Carrickedmond progressed to the Longford SFC quarter-finals surviving a last gasp scare to beat Dromard.
Carrick, needed a victory to be certain of a place in the quarter-final. Ronan Corcoran’s last second shot came off the post as Carrickedmond scored a one point win.
A game that showcased the new Gaelic football rules was end-to-end throughout as Carrick scored a 19-points to 18 victory.
Two-pointers played a key role throughout with the opening two scores coming outside the big arc. Carrickedmond’s Brian Mulvey opening the scoring with a two-point-free on three minutes. Aaron Farrell with two-points from play two minutes later.
Dylan Vance fisted over a point on eight minutes putting Dromard ahead for the first time. Sean Kelly levelled the game up on 11 minutes.
Francis McGee scored his first two-pointer of the night through a free on 12 minutes. Carrickedmond were level on 16 minutes. Points from Pauric Dempsey and Brian Mulvey making it five-points each.
Francis McGee restored Dromard’s lead with a free on 19 minutes. Two converted frees from the impressive Eoghan McCormack moved Carrickedmond ahead eight minutes before half-time.
However, Dromard converted three two-pointer frees to lead at half-time. Francis McGee converting a two-pointer free and a free to move Dromard nine-points to eight ahead on 26 minutes.
Brian Mulvey converted a two-point free to level the game, before Franice McGee converted two two-point free’s to see Dromard lead 13-points to nine at half-time.
Carrickedmond needed a result to have any chance of progressing. With Granard on the way to beat Mostrim, a victory was required to secure a quarter-final place.
Eugene McCormack’s Carrickedmond were fast and effective in the second-half.
Mulvey added his second two-point free of the evening two minutes after the restart. Ronan Corcoran sent over Dromard first score of the second-half on 38 minutes.
Carrickedmond under pressure to claim victory
However, Carrick kicked three wides either side of Corcoran’s score as they trailed by three. A Eoghan McCormack two-pointer and two points from play from Dempsey saw Carrick take a one point lead.
Dromard struggled with Carrick’s speed. Bernard Sheridan brought Dromard level on 48 minutes with a free, their first score for 10 minutes. A McGee free moved Dromard 16-points to 15 ahead with 10 minutes remaining.
Liam Glennon brought Carrick level from the net play. Dromard were punished for dissent three minutes later, Eoghan McCormack taking a two-point free making it 18-points to 16.
Diarmuid Masterson made it a one point game with four minutes to play. As the clock struck 60 minutes, Eoghan McCormack sent over a one-point free his fourth dead-ball score of the day.
Dromard weren’t done as the referee signalled two minutes injury time. Masterson made it a one-point game in the first minute of additional time.
Dromard looked to work a score in the final play, a score which would send Carrickedmond to the relegation play-off.
Ronan Corcoran’s shot from inside the arc hung high in the Clonguish sky before catching the top of the right-hand post and bouncing back into play.
Alas, the ball bounced as the final whistle sounded top queue huge celebrations from the Carrickedmond bench as they sealed a one point win, 19-points to 18.
The win seals third place in group A. St. Mary’s Granard scored a 3-15 to 1-10 win which wasn’t enough as both sides enter the relegation play-off.
Dromard finish fourth with Carrickedmond third. Dromard will face the winner of Clonguish\Rathcline in group B with Carrickedmond facing the other side.
