1-7 to 0-10.
The resumption saw Annaghdown continue where they left off as they edged clear with scores from Kilcommins and Curley (free). While Ryan Monaghan responded for Oughterard, the momentum appeared to be going in the other direction as Kilcommins set up Eoin Newell to blast to the net and they edged five points clear on 45 minutes when Curley sent over another free to make it 2-10 to 0-11.
It looked like Annaghdown were in control as the contributions of Kilcommins, Curley, Comer and Olan Kelly gave them the biggest advantage of the match. But then this never looked like an ordinary game and Oughterard came again with Philip Gibbons, Adam Tierney, Ryan Monaghan and James Webb to the fore.
Cian Monaghan and Curley were to exchange points, but the North Board side were not to score for ten minutes and by then, Oughterard had turned matters around. Scores from Webb and Noone (free) were followed by a goal from the outstanding Niall Lee as matters were now level at 2-11 to 1-14. The Connemara side edged ahead when Matthew Tierney landed a two-pointer, before Annaghdown regained supremacy with the next three scores.
Curley sent over a free on 56 minutes with 'keeper James Healy converting another placed ball that was worth two points. The same player then tapped over a 45, while Curley had a punched effort that came back off the crossbar as matters lay at 2-15 to 1-16 with the hour elapsed.
Four minutes of additional time offered all sorts of opportunities, but just one was taken as Eric Lee picked out the run of the classy Ryan Monaghan into space and he duly obliged with a beautiful left footed finish for a two-pointer that left matters level and maintained both sides championship ambitions into the weeks ahead.
ANNAGHDOWN: J. Healy (joint captain, 0-3, one 0-2 free, 0-1,45); M. Naughton, D. Meehan, J. Creaven (0-1); O. Kelly, R. Duggan, D. Hegarty; D. Comer (joint captain, 0-1, free), D. Kilcommins (0-3, one 0-2 score); J. McDonnell, E. Forde, C. Heavey (0-2); E. Newell (1-0), E. Reddington (1-0), S. Curley (0-5, 0-4 frees). Subs: R. Sheridan, for Hegarty, 49 mins; C. Quinn, for Heavey, 55 mins; R. Gleeson, for Reddington, 57 mins; J. Lynn, for McDonnell, 60 mins.
OUGHTERARD: C. Noone (0-3, one 0-2 free, 0-1 free); K. Noone, P. Gibbons, J. Webb (0-1); E. O'Sullivan, Colin Forde, A. Tierney; M. Tierney (0-3, one 0-2 score, 0-1 free), C. Donoghue; C. Monaghan (0-2), R. Monaghan (0-3, one 0-2 score), J. Lowry; E. Lee (0-2, 0-2 score), P. Walsh (captain), N. Lee (1-4, 0-1 free). Subs: D. Kenny, for Donoghue, 49 mins; Cormac Forde, for Colin Forde, 49 mins.
REFEREE: James Molloy.
HERALD SPORT MAN OF THE MATCH:
Diarmuid Kilcommins (Annaghdown).