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Gaels hold on for opening league victory. Parke 0-9 Mayo Gaels 0-10

November 8, 2018

Gaels hold on for opening league victory. Parke 0-9 Mayo Gaels 0-10

 
Our intermediate team got off the mark in Division 1C at the third time of asking at a wind swept Parke on Sunday afternoon when they held on for a deserved victory over the local side. Playing with the aid of a strong breeze the Gaels got off to a very sluggish start as Parke’s strong running style yielded two points from play in the opening four minutes. Adam Gallagher signalled his intentions and steadied the Gaels with two wonderful points from play as well as a free to leave the Gaels one clear. Parke levelled from play in what proved to be their final score of the half. The Gaels finally got to grips with Parke in the middle third of the pitch. This resulted in a purple patch of seven points in ten minutes which ultimately proved the winning of the game. The unerring Adam Gallagher kicked four frees with Shane Lyons and Jonathan Morrin adding point from play to leave the halftime score Parke 0-3 Mayo Gaels 0-9. The feeling among the Gaels supporters, who outnumbered the local support, at the break was that a six point lead should be sufficient for victory.
 
The opening minutes of the second period was a cagey affair with both sides struggling to find any penetration upfront. The malaise was finally broken with the score of the day by Adam Gallagher who fired a wonderful point from way out on the wing into the teeth of an ever strengthening wind to push the Gaels seven clear. This score would prove to be the difference at the end. Instead of taking inspiration from this score and pushing on to seal the game the Gaels were guilty turning over possession easily with careless mistakes. The frustrating tactic of carrying the ball into the tackle in the forward line allowed Parke to inch their way back into the game with four points from play and a free to leave two between the sides 0-8 to 0-10 entering the final minutes. It could have been worse for the Gaels but for some resolute defending by Shane Vahey, Adrian Heneghan, Martin Connor and Kevin Jordan. The Gaels supporters had some heart stopping moments as a Parke free left the minimum between the sides with time up. Parke had one final chance from long range that drifted wide before the referee blew the final whistle to give the Gaels two points. Lahardane are next up in the league in Abbey Park next Sunday.

 
Mayo Gaels team: Paul Mannion, Anthony Byrne, Adrian Heneghan, Kevin Jordan, Martin Connor, Kevin Lynch, Shane Vahey, Fintan Canavan, Adam Gallagher (0-8, 5f), Mallie Byrne, Niall Brett, Shane Lyons (0-1), Alan Morris, Jonathan Morrin (0-1), Danny Burke. Subs: Paul Walsh for Fintan Canavan, Liam Duggan for Alan Morris, Fintan Canavan for Shane Vahey, John Sloyan for Jonathan Morrin.