Magpies fly high in Breffni Park

Magpies fly high in Breffni Park

8 December 2021

DOWN kingpins Kilcoo qualified for an Ulster semi-final after a good performance at Kingspan Breffni Park on Saturday evening, defeating Cavan-based Ramor United by 11 points. 

The Magpies, reigning Ulster champions, will meet Glen of Derry in the last four in what will be a massive clash in two weeks time. 

It was tit-for-tat early on but the home side got a massive confidence boost in the fifth minute via a well taken Sean McEvoy goal, their most impressive performer on the night. 

Kilcoo’s response was emphatic though, firstly Ceilum Doherty stuck over a nice point and then that man Jerome Johnston done what he does best and fired to the net to put his side into a lead they would never relinquish. 

Further scores from Ryan McEvoy, Shealan Johnston and Doherty again sent them in four up at the water-break. 

The second period of the first half turned out to be poor affair with both sides missing good scoring chances. However, the Magpies led by four on referee Niall Cullen’s short whistle. 

Ramor came out after the break and pressed high, and were rewarded with three scores in the first five minutes. 

Kilcoo didn’t panic and upped the ante immediately with two Paul Devlin frees settling things. Jerome Johnston and Eugene Branagan kept the scoreboard ticking and on the 45th minute the brilliant Ceilum Doherty found the net after great approach play by Dylan Ward. 

From here to the end, Kilcoo kept playing with that high tempo and the game was put beyond the Virginia men with six minutes remaining when man of the match Jerome Johnston found the net once again. 

Both sides emptied their benches as the game petered out, as the Down men came away with an impressive win. 

Mickey Moran and his management team will take great heart from many aspects of their team’s performance and will know only too well it will take this and more if they are to win against the Derry champions and reach back-to-back Ulster finals.

Kilcoo assistant manager Conleith Gilligan expressed mixed emotions as the local side look ahead to the semi-final stage.

“There was definitely some nice passages of play and, look, we were able to play the game at our own pace and as the competition goes on that won’t be allowed to happen,” he said.

“Once we got our legs moving, up to the first water-break we did very well. It was just that second quarter where we were on top but we didn’t take enough chances that would have put the game to bed and we allowed Ramor to live in the game right up to half-time.”

He added: “We didn’t need to be the best in the country tonight, we just needed to be better than Ramor and I think we were.”

Kilcoo: N Kane, N Branagan, R McEvoy (0-1), A Branagan, M Rooney, Anthony Morgan (0-1), E Branagan (0-1), D Ward (0-1), Aaron Morgan, C Doherty (1-3), J Johnston (2-2), S Johnston (0-1), C Laverty, R Johnston, P Devlin (0-3). 

Subs used: A Branagan, T Fettes, M Hynes, C Rooney and J Clarke. 

Ramor United: L Brady; D Bartley, B O’Connell, E Somerville; A O’Connell, Jack Brady, M Magee, L Caffrey, E Maguire; B Smith, S Cadden, C Maguire (0-1); James Brady (0-2), A Cole, S McEvoy (1-4). 

Subs used: G Mannion, K Maguire, P McNamee (0-1), J Bradley and L Lynch. 

Referee: Niall Cullen (Fermanagh).