‘Keeper Noone the hero in narrow win for Oughterard

MOUNTBELLEW-MOYLOUGH 1-10

By Alan Dooley at Pearse Stadium

NIALL Lee’s stoppage time goal for Oughterard may well have been the game’s decisive score as his side claimed second place in Group 1, but it was goalkeeper Ciaran Noone’s heroics between the posts that ultimately denied Mountbellew-Moylough at least a share of the spoils at Pearse Stadium on Saturday.

Three times in the closing stages Noone produced reflex saves of the highest calibre to deny Barry McHugh, Leo Donnellan and Sean Kelly as a wind-aided Mountbellew-Moylough side piled on the pressure in the eight minutes of additional time. They had chances to draw level which would have kept their hold of second place, but McHugh’s ’45 and a last gasp desperate effort from Colin Ryan sailed wide of the posts.

Lee’s goal on 62 minutes seemed to have wrapped things up for Oughterard, despite it being only their second score of the half, as it opened up a 1-11 to 0-9 lead. Mountbellew-Moylough’s response was swift, though, as Ryan palmed to the net with plenty of time remaining and Dara Newell floated over another score to leave the minimum between them.

But somehow that turned out to be the last score of the contest as Noone came to the rescue for Oughterard with an outstretched right hand after Ryan’s shot had been partially blocked and looped up into the air for Kelly to run onto and fist the bouncing ball goalwards from almost the edge of the square.

Goal chances spurned aside, Mountbellew-Moylough had control of this contest for large spells and despite playing against the strong wind led by a point with a little over six minutes to play in the first half. Crucially, though, Oughterard added seven points before the half concluded, with two-pointers by Enda and Matthew Tierney massively helping their cause.

The opening minutes belonged to Fergal O’Donnell’s men as they made light work of the conditions. A Barry McHugh free opened the scoring and was quickly followed by well-taken scores by Eoin Finnerty and Colin Ryan. Oughterard were sometimes careless in possession but eventually got off the mark when Niall Lee curled over a two-pointer with plenty to spare into the Town end on 11 minutes.

Already Oughterard manager Diarmuid Lee had decided that Eric Lee’s introduction was required and on his return from an ACL injury he made a significant impact. Mountbellew-Moylough were still managing to punch holes in their defence, though, and Leo Donnellan’s close-range shot was routinely saved before the impressive James Foley was off target.

Pictured: Niall Lee of Oughterard eyes up his options against Eoin Boyle of Mountbellew-Moylough during Saturday's Senior Football group tie at Pearse Stadium. Photo: Joe O'Shaughnessy.