Senior League Final on Hold

Plans to have the senior football league completed before Christmas have been put dramatically on hold after the first semi final between Latton and Magheracloone was abandoned in the 18th minute of the second half on Wednesday night following an ugly melee that involved players from both sides.

The game was being played under lights in Corduff and was a niggly affair from the start but there was little to indicate the dramatic turn of events that unfolded. Latton led at half time b y 1-4 to 0-4, James Connolly getting the goal in the 11th minute. By the half way stage Latton had been reduced to 14 players when Ciaran Lennon was dismissed on a second yellow card two minutes into stoppage time. A second goal by Hugh McElroy six minutes into the second half put Latton five points in front with Tomas Freeman reducing the deficit to four a minute later.

The heated nature of the exchanges continued with both sides reduced numerically in the 13th minute when Edmund Lennon, Latton and Damien Freeman, Magheracloone, were both dismissed following another incident and it was when these players were leaving the field that the violence erupted. Referee Darren McQuillan abandoned the game four minutes later and the matter will now go to the Competitions Control Committee. When the match was abandoned it stood at Latton 2-4, Magheracloone 0-6.

Teams and Scorers:
Latton: Sean Farmer, Ruairi Ward, Edmund Lennon, Hugh Lennon, Ciaran Lennon, Stephen Fitzpatrick, John O’Brien, Eoin Lennon 0-1, Aidan Farmer 0-1, Noel Coyle, Owen Duffy 0-1, Kevin Hughes, James Connolly 1-0, Hugh McElroy 1-1, Bernard O’Brien.

Magheracloone: Paraic Doogan, Michael Jones, Paul Farnan, Paul Lambe, Peter Tuite, James Ward, Pete Ward, Francis Doogan, Francis Jones, David Freeman, Tomas Freeman 0-3, Paul Jones 0-1, Fintan Kindlon 0-1, Gavin Doogan, Damien Freeman 0-1. Subs: Keith Gilsenan for F Jones.
Referee: Darren McQuillan (C’Blayney).

Meanwhile Clontibret now await the outcome of the CCC deliberations to see who they will be playing in the final of the senior football league or whether there will be a final at all, following their one point victory over Doohamlet in the second semi final in Corduff on Thursday evening last.