Monivea-Abbey stay on track for return to senior

Cortoon Shamrocks 0-11

By Gerard Mulreaney at Tuam Stadium

FOLLOWING their heart-breaking relegation from the senior ranks 12 months ago, Monivea-Abbey are now just 60 minutes away from returning back to senior football after an emphatic seven-point victory over Cortoon-Shamrocks on Sunday.

Goals in each half from Glenn Kelly and substitute Paul Flaherty ensured that it would be Monive-Abbey who meet Kilconly in the Intermediate football final following their two-point win over Oileáin Árann at Pearse Stadium the previous day.

Kelly scored 1-6 for Monivea-Abbey in a dominant display by Francis Roche’s side in this Intermediate Championship semi-final at Tuam Stadium. Despite five points from Shane Kelly and three from Adrian Varley, Cortoon Shamrocks were beaten by the better team on the day and could have little complaint with the final result.

Cortoon Shamrocks welcomed back Joe Donlon to their starting line-up after he returned from working in Saudi Arabia. And he linked up well with Alan Banks for the game’s opening score. Banks won the ball the ball off Cathal Cooley and played a one-two with Donlon before tapping over.

Monivea-Abbey had a goal chance on six minutes when Phillip Muldowney went raiding down the right-hand side, turned inside Padraic Neenan but he ended up putting his effort over the bar instead.

A free from Glenn Kelly followed, before Donal O’Neill and Alex Fitzpatrick linked up to send Shane Kelly in to score a well-struck point to level the scores.

Pictured: David Finnegan of Cortoon Shamrocks on the attack against Monivea-Abbey's Philip Muldowney and Trevor Mullins during Sunday's County Intermediate Football Semi-Final at Tuam Stadium. Photos: David Cunniffe.