Paddy Moran inspired Killoe to a comeback win against an impressive St. Mary’s Granard as they opened their Longford SFC campaign.
Moran fired in 1-8 including seven frees as Killoe scored a 1-17 to 1-15 victory.
60 seconds were not even on the clock when Ciaran Donohoe opened the scoring. Jamie Brady Hynes cancelling the score out nearly immediately.
Eamon Keogh restored Killoe’s lead seconds later with Brady Hynes equalising two minutes later. However that was the queue for Killoe to take control.
Two Paddy Moran frees had Killoe two clear on eight minutes. When Moran race straight through the Granard rear-guard to land a goal, one feared a heavy score-line.
Moran landed his third point of the day and first from play on 13 minutes as Killoe led 1-5 to 0-2. However, Darren Gallagher led Granard’s resurgence.
Gallagher converting a 15th minute penalty after Shane McManus pulled Jordan Martin to floor in the large square. Free’s from Gallagher and Brady Hynes made it a one point game on 20 minutes.
Gavin Farrelly restored Killoe’s two point lead a minute later. However, Gallagher converted a two-point free two minutes later to level the game.
Paddy Moran took advantage of an advanced free a minute later to restore Killoe’s lead. However another two-point Gallagher free, this one advanced moved Granard ahead for the first time in the game, two minutes before half-time.
James Moran edged Killoe back in-front with a two-point free before Gallagher converted an injury time 45 as the sides were tied 1-9 each at half-time.
Killoe nearly started the second-half as they did the first, however Eamon Keogh’s early shot came off the post.
Granard kicked six wides
Mícheál Hynes converted his chance moments later to move Granard 1-10 to 1-9 ahead. Paddy Moran and Jamie Brady Hynes exchanged frees before Brady Hynes sent over the game's first two-pointer from play.
Granard led 1-13 to 1-11 at three-quarter time. As Garnard soared Killoe boss Jimmy Higgins ran the impressive Killoe bench to great effect.
Paddy Moran converting a 47th minute free. Granard would rue the next 60 seconds, first kicking a loose wide before Michael Hughes did brilliantly to deny Mícheál Hynes a goal.
Ryan Keogh marked his introduction from the bench to make it a one point game with 10 minutes remaining. Killoe hit the front when James Moran converted a two-point free, two minutes later.
Darren Gallagher squared the game up with an excellent 45 with five minutes remaining. However Killoe had more in the tank. Two Paddy Moran frees making it 1-16 to 1-14.
Jamie Bray Hynes made it a one point game in the 60th minute. Whereas, Ronan Keogh worked in on goal to fist a point in the first minute of injury time as Killoe led by two.
Granard used the clock to work a two-point attempt, however the effort ended up well wide as Killoe won out 1-17 to 1-15.
Scorers: Killoe Emmet Og: Paddy Moran 1-8 (7f), James Moran 0-4 (2’2pf), Ciaran Donohoe, Eamon Keogh, Gavin Farrelly, Ryan Keogh, Ronan Keogh 0-1 each.
St. Mary’s Granard: Darren Gallagher 1-7 (1pen, 1f, 2’2pf, 2’45), Jamie Bray Hynes 0-7 (3f, 1’2p) Mícheál Hynes 0-1
Whereas, in Group B on Friday night, Abbeylara opened with a win over Fr. Manning Gaels. Elsewhere, Clonguish scored a big 14-point win over Longford Slashers to open their campaign.
