Mountbellew/Moylough 1-8

Dunmore MacHales  1-8

By Ivan Smyth at Tuam Stadium

COLIN Ryan’s 60th minute point helped Mountbellew/ Moylough escape with a share of the spoils against newly promoted Dunmore MacHales at Tuam Stadium on Saturday.

The Mountbellew/Moylough sub curled over a brilliant effort off his left boot to help his side overcome a poor second half display to maintain their unbeaten start to this year’s championship. Val Daly’s men can take heart from their late equaliser, but the 2021 county champions were below par in this group tie.

Even though they played against a strong breeze, Mountbellew/Moylough kicked just two points in the second half with Ryan’s effort their only score from play. After Barry McHugh’s free in the 32nd minute, they went another 28 minutes without troubling the scoreboard as they found Dunmore’s packed defence a difficult puzzle to solve. Sloppy turnovers marred this Mountbellew/Moylough display while another concern was James Foley being replaced at half time.

Dunmore will feel they could have won this game. After all, they led1-8 to 1-7 as the game ticked towards the three minutes of injury time. Colm Costello’s 53rd minute point moved Dunmore ahead for the first time in the contest as their pace on the break caused the favourites no shortage of problems.

Last year’s intermediate champions will reflect on Damien Redington being denied when through one on one with Damian Boyle in the second half. The Mountbellew/ Moylough shotstopper got his body in the way of Reddington’s low effort when his team led by two points. Although Boyle did subsequently touch the ball on the ground for a free, which Dunmore pointed, a goal would have given Dunmore huge belief.

Pictured: Danny Forde of Mountbellew/Moylough tussling for possession with Dunmore MacHales’ Conor Mitchell at Tuam Stadium.