Leinster club SFC: Goals the order of the day as Ardee edge Colmcille 

Ardee St. Mary’s weary legs carried them over the line. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

ARDEE ST. MARY’S 3-7 COLMCILLE 1-7 

A week on from Louth success, Ardee St. Mary’s weary legs carried them over the line against gutsy Longford champions Colmcille at home in Ardee.

On the edge of their own town, Ardee rolled out cavalry and they needed to do so as they were staring extra time or at worst defeat in the face.

Inspirational Colmcille captain Jack Macken landed his third free of the second half to make it a one-point game.

Having trailed by double scores 2-4 to 1-2 at halftime all the momentum was now with the travelling Longford men. However, in pushing for the levelling score they came a cropper.

Ardee half back Carl Gillespie intercepted the forced ball inside and found half time substitute Ronan Carroll.

Former county man Carroll-well used to his impact role after scoring four the last day off the bench-drove into open space and set up Shane Matthews for the match-clinching goal.

A simple finish but the relief echoed all round the provincial Louth town. Full of swagger, Matthews and Carroll indeed followed up with points to see out the game and provide the misleading scoreline.

In the opening quarter of the first half, Ardee showed their week’s celebrations by failing to score and looking very frustrated with Colmcille’s stout defending.

Macken and Philip McKeon found the target but red hot Dáire McConnon found the net twice in a flash off two turnovers high in Colmcille’s defence.

Despite the short lead, Longford champions were in full control but paid the price for two lapses at the back at the hands of county man McConnon.

Colmcille’s Cathal Reilly did punch home a goal in between the McConnon brace but Ardee looked primed to take over when Jonathan Commins and the aforementioned Gillespie found the target.

That takeover never materialised and instead the Longford champions gritted their teeth. Macken came to the fore and substitute Eoin Hawkins clipped over to set up the grandstand finish.

So worried were Ardee that they brought on their injured Louth player Tom Jackson with two minutes to play. Jackson would in fact be black carded in the finale after Colmcille felt the full brunt of Ronan Carroll’s impact.

Scorers for Ardee St. Mary’s: D McConnon (2-1), S Matthews (1-1), J Commins (0-3, 1f) Carl Gillespie (0-1), R Carroll (0-1) Scorers for Colmcille: J Macken (0-4, 4f), C Reilly (1-0), P McKeon (0-1), F Sheridan (0-1) and E Hawkins (0-1) 

Ardee St Mary's: J McGillick; P McKenny, K Faulkner, Conor Keenan; K Moran, E Malone, Carl Gillespie; RJ Callaghan, R Leavy; J Commins, S Matthews, L Jackson; Conor Gillespie, D McConnon, Ciarán Keenan.

Subs: Ronan Carroll for Ciarán Keenan (ht), D Matthews for Conor Gillespie (41), D Clarke for Commins (52), T Jackson for Malone (58).

Colmcille: N Farrell; C Grant, E Macken, G Mulligan; M Mulligan, R Harkin, D Reilly; J Macken, F Sheridan; R Hawkins, V Hourican, P McKeon; C McCabe, C Reilly, B McKeon.

Subs: E Hawkins for P McKeon (37), C McKeon for R Hawkins (42), D Mulligan for C Reilly (53).

Referee: A Nolan (Wicklow)