Lough play out a draw with league leaders Galbally

Loughmacrory 1-12 Galbally 2-9

THIS championship dress rehearsal drew a large crowd to Loughmacrory on Thursday evening and in the end both sides had to be content with a share of the spoils after a contest that could have gone either way.

Unbeaten Division One league leaders Galbally went into the game as favourites but at one stage they trailed their opponents by four points.

An Enda McGarrity goal though put them in front but they were unable to shake off a determined Loughmacrory side who drew level. As the contest entered injury time Conor Donaghy put the Pearses back in front but Loughmacrory had the final say when wing half back Stephen Grimes pounced on a breaking ball to send over a deserved equaliser.

Ruairi McCullagh opened the scoring from a free but Niall Quinn levelled matters with a fine effort from play from out on the right wing. Loughmacrory though were looking the better side in these early stages and they began to make that count on the scoreboard. Man of the match Cathal Donaghy sent over a terrific point from distance and after McCullagh had converted another free full forward Gareth Donaghy split the posts from play for a 0-4 to 0-1 advantage by the 11^th minute.

Both sides missing chances before Galbally’s leading marksman Daniel Kerr collected a quick free from Conor Donaghy to strike a fine point. Ion the 22^nd minute Loughmacrory full forward Gareth Donaghy was denied a goal by a good save from Galbally keeper Ronan McGeary before the visitors lost midfielder Ronan Nugent to a black card with McCullagh knocking over the resulting free.

Kerr converted a Galbally free but that score was cancelled out by an outstanding effort from long range from corner back Dara Curran. It was Galbally though who had the final say of the opening half when Joseph Corrigan drove at the Loughmacrory defence before landing a quality score to leave it 0-6 to 0-4.

It was Loughmacrory who had the opening score of the second half after a driving run from midfield from Cathal Donaghy but in the 34^th minute the sides were level. A long delivery in from Liam Rafferty broke and Kerr offloaded the ball to Conor Quinn whose shot took a deflection on its way to the net. Cathal Donaghy and Darragh Donaghy exchanged points before Galbally hit the front for the first time in the contest in the 42^nd minute with an outstanding score from fifty metres from midfielder Nugent.

Within sixty seconds Eoghan Donaghy ad levelled matters before Loughmacrory struck for their goal at the end of the third quarter. A high delivery into the danger area was punched out by Pearses goal keeper McGeary but the rebound fell to substitute Diarmuid Gallagher who found the back of the net.

Kerr responded with a free for Galbally and in the 52^nd minute the same player brilliantly won possession with two defenders forty metres from goal before offloading to Donaghy who raced through before fisting across for the inrushing Enda McGarrity to palm to the net.

Corrigan then won a free which Kerr converted and at that stage it looked as though the visitors would push on. Loughmacrory though stuck to the task at hand and a McCullagh free was followed by a Shane Dobbs point from play to level matters in the 58^th minute.

Good work from Sean Murphy and Aidan Carberry saw a Loughmacrory player penalised for holding onto the ball as they tried to get out of their defence and Conor Donaghy knocked over the resulting 13m free. There was still plenty of time due to injuries and there was to be more drama.

Six minutes into injury time the home side won a long range free and while McCullagh’s effort dropped short the ball broke to Grimes who swept over the equaliser. There was still time for Galbally to mount one last attack but Barry Carberry shot narrowly wide off the target as an entertaining affair ended all square.

The Scorers

Loughmacrory

Ruairi McCullagh 0-4 (4F), Cathal Donaghy 0-3, Diarmuid Gallagher 1-0, Dara Curran 0-1, Pearse Grimes 0-1, Eoghan Donaghy 0-1, Gareth Donaghy 0-1, Shane Dobbs 0-1

Galbally

Daniel Kerr 0-4 (3F), Conor Quinn 1-0, Enda McGarrity 1-0, Ronan Nugent 0-1, Conor Donaghy 0-1 (F), Joseph Corrigan 0-1, Niall Quinn 0-1, Darragh Donaghy 0-1