Belmullet well beaten in Knockmore

SENIOR FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 1A

Knockmore 0-11

Belmullet 0-3

Mike Kelly in Knockmore

FOURTEEN-MAN Knockmore ran out comfortable winners against a disappointing Belmullet side on their home patch on a wet and windy evening.

Despite losing Shane McHale to two quick yellow cards in the second-half it was the home side who looked the more comfortable throughout and never looked like being caught by their opponents.

The visitors, playing against a strong wind, did open the scoring in the fifth minute when Daithi Cosgrove slotted over a free in front of the posts.

Three minutes later David McHale had the hosts level with a point from out on the right and in the 11^th minute a long range effort from Connell Dempsey pushed Knockmore into a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

Shane McHale almost rattled the Belmullet net on 14 minutes when a Keith Ruttledge shot dropped short and the midfielder beat Aaron Carey to the ball but his fisted effort came off the crossbar.

Caolan Hopkins pushed Knockmore’s lead out to three with a free and a point from play before the game’s big talking point as Connell Dempsey seemed to clash with Belmullet's Evan Ivers off the ball, but referee Paul Lydon missed the altercation as the play moved forward and Dempsey escaped any censure.

Cosgrove had a chance to hit the net for the visitors on 30 minutes when Oisin O’Donnell burst through the middle and passed to the full forward in front of goal but his low shot was well saved by Brian McMahon.

Two points from corner forward Aiden Orme left five between the sides at the half-time break.

The second period began as the first had ended with Hopkins and Orme both raising white flags as Knockmore continued their dominance.

Fionnan Ryan had a chance to bring Belmullet back into the game when he caught a long ball in front of goal but his shot from close range cannoned back off the crossbar.

Darragh Ó Muirithe eventually hit Belmullet’s second score of the game in the 41^st minute and Cosgrove added another two minutes later but that was the end of the Seasiders scoring efforts for the evening.

Orme grabbed two more for the home side before McHale received his marching orders in the 50^th minute and Pearse Ruttledge rounded out the scoring with an effort in the 52^nd minute. From there the game petered out to its inevitable conclusion.