Championship boost for St. Mel's in league title triumph

By Padraic O'Brien

St. Mel's have not enjoyed much success at senior level in recent years but the current squad were given a championship boost when they showed a lot of character in eventually overcoming the challenge of old rivals St. Pat's to win the North Leinster Colleges 'A' Football League title at the St. Loman's GFC grounds on Thursday last.

Played in extremely difficult wet and windy conditions at the Mullingar venue, the Navan school side (coached by former Meath star Colm O'Rourke) were guilty of squandering quite a few clear-cut goal chances during the course of this close encounter, including a costly missed penalty that was kicked wide by midfielder Conor Sheridan (son of former Longford Town soccer player Mick Sheridan) five minutes into the second half.

Apart from a few fine saves by competent St. Mel's keeper Colm Farrell, the post also came to the rescue of the Longford college but they played particularly well in the second half to establish a commanding 1-9 to 1-3 lead with wing forward Ciaran Farrell scoring a cracking goal in the 42nd minute after receiving the ball from Daniel Mimnagh.

After trailing by the minimum of margins at the break (1-3 to 0-5), St. Mel's hit the front when Mimnagh converted a couple of frees in quick succession and then the crucial goal materialised before the advantage was extended with a brace of excellent points from play by impressive chief marksman Mark Hughes with the Longford minor ending up with 0-6 to his credit.

That was really putting it up to St. Pat's but they finally got their scoring act together with corner-forward Nicky O'Brien firing home a couple of well-taken goals in the 52nd and 54th minutes which left the sides all square and moments later they took the lead with midfielder Ciaran Fitzsimons landing a great point.

But St. Mel's kept plugging away and their perseverance was rewarded when referee Sean Carroll awarded a penalty for a foul on Ronan McGowan and Morgan Kelly made no mistake in firing home the matchwinning goal in the 58th minute, a great lift for the team managed by Jimmy Gacquin in the build-up to the Leinster Championship first round game away to Athlone Community College on December 8th.

St. Mel's worked really hard to achieve this title triumph but there is still plenty of room for improvement. They recovered well from the setback of conceding a goal with just two minutes gone in the game when St. Pat's corner-forward Paddy Kennelly planted the ball in the corner of the net and the same player missed a glorious chance soon after when hitting the post from close range.

A second Navan goal at that early stage would have left St. Mel's in serious trouble but they managed to remain in contention thanks to a brace of fine points from play by Mark Hughes. A few chances were missed by the Longford side in the first half including a goal attempt which was saved on the line and the sides then shared four converted frees with Cathal Smith (St. Pat's) and Killoe clubman Hughes exchanging the scores.

Dylan Regan (free) was then on target for St. Pat's and while St. Mel's midfielder Ciaran Casserly replied with a wonderful inswinging point, it took a very brave goal-line block by defender Karl Murray to prevent the Meath side scoring a second goal on the stroke of half-time.

Murray got injured in the process of clearing the danger and was replaced by Morgan Kelly at the start of the second half with St. Pat's bringing on a few substitutes at this same stage of the game and with three minutes gone on the changeover the St. Mel's keeper Colm Farrell made a great save to keep his net intact.

The Longford college then proceeded to enjoy their best spell of the game that yielded 1-4 on the trot to open up a six-point lead. But St. Pat's came storming back to wipe out the deficit after scoring 2-1 in the space of three minutes and were looking the likely winners before the late Morgan Kelly penalty goal swung the issue in favour of St. Mel's as a sweet victory was achieved.

ST. MEL'S: Colm Farrell (Longford Slashers); Emmet Clarke (Young Grattans), David Lennon (Killoe), Niall Sheridan (Mostrim); Karl Murray (Young Grattans), Conor Clarke (Longford Slashers), David Mahon (Kilglass Gaels); Andrew Dalton (Longford Slashers), Ciaran Casserly (St. Barry's, Tarmonbarry, 0-1); Daniel Mimnagh (Killoe, 0-2, frees), Mark Hughes (Killoe, 0-6, two frees), Ciaran Farrell (Longford Slashers, 1-0); Aaron Madden (Rathcline), Brian Walsh (Longford Slashers), Ronan McGowan (St. Barry's, Tarmonbarry).

Subs:- Shane O'Connell for N Sheridan (13 mins); Morgan Kelly (Longford Slashers, 1-0, penalty) for K Murray (injured, half-time); Stephen McLoughlin (Clonguish) for A Madden (56 mins).

ST. PAT'S, NAVAN: Robert Burlingham; Niall Coughlan, Oran Fitzpatrick, Gary Power; Liam Burke, Alan Forde, Colin McGrane; Conor Sheridan, Ciaran Fitzsimons (0-1); Dylan Regan (0-1, free), Cathal Smith (0-2, frees), Conall Shaw; Paddy Kennelly (1-0), Fiachra McEntee, Nicky O'Brien (2-0).

Subs:- Mark Gardiner for C McGrane (half-time); Dean Curran for D Regan (half-time); Barry Dardis for C Smith (half-time); Ruairi Collins for P Kennelly (half-time); Conor Fahy for C Shaw (49 mins).

Referee: Sean Carroll (Westmeath).

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