Glen Emmets secure Intermediate status

CTI Business Solutions Louth Intermediate Football Championship, relegation semi-final

Jamie Gilkes bagged the crucial score in this relegation clash as the Glen Emmets secured Intermediate Championship survival for another season with this narrow victory over Glyde Rangers in Dunleer in a game where the strong wind had a major say on proceedings.

Glyde Rangers who had a strong wind blowing at their backs as they were shooting into the clubhouse end of Dunleer for the first half, were able to take a five point into the lead at 0-6 to 0-1, and a possible shock of sorts looked on the cards.

Despite dominating possession for large parts, the Glen Emmets struggled in front of the posts, only managing 0-1 from 7 first half shots as they faced a tumultuous opening half gust.

Their sole score of that first half came after 90 seconds via a sweetly struck effort from Andrew Mooney, which opened the scoring for the Tullyallen side.

However, this was the only occasion that Stephen O’Meara’s side managed to trouble the scoreboard, as a combination of Glyde Rangers’ defensive set up and that strong wind, made life incredibly difficult for Emmets.

Backed by Co

nor Sheridan, Glyde defenders Mark and Darren McKeever also impressed alongside Jack McKeever at centre half as Glyde Rangers forced the Glen Emmets to cough up possession in attack, and shoot from awkward angles.

Following Mooney’s strike, marks from Killian Scott and Ciaran Sheridan put Collie Campbell’s side ahead by the end of the opening quarter.

When Glyde Rangers did win the ball back in transition, the Tallanstown side looked to hit Brian Duffy with the long ball at every opportunity. Lining out at the edge of the square, Brian Duffy’s battle with Glen Emmets’ defender Cathal Maguire made for interesting viewing, with keeper Ian O’Reilly forced to keep out a Brian Duffy shot almost straight from the throw up, after collecting a long ball from Tadgh Kellet.

Brian Duffy landed Glyde’s third score after 22 minutes following great work by Dion Conlon to win the Glen Emmets kickout, before fine defensive work from Conor Sheridan and Darren McKeever led to another point from long range from Tadgh Kellet.

Another turnover from Mark McKeever in the Glen Emmets half saw Killian Scott grab his second score, before a fine strike from Ciaran Sheridan gave Glyde that 0-6 to 0-1 lead at the break.

Second Half:

At the switch of ends, you expected that the Glen Emmets would respond to this adversity and get some scores on the board. However, those scores were slow in their arrival, with a free from Ian O’Reilly at least ending their long wait for a score five minutes after the restart.

The Glen Emmets’ second half alterations did have an impact on proceedings, with Ronan Grufferty helping to win several breaks in the middle sector from Glyde Rangers’ kickouts.

Grufferty was on hand to set up the lively Paddy McHugh for a point from play to leave three between the sides by the end of the third quarter. 

The second half saw the Glen Emmets win 8 out of 14 on Glyde’s kickout, as the Tallanstown side encountered problems in that relentless breeze, with some kickouts going straight out of play. Last year’s Junior Championship winners also briefly lost Tadgh Kellet to a black card in that second half.

In that final quarter, the Glen Emmets broke for the crucial score of the game, when Jamie Gilkes collected a wonderfully crafted kick pass from Kealan O’Neill before slotting past Glyde keeper David Brennan to level things up at 1-3 to 0-6.

O’Neill began to have a bigger influence on proceedings, finishing with 21 possessions over the hour. When James Butler’s strike with the outside of the boot flew over the bar, it was met with a huge roar from the Tullyallen faithful with both sides having their futures as an Intermediate team on the line.

Another free from Ian O’Reilly gave the Glen Emmets a two point lead with 5 minutes remaining at 1-5 to 0-6, as the Junior champions from 2021 found themselves in the lead for the first time since the opening few minutes.

Glyde Rangers failed to make headway in that second half gust, with a few shots into the breeze flashing wide, but sub Oisin Lynch did close the gap to a solitary point heading into stoppage time.

That may have been their only score after the restart, but it still led to a grandstand finish, but the Glen Emmets held on to fight another day in Intermediate, while Glyde Rangers will face Dundalk Young Irelands in a relegation play off final, in a bid to avoid a swift return to the Junior Championship for next year.

Glen Emmets: Ian O’Reilly (0-2) (2f); Brien Maguire, Cathal Maguire, Keith Boylan; David Bracken, Evan English, Conor Kelly; Sam Kenny, Andrew Mooney (0-1); Kealan O’Neill, Jamie Gilkes (1-0), James Butler (0-1); Alex Carolan, Paddy McHugh (0-1), Keefer Carolan.

Subs: Calum Wogan for Kelly (23), Ronan Grufferty for Boylan (42), Diarmuid Cullen for Keefer Carolan (42), Tom Grimes for Kenny (47).

Glyde Rangers: David Brennan; Darren McKeever, Mark McKeever, Conor McCullough; Tadgh Kellet (0-1), Jack McKeever, Gerard Bourton; Ciaran Sheridan (0-2) (1 mark), Adam Sweeney; Aaron Devlin, Dion Conlon, Leigh Byrne; Killian Scott (0-2) (1 mark), Brian Duffy (0-1), Conor Sheridan.

Subs: Oisin Lynch (0-1) for Devlin (39), Lee Finnegan for Conlon (44), Barry Brennan for Byrne (56), Fiachra Sheridan for Mark McKeever (61).

Referee: Cathal O’Brien (Geraldines).