The top two teams in the league found themselves pitted against each other in the opening game following the league split. This time we had home advantage over Gortnamona and following our defeat last time out, against the same opposition, we were hopeful of putting the performance required to keep our chance of league success alive.
As with the first game both teams were very deliberate in the early stages, but we settled better this time and took an 0-4 to 0-1 lead after 13 minutes with Marcas Toner, Jay Maguire and Stephen McGivern (0-2) getting on the scoreboard, with the Gortnamona response coming from a pointed free. The next four points went the way of Gortnamona but a high ball in towards the large square was neatly flicked by Stephen Thompson to the Gort net to give us a two-point lead. Both teams added points from frees (Don Whelan) with the final score a Gortnamona point leaving the minimum between the sides at half time 1-5 to 0-7 in our favour.
Within two minutes of the restart, we were totally rocked as Gortnamona struck two goals, one from a long range shot which found its way to the net and the other a scrappy flick through a crowd of players, both definitely avoidable and from one up, we were now five in arrears. Both teams went on a three-point scoring exchange with Chris Gallagher scoring a long range free and Jay Maguire and Don Whelan adding to their tallies. Points from Cormac Maguire and Marcas Toner (f) reduced the deficit to a goal, but a Gortnamona point gave them the assurance score with time running out. In the dyng seconds Liam McCaffrey raced through the Gortnamona defence and fired a shot, goal bound which clipped the top of the crossbar and went over for a point leaving Gortnamona winners 1-11 to 2-11.
This was a game that got away from us and one we should have got something from, but we must now regroup for the remainder of the league games and do our utmost to secure the runners up spot.
Scorers: S Thompson 1-0, J Maguire 0-2, M Toner 0-2, D Whelan 0-2, S McGivern 0-2, C Gallagher 0-1, C Maguire 0-1 and L McCaffrey 0-1.
Click here for photos of the game.
