Dromard hold their own to earn second chance

Moorefield 1-12 Dromard 1-12: Longford champions Dromard came very close to causing the upset of the competition when they held the reigning Leinster champions Moorefield after extra-time in this Leinster club football quarter-final at Newbridge yesterday.

A series of Moorefield attacks yielded a couple of early scores but by the eighth minute the visitors had levelled with a score from full forward Francie McGee and centre forward James Martin.

McGee put them into the lead with the game's fifth point but Moorefield went on to dominate for the rest of the half when county player Ronan Sweeney expertly converted a penalty after Philly Wolfe was fouled midway through the half.

The Kildare side were well in control until late in the half when McGee goaled somewhat against the run of play.

Wing back Donie Conefrey set up the chance and McGee's close-range shot cut Moorefield's half-time advantage to 1-6 to 1-4.

Dromard started the second half well and Martin scored first and Cian Mimnagh tied up the game for the second time with a point at the end of the next attack.

Patrick Murray edged Moorefield ahead with a free and Martin replied with a placed ball. Then Sweeney converted a free and Dromard levelled through McGee. His score took the game to extra-time and he tied up the game for the fifth time in the first period of extra-time after Murray converted a free.

Dromard led by a point going into the second period of extra-time but Paddy Murray scored three times for the holders.

Murray's final score gave Moorefield a slender lead and his side defended valiantly in the closing stages but they were unable to deny Martin the equaliser which brings the replay to Longford, next weekend.

MOOREFIELD: T Corley; I Lonergan, K O'Neill, P O'Flynn; K Murnaghan, G Naughton, J Lonergan; R Glavin, D Flynn; M Treacy, R Sweeney (1-3, goal from pen, two points from frees), C Kelly (0-2); P Murray (0-7, five frees), J Phillips, P Wolfe. Subs: D Whyte for Treacy, F Hanniffy for Wolfe, N Hurley L:ynch for Glavin.

DROMARD: D Sheridan; D Pettit, N Vance, P Jones; K Donohoe, C Conefrey, D Conefrey; N Reynolds, E McEntire (0-1); G Owens, J Martin (0-4, one free), P Masterson; D Masterson, F McGee (1-6, three points frees, one 45), C Mimnagh (0-1). Subs: D Sheridan for Reynolds, P McEntire for D Conefrey, P McNerney for P Masterson.

Referee: C Reilly(Meath).