Magpies take flight

Magpies take flight

16 September 2020

WHAT a performance this was from the mighty Magpies at Pairc Esler on Sunday evening. 

The reigning champions produced a performance for the ages against highly-fancied Warrenpoint on a near perfect evening weather-wise for football.

The win means it’s a ninth straight final for them, and a tenth in 12 seasons. First-time finalists Carryduff will be the opposition this Sunday. 

The pace of this game from the outset was frantic. By the end of the first quarter though the Seasiders would have been happier taking a 1-2 to 0-3 lead, Ross McGarry slotting home a penalty during this spell.

They were also reduced to 14 men for ten minutes with Niall McCartan receiving a black card. 

But Kilcoo didn’t panic and actually played much better when parity was restored in terms of numbers.

Late first half scores from Jerome Johnston and Niall Kane had them leading 0-8 to 1-3 at the interval.

Really, they should have been out of sight, but Gary McMahon in the ‘Point goal performed heroics and made three three brilliant saves. 

The second half of the contest was when the perennial winners really showed their undoubted class.

With Jerome Johnston in superb form and Dylan Ward dominating the middle third, things finally clicked.

However, with 20 minutes to go there were still only two points between the sides, Ryan Boyle and Ross McGarry keeping the Blues in touch. 

From here on though there only ever looked to be one winner with the Magpies producing some superb football.

Jerome Johnston scrambled a ball over the line before the water-break and from then on it was total dominance.

Their opponents couldn’t live with the pace, work rate and intensity of Mickey Moran’s men.

Alan Davidson scored a late consolation goal for CPN but Ward, Eugene Branagan, Johnston and Kane again fired over great points to send their side to yet another final.

Warrenpoint will be bitterly disappointed after a superb championship run, but on the night they ran into a lean machine in Kilcoo who delivered the goods once more in a big game. 

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

Warrenpoint: G McMahon, R McAleenan, P Murdock, A Lynch, R Boyle (0-1), J 

Boyle, R Magee (0-1), C McCartan, C McCartan, R Mallon, (0-1), R McCormack, Niall McCartan, Eoghan Byrne, 

Ross McGarry (1-3), Donagh McAleenan.  Subs used: A Magee, J Grant, A 

Davidson (1-0), C McLaughlin, S 

O’Hare. 

Referee: C Reynolds, (Downpatrick).

Kilcoo 1-18

Warrenpoint 2-6

MORGAN FUELS SFC SEMI-FINAL