Strong start for Skehana-Mountbellew-Moylough

By Ben Cooley

THE hurlers of Skehana-Mountbellew-Moylough got their 2026 Intermediate Championship off to a triumphant start as they overturned Mullagh in New Inn.

Skebellew became the second of last year’s Intermediate teams to beat Senior B opposition their first round clash at the weekend, as they caused an upset against a favoured Mullagh side.

Shay Glennon opened the scoring for Mullagh with a converted free just 60 seconds into the game, but Skebellew quickly responded through Galway senior hurler Oisín Lohan. The following moments of the game saw Mullagh take control, as they scored three points to Skebellew’s one between the fifth and eighth minute. Glennon added another free to his tally while Dean Finnerty tallied twice, including one effort from close to the sideline.

Skebellew soon slammed the window shut on Mullagh as they strung together 1-6, a far greater tally than Mullagh’s four points in the same period. Tiernan Lohan, Cillian Roche and Sean McDonagh grabbed two points apiece, and it was Oisín Lohan who applied the finish past Paddy Hardiman, leaving the scoreline reading 1-8 to 0-8 after 23 minutes.

Skebellew finished the first half strongly, as Roche threw over four points in four minutes, two coming from play. McDonagh added another for his side, but Mullagh stayed in touch with thanks to Glennon and captain Conor Dolphin, leaving the sides five apart at the break and the interval score reading 1-13 to 0-11 in Dessie O’Brien’s side’s favour.

Mullagh got things back on track just three minutes into the second half as corner-forward Liam Curley tipped a dropping long range free into the Skebellew net, cutting the deficit to two. The sides then traded scores for the remainder of the third quarter, as Curley and Dolphin added points to carry Mullagh’s momentum, while Michael Lyons and Roche kept the Skebellew scoreboard ticking over.

Skebellew soon found their golden ticket as Oisín Lohan plucked a Mullagh puckout from the sky, handed it off to Darragh Newell, Lohan received the ball again and played it to McDonagh, who was fouled by Hardiman in the square. The penalty was awarded by referee John McDonagh and Sean McDonagh made no mistake in applying the finish into the top right corner, leaving it 2-15 to 1-14 with seven minutes remaining.

Roche added two more points along with one from substitute Michael Burke for Skebellew, while Glennon kept Mullagh within five points in the dying embers.

That gap evaporated in the 59th minute, as Cathal Dervan claimed a high ball, handed it off to centre back Sean Hardiman who cooly slotted the sliotar past Ben Murphy, giving Gerry Spellman’s side a fighting chance.

But it proved to be all in vain as Skebellew fought back and found scores through Tiernan Lohan and Roche restoring the cushion once again to three points.

A late chance flickered for Mullagh but wing-back Oisín Coen was unable to keep the ball under the crossbar and it raised an undesired white flag, sealing a crucial win for Skebellew.

Elsewhere in Group 1, Kilconieron pipped Beagh by 2-19 to 2-17 in Loughrea on Saturday.

SKEHANA-MOUNTBELLEW-MOYLOUGH: B. Murphy; L. Tully, P. Glynn, S. Hansberry; B. Horgan, O Colleran, J Fahy Hansberry; M. Lyons (0-1), J. Jordan; A. Cummins, S. McDonagh (1-3, 1-0 penalty, 0-2 frees), O. Lohan (1-1); T. Lohan (0-4); C. Roche (0-10, 0-6 frees), D. Newell. Subs: M. Burke (0-1), for Cummins, 43 mins; L. Gormally, for Jordan, 49 mins.

MULLAGH: P. Hardiman; L. Kennedy, S. Coen, F. Coen; O. Coen (0-1), S. O’Brien, S. Hardiman (1-0); R. Glennon, S. Glennon (0-7, 0-6 frees); D. Finnerty (0-2), D. Monaghan (0-1), A. Rocke (0-1, free); C. Dolphin (0-5, 0-2 frees), L. Curley (1-1), K. Coen. Subs: C. Dervan, for Monaghan, 41 mins; S. Cahalan, for Rocke, 49 mins; E. Ward, for Hardiman, 53 mins.

REFEREE: John McDonagh.

HERALD SPORT MAN OF THE MATCH: Cillian Roche (Skehana-Mountbellew-Moylough).