Louth GAA club | Stabannon top IFC group after Glen Emmets draw
Stabannon Parnells 1-9 Glen Emmets 1-9
Stabannon Parnells survived a second-half fightback from Glen Emmets to secure the draw they needed to top Group One and advance to the Louth GAA Seamus Flood Cup quarter-finals at DEFY Páirc Mhuire in Ardee on Sunday afternoon.
Parnells appeared to be cruising when they led 1-6 to 0-2 at half-time, but Glen Emmets, who needed to win by at least four points to avoid a relegation play-off, produced a spirited response after the restart.
Keelan O’Neill’s penalty brought the Tullyallen men back into contention before James Butler helped them draw level late on, but they were unable to find the victory they required.
Glen Emmets entered the contest without Louth forward Conor Grimes, while Stabannon’s Harry Butterly passed a late fitness test after being forced off injured in their victory over O’Raghallaigh’s the previous week.
Stabannon made the brighter start, with Sean Reynolds opening the scoring inside the first minute. Dylan Shevlin then curled over a fine two-pointer off his right foot before adding another point in the seventh minute to put Parnells 0-4 to no score ahead.
Callum Wogan opened the Glen Emmets account after good work from Diarmuid Cullen before Cian Talbot-Gaynor reduced the deficit to two.
Stabannon quickly regained control as Jake Corrigan struck a first-time effort over the bar before Patrick Reynolds converted a close-range free.
The only goal of the first half arrived in the 22nd minute when Butterly drove a low shot into the corner beyond Ian O’Reilly.
Glen Emmets had opportunities to reduce the deficit but were wasteful in front of goal, leaving Stabannon with a commanding seven point half-time lead.
Half time: Stabannon Parnells 1-6 Glen Emmets 0-2
The Tullyallen side were much improved after the restart when O’Neill finished off a surging Emmett Delaney run with a point before Glen Emmets were handed a major opportunity in the 38th minute.
O’Neill took responsibility from the penalty spot and made no mistake, blasting the ball beyond Ryan Halpenny to reduce the deficit to three.
Patrick Reynolds steadied Stabannon with a free before Shevlin added another placed ball to restore a five-point advantage. Glen Emmets refused to go away, however, and Butler landed a two-point free with little under 10 minutes remaining.
Corrigan replied with his second point of the afternoon, but Butler struck an excellent two-pointer four minutes later to bring Emmets back within two.
O’Neill then landed his third point to leave just one between the sides as the pressure continued to build on Stabannon. Butler eventually brought Glen Emmets level with a close-range free as the game entered its closing stages.
The Tullyallen men even had an opportunity to land the score which would have put them ahead, but a two-point free drifted wide. That proved to be their final opportunity, and the whistle sounded with the sides locked together at 1-9 apiece.
While Glen Emmets had fought back impressively from seven points down at the interval, a draw was not enough to rescue their championship campaign.
Stabannon therefore finish top of Group One and advanced to the Seamus Flood Cup quarter-finals, with O’Raghallaighs taking second place and Glen Emmets dropping into the relegation play-off.
Full time: Stabannon Parnells 1-9 Glen Emmets 1-9
Stabannon Parnells scorers: Dylan Shevlin 0-4 (1tp, 1f), Harry Butterly 1-0, Jake Corrigan 0-2, Patrick Reynolds 0-2 (2f), Sean Reynolds 0-1.
Stabannon Parnells: Ryan Halpenny; Darragh Murray, Daniel Clinton, Aaron Dunne; Richard Rogers, Bobby Butterly (c), Jake Corrigan; Colm Giggins, Harry Butterly; Patrick Reynolds, Conor Clinton, Ryan Shevlin; Dylan Shevlin, Sean Reynolds, Alan Reynolds.
Subs: Paddy Farrelly on for Ryan Shevlin (42'), Charlie McBride on for Patrick Reynolds (59').
Glen Emmets scorers: James Butler 0-5 (1tp, 1tpf, 1f), Keelan O’Neill 1-2, Callum Wogan 0-1, Cian Talbot-Gaynor 0-1.
Glen Emmets: Ian O’Reilly; Brien Maguire, Keith Boylan, Lorcan Lynch; Andrew Mooney, Emmett Delaney, Callum Wogan; Cathal Maguire, Keefer Carolan; Ronan Carr, James Butler, Cian Talbot-Gaynor; Conor Wogan, Diarmuid Cullen, Keelan O’Neill.
Subs: Eoghan Maguire on for Keefer Carolan (HT), Ronan Grufferty on for Lorcan Lynch (48').
Referee: Paul Kneel (Kilkerley Emmets).