Meelick/Eyrecourt U21s make no mistake in Co final replay
Meelick/Eyrecourt 3-11
Mullagh/Kiltormer 0-9
CAUGHT at the death first time around, Meelick/Eyrecourt led from pillar to post at the second time of asking to secure the title of 2018 U21 B county champions in Saturday’s replayed final in Killimor.
Returning to the scene of the previous weekend’s exciting drawn encounter, it was Meelick/Eyrecourt’s far superior scoring ability in the final third which saw them earn an 11-point victory, a margin, however, which does an injustice to Mullagh/Kiltormer who, although well outplayed, delivered a gritty and honest display.
It was all so much different this time around for Meelick/Eyrecourt who struggled out of the blocks in the drawn game, falling 0-5 to 0-1 arrears early on. In contrast, they led the replay by 1-4 to 0-0 after a mere six minutes.
Mullagh/Kiltormer won the toss and elected to play with whatever aid was coming from the strong, swirling breeze which blew predominantly across the field. Despite that though, Meelick/Eyrecourt shot out of the blocks with John Fleming opening the scoring inside 30 seconds off his left.
Better was to come for M/Eyrecourt and Fleming a minute later when the former Galway All-Ireland minor winner intercepted a loose Sean Frehill handpass before firing what appeared to be a mishit shot for a point. Fleming’s effort deceived Mullagh/Kiltormer goalkeeper Paul Whyte, however, and he spilled the ball into the net to hand Meelick/Eyrecourt a dream start.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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