Cárna-Caiseal come up short in semi-final

Cárna-Caiseal 1-9

By Daren Kelly in Ballinamore

Cárna-Caiseal’s ambitions in the Connacht junior Gaelic football championship ended in controversial fashion last Sunday as the breaks went Aughavas’ way in the closing moments before the Galway champions came up one point short in this semi-final.

With momentum growing, the Connemara outfit levelled for the second time with four minutes remaining before winning another free that could have resulted in going in front for the first time.

However, eagle-eyed officials were punishing the 4v3 breach all afternoon (Cárna-Caiseal profited from two decision earlier) and they called another in Aughavas’ favour, something that proved a game changer.

Suddenly, the green and white were ahead again through Darren Shortt’s free a minute into injury-time, and the same player doubled their advantage 60 seconds later.

But what really got under the skin of the travelling Cárna-Caiseal faithful, who made the three-plus hour trip to near the Cavan border, was the announcement of only two minutes of injury-time: with breaches, substitutions and hold ups, double that was the minimum expected.

Cárna-Caiseal launched one last assault, needing an orange or green flag. Dylan Seoighe put through Máirtín Ó Cualáin who went in close but sent the ball over the bar. They weren’t given another opportunity and Leitrim had a Connacht finalist for the first time since 2016.

“It’s a hard one to take,” said Cárna-Caiseal manager John Casey after the final whistle. “We had ample opportunity there to make a Connacht final, we just couldn’t put the ball over the bar.

“I was screaming at them to put it over the bar. We took some bad decisions as well, we could have recycled the ball maybe once or twice more, but I couldn’t have asked more of them.”

As frustrated as Cárna-Caiseal were - and supporters didn’t hold back their boos as Sligo official John Gilmartin left the field - they’ll reflect on chances missed that ultimately cost them. Eleven wides is a luxury not affordable when November Gaelic football kicks in.

After trailing by five points at half-time, the Galway side got back on terms within 10 minutes of the restart but never led. The late call against them was a cruel twist.

Following their first county title in 13 years, they needed a good start that didn’t come. Within two minutes, Aughavas were a goal ahead. Joey McBrien’s free into the danger area wasn’t dealt with and the ball broke to David Charles who got the ball over the line.

Charles was in for the suspended Adrian Shortt, one of two Aughavas players red-carded in their county final victory over Drumreilly: Cathal McNamara got his banishment overturned and lined out.

Pictured: Dylan Seoighe and Mikey Coleman Ó Flatharta, impressed for Cárna Caiseal.