Loughinisland move sweetly into last four

Loughinisland move sweetly into last four

4 November 2015

LOUGHINISLAND overcame a stern test at Healy Park, Omagh, on Sunday when they clinched a place in the semi-finals of the Ulster Intermediate Club Championships at the expense of Tyrone champions Edendork.

In a tough opening encounter neither side were prepared to buckle and defences were worked to the maximum as both sides battled strenuously to avert conceding the first score.

Play was fast and frantic and both sides were guilty of missing scoring opportunities during the opening ten minutes.

In the 12th minute Loughinisland were dealt a blow when Gareth Johnston collapsed clutching his right knee, which resulted in Paddy McKenny coming on to replace him.

The Blues notched up the first score of the game in the 16th minute when Stefan Mason, Rory Mason and Conor Megoran linked well together to carve out a chance for McKenny and he bent a left-footed beauty over the bar.

Four minutes later John McCarthy hit the turf when racing through and from the resulting free Rory Mason put his side two up.

Straight from the kick-out Loughinisland had the ball once more with Seamus O’Hare picking out Dan Gordon, who made ground before putting the bar over the bar.

Conor Megoran cut in from the sideline past defender Tommy Lowe to put his side four points ahead as the ball zipped from his right boot over Dara Mallon’s crossbar.

Towards the end of the half Edendork were dealt a blow when their influential midfielder, Conn Kilpatrick, received a black card following an off-the-ball incident with the roving Stefan Mason, which earned his side a free and another point as Rory Mason struck the ball over the bar.

The Blues were looking well organised by this stage and went further ahead when Seamus O’Hare took a quick free to Aaron McClements and the towering forward wasted no time in slotting the ball between the uprights.

A minute into stoppage time Edendork finally registered their first score of the game when Tyrone county star Niall Morgan fired over a point from long range.

The game burst into life during a frantic opening five minutes of the second half as Rory Mason put Loughinisland further ahead seconds after the throw-in.

Edendork replied almost immediately and the Blues were rocked when a high ball into the Loughinisland goalmouth ended with John McGuckin flicking to Jake Ferguson, who found the back of the net. 

Two points in the space of a minute from Darren McCurry and Jake Ferguson closed the gap to one point with the Edendork side looking intent on taking the game to their Down opponents.

Eight minutes into the half the Tyrone side took the lead when another high ball fell kindly to Ferguson who wasted no time in slotting it to the net.

This was a pivotal point in the game and when Edendork went two points up through Harry O’Conlon the Down side had questions to answer.

Captain Dan Gordon rose to the task when the Blues needed a leader and with 20 minutes left Rory Mason closed the gap to a point before Conor Megoran found John McCarthy who levelled the game.

Loughinisland grabbed their only goal when Stefan Mason, who was given the freedom to roam the pitch throughout the game, got on the end of a Mallon kick-out and worked a move with Rory Mason, which created a chance for Conor Megoran to find the net.

The full forward could only palm the ball onto a post and just when it looked like the chance was gone Rory Mason latched on to the ball and sent a screamer past Mallon.

Paddy McKenny increased the lead to four points with his second of the game and with seven minutes left Stefan Mason picked out Aaron McClements, who duly accepted the invitation to slot over Loughinisland’s final score of the match.

Edendork replied with a point from Conor O’Rourke before Donegal referee Shaun McLaughlin blew the final whistle as Loughinisland fans celebrated in the stands.

Jerome Johnston’s side now face Monaghan champions Doohamlet O’Neill’s in the Ulster IFC semi-finals to be played on November 15.

Loughinisland: K Gordon, P Digney, P Megoran, R Nixon, D McLoughlin, J Flynn, C O’Toole, D Gordon (0-1), G Johnston, R Mason (1-4), S O’Hare, A McClements (0-2), S Mason, C Megoran (0-1), J McCarthy (0-1). Subs used: P McKenny (0-2) for G Johnston, R Deegan for R Mason, R Stranney for S O’Hare, C Killen for S Mason.