A goal from James Carlin proved to be the difference as Letterkenny Gaels and Red Hugh’s played out a very competitive Division 3 clash on Saturday evening at Pairc na nGael.
Letterkenny Gaels 1-11Â Red Hugh’s 0-13
Cormac Cannon opened the scoring for the home team in the opening minute. The visitors responded with a good point from Colm Melaugh. Brian Diver kicked a good score for Gaels in the 6th minute before the Red Hugh’s free taker Damian Browne levelled matters.
Red Hughs kicked the next two scores through Cathal Doherty and a Browne free before Gaels full forward Conor McBrearty levelled matters with two quick scores. Pauric McMenamin restored the lead for the visitors in the 21st minute.
McBrearty converted two frees for the Gaels as Melaugh levelled matters as half time approached. The hosts then lost their influential midfielder Ciaran Cannon with a head injury before McBrearty gave Gaels a one point lead going in at the break. Gaels 0.7 Red Hughs 0.6.
Mikey Harte extended the Gaels lead with an early second half score and McBrearty put three between them by the 32nd minute.
Damian Browne converted for the visitors in the fourth minute before Sean McDonagh restored the home teams three point advantage. Then came Carlins goal which levelled matters. The home team restored their three point advantage with an excellent Conor Browne score and two more converted frees from McBrearty.
Gaels then lost centre forward Harte with a hand injury as Red Hughs took control. Browne, Melaugh and McMenamin all converted to level matters as the game went into injury time. Browne then converted what turned out to be the winning score after his initial shot went narrowly wide. Referee Pat Walsh ordered the free to be retaken as a Gaels player had not left the field after a substitution.
During the six minutes of injury time that followed the referee himself pulled up with an injury and Gaels did get a very late chance to level matters. A McBrearty free from a difficult angle went narrowly wide in the last kick of the game.
Letterkenny Gaels: S Graham, A Stewart, K Kilkenny, C Doherty, CBrowne(0.1), D Hunter, O McElhinney, L Doherty, C Cannon, B Diver(0.1), B O Brien, M Harte(0.1), C Cannon(0.1), C McBrearty,(0.8) S McDonagh.(0.1)
Red Hughs: C Kelly, C Doherty(0.1), S McGlinchey, D Irwin, G Melaugh, S McMenamin, R Kelly, D Browne(0.5), John Carlin, O Doherty, P McGlinchey, James Carlin(1.0), C Melaugh(0.3), R Gallen, P McMenamin(0.2).
Referee: Pat Walsh (Bundoran)
