Melview … 2-8 St. Emers 3-5

Match Report by Ray Donlon

St. Emers and Melview finish level in exciting contest

Close encounter between two town schools

Melview and St. Emers played each other in round four of this season school league in what will go down as one of the most exciting and nail biting games between these two local town schools. In the end it finished all level and was the fairest result after two great performances by both sides.

St. Emers were the stronger team in the first half with Melview coming into their own in the second half with their fighting spirit and never say die attitude earning them an all important draw. Final score after fifty minutes Melview 2-8 to St. Emers 3-5.

St. Emers recorded the first three scores of the game with the first of them coming from play from Neil Keenan, followed by Paddy McGeoy who fired over their next point of the game with St. Emers all over Melview in the first half with Paddy McGeoy then on the mark with St. Emers first goal of the game 

Melview’s first score of the game came from free converted by Robert Kennedy. Thomas Kelly then fired over a lovely point from play for Melview’s second point. Melview who had now started to play were all over St. Emers at this stage with Gary Reilly slotting their next over from play once again. Robert Kennedy smacked home a cracking goal from a penalty for Melview after the St. Emers back pulled down the Melview attacking forward in the box.

St. Emers came back with three scores on the trot with Hubie Connolly, Neil Keenan and the outstanding Tom Madden scoring a wonderful goal. To leave St. Emers ahead by four points at the break, St. Emers 2-4 to Melview 1-3.

Melview recorded the first score after the break with Thomas Kelly smacking over a lovely long-range point from play. St. Emers third goal was then fired home by Darren Flaherty, who hit a rocket of a shot on target. Melview’s Thomas Kelly who is always dangerous when he gets the ball then proved why with him then scoring 1-3 on the trot and without reply from St. Emers, with one of points from play and the other from play with the goal a brilliant shot from close range with him giving Melview a last minute lifeline.

Darren Flaherty point St. Emers next score with St. Emers only scoring 1-1 in the second half and in that fact it is a credit to the Melview backs with Harry Hughes in goals keeping Melview in the game on a number of occasions and was outstanding, but in fact the whole back line of Michael Farrell, Sean Monaghan, Daniel Philips, Matthew Dowler, Simon Kiernan and Padraig O’Reilly all had games that they should be proud of.

Melview who were two points down with time almost up dug deep with the whole fifteen from the keeper to the full forward with the likes of Robert Kennedy, Sean Flynn and Mark Valentine giving it everything they had and in the end it paid off with Melview getting them all important two scores with the Thomas Kelly slotting over two well-taken points.

In the end this exciting encounter between two schools enriched with very talented players finished all level. Final score from Longford Slashers was Melview 2-8 (14) to St. Emers (14).

MELVIEW: Harry Hughes; Michael Farrell, Sean Monaghan, Daniel Philips; Matthew Dowler, Simon Kiernan, Padraig O’Reilly; Thomas Kelly (1-6, one free), Robert Kennedy (1-1, from free); Sean Flynn, Mark Valentine, Gary Reilly (0-1); David Mimnagh, Paul Devine, Morgan Kelly.

SUBS USED:- Rory Higham for M Kelly (27 mins); Ciaran Devine for D Mimnagh (40 mins).

ST. EMERS: Daniel Monks; Philip Stakelum, Keith Belton, Sean Goldrick; Ian Grehan, Ronan Feeney, Aldemaro Augusto; Thomas Conway, Barry Trueick; Lorcan Connolly, Darren Flaherty (1-1), Tom Madden (1-0); Hubie Connolly (0-1), Paddy McGeoy (1-1), Neil Keenan (0-2).

REFEREE: Johnny Griffin.

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