Kilcoo fall at first hurdle in Ulster

Kilcoo fall at first hurdle in Ulster

22 October 2014

THERE will be no further flight from the Magpies in 2014 as Jim McCorry’s Down champions suffered last gasp heartache against a well organised Clontibret offering.

The game was well into injury when Dessie Mone appeared at the back stick to punch to the net after getting on the end of a shot from Michael O’Dowd.

Mone’s last-gasp winner was made all the sweeter as his team played a large chunk of the game with only 14 men after Paul McGuigan received his marching orders early on.

Kilcoo will be gutted with the outcome.

Their performance wasn’t up to scratch with a failure to convert chances and some ropey tackling at the rear being their downfall.

It was Monaghan county star Conor McManus who got the scoreboard up and running with an early free. Jerome Johnston and Conor Laverty soon had Kilcoo ahead, but a free from McManus levelled.

McCorry’s charges were very much in control at this stage especially in the middle third and two Darragh O’Hanlon set pieces had them 0-04 to 0-02 ahead.

A defining moment then arrived when Kilcoo spurned two glorious goal chances. Jerome Johnston’s original effort smacked a post.

The rebound fell to Gerard McEvoy and his drive smashed the other post before a Clontibret defender cleared his lines.

A third McManus free pulled his team back into the equation, but their hopes then suffered a blow when Paul McGuigan saw black and then red.

Stephen Kane’s rebuttal of a Vinny Corey strike drew applause from the crowd before Clontibret levelled. Conor Laverty and Paul Devlin then guided their team back into the lead, but yet another McManus free left Kilcoo in charge by the minimum at the break.

Kilcoo’s persistent fouling at the start of the second half gifted McManus another two converted frees as Dom Corrigan’s outfit went one up.

Darragh O’Hanlon was soon on hand to level the contest. It was now a battle of tactics as Clontibret drafted all their foot soldiers into their defence.

Kilcoo looked perplexed as to how to counter and they simply had no answers. McManus had another two majestic frees sail over the bar to swing the game back into his team’s favour.

In fairness Kilcoo began to up the ante as Ryan Johnston and Darragh O’Hanlon restored parity.

Conor Laverty then squandered a good goal chance as the wood work denied his side a third time. Jerome Johnston blazed over the rebound to put the Down side one up.

With six minutes remaining Niall Branagan was lined, but Kilcoo continued to push forward with Donal Kane swinging over to establish a two point cushion.

Victory looked near assured for the Magpies as the game entered the second minute of injury time.

The forcefulness of Eoin Greenan set up O’Dowd whose rasping hit found its way to Mone who delivered the goods.

It wasn’t to be for Kilcoo as Jim McCorry ended a historic tenure in charge with a gut-wrenching defeat.

Kilcoo: S. Kane, N. Branagan, A. Branagan, D. Branagan, D. O’Hanlon (0-4, 3f), N. McEvoy, Gerard McEvoy, P. Greenan, F. McGreevy, R. Johnston (0-1), C. Laverty (0-2), P. Devlin (0-1f), J. Johnston (0-2), A. Morgan, M. Devlin. Subs: J. McClean for F. McGreevy, D. Kane (0-1) for A. Morgan, Gary McEvoy for M. Devlin.

Clontibret: C Fadian, D. Mooney, C. Greenan, A. Curran, D. Mone (1-0), C. Boyle, P. McGuigan, V. Corey (0-1), E. Greenan, M. Corey, C. McManus (0-8f), P. Boyle, C. Lavelle, B. Greenan, F. Mone. Subs: R. McGuigan for P. Boyle, JP Mone for E. Greenan (BC), M. O’Dowd for F. Mone.

Kilcoo 0-11

Clontibret 1-9

ULSTER SFC PRELIMINARY ROUND