History makers! The first Longford club to reach a Leinster senior club football final

Mullinalaghta 2-15
Éire Óg 0-3

Conor McKenna reports from Glennon Brothers Pearse Park

MULLINALAGHTA ST COLUMBA’S booked their place in the Leinster senior club football final after a comprehensive 18 point victory over Eire Og, with the Carlow champions finishing the game with 12 players.

Mullinalaghta players celebrate their victory.

Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO

No Longford team has ever made it to a Leinster senior decider and it’s amazing that a tiny parish on the Longford/Cavan border will go into the final with a genuine chance of victory.

Mickey Graham has been named as Cavan manager and it looks a superb acquisition by their county board as the work Graham has done at Mullinalaghta has been truly remarkable.

Eire Og opted to put 12 men behind the ball at all times and it did not work as the Carlow side struggled to score while Mullinalaghta possessed nine different scorers on the day.

Mullinalaghta looked far more organised and far sharper throughout the match.

Éire Óg’s Ross Dunphy received a straight red card in first half stoppage time after an off the ball altercation involving Aidan Mc Elligott, with the referee showing Dunphy a straight red card after consulting with the linesman on duty.

Éire Óg almost had a goal early on with Christopher Blake’s effort saved superbly with six minutes on the clock but instead it was the Longford side who opened the scoring courtesy of half back Donal McElligott.

Mullinalaghta manager Mickey Graham

Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO

Christopher Blake equalised for Éire Óg but that was as good as it got for the Carlow champions with Mullinalaghta registering five points in succession to hold a 0-6 to 0-1 interval advantage.

It was never going to be easy for Eire Og playing with a man less for the second half and James McGivney’s goal with 44 minutes played gave his side a ten point advantage.

Eire Og would play the last quarter with 14 men after Christopher Blake was dismissed for two yellow cards and Mullinalaghta stretched their advantage to 13 points after a long ball in from Jayson Matthews was fisted to the net by Aidan McElligott.

The goalscorer was later forced to go off injured after an altercation with Eire Og goalkeeper Robert Moore, who was shown a straight red card as a result.

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Tempers flare between Éire Óg’s Robert Moore and St Columba’s Aidan McElligott.

Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO

Mullinalaghta pushed on for an 18-point victory that was fully deserved and will become the first ever Longford side to play in a Leinster club decider.

Joyous outcome for Conan Brady and Aidan McElligott.

Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO

Scorers for Mullinalaghta St. Columba’s: David McGivney 0-4 (3f), Aidan McElligott, James McGivney 1-0 each, Rian Brady 0-3, Donal McElligott, Brendan Fox, John Keegan 0-2 each, Gary Rogers, Jayson Matthews 0-1 each.

Scorers for Éire Óg: Darragh O’Brien 0-2, Christopher Blake 0-1.

Mullinalaghta St. Columba’s

1. Patrick Rogers

2. Simon Cadam
3. Patrick Fox
4. Conan Brady

6. Shane Mulligan
5. Francis Mulligan
7. Donal McElligott

15. Aidan McElligott
9. John Keegan

10. Gary Rogers
11. James McGivney
8. David McGivney

13. Jayson Matthews
14. Rian Brady
12. Brendan Fox

Subs

19. Conor McElligott for Aidan McElligott (53)
18. Michael Cunningham for Brady (54)
17. Luke Meehan for Shane Mulligan (55)
22. Cian McElligott for Matthews (59)

Éire Óg

1. Robert Moore

2. Fiach O’Toole
3. Mark Fitzgerald
4. Brendan Kavanagh

5. Jordan Lowry
7. Paul McElligott
12. Eoghan Ruth

10. Sean Gannon
9. Kelvin Chatten

30. Simon Rea
11. Jordan Morrissey
14. Darragh O’Brien

20. Ross Dunphy
8. Murtough Ware
25. Christopher Blake

Subs

6. Mark Furey for Morrissey (35)
17. Richie Mahon for Lowry (38)
27. Derek Hayden for Rea (40)
16. Gerry McGill for Ware (52)

Referee: Anthony Nolan (Wicklow).

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