THE agony of relegation collided with the ecstasy of promotion as Clonoe lost their place in Tyrone football’s top tier, to be replaced y a triumphant Moortown side that came out on top by 2-12 to 1-9 in a tense play-off at Ardboe.
Goals from Conor McVey and Liam Lawn sealed victory for the loughshore men, sending them back up to Division One after a season at intermediate level.
Clonoe, who had taken Errigal Ciaran to a senior championship replay just a few weeks ago, were unable to handle the energy and pace of a young St Malachy’s outfit that settled into the game after a nervous start to this promotion/relegation play-off.
“It’s the hardest way to do it, but it’s the biggest prize, to become a senior team,” said Moortown manager James Conway.
Cookstown joint-manager Jason Quinn doesn’t underestimate the challenge of Four Masters in the Ulster semi-final
“It was tough on my mum and dad. I knew I was self-destructing. And I also knew the next phase of that, if I had carried on, it was not being here. I was in a very dark place...” - the life and times of Caolan Mooney
“If you put in the hard work and you train hard, anybody can do anything for any team.
“I wanted to build a team that would be ready for senior football, and next year they will be a lot stronger, with men coming back from injury.”
Connor McAliskey, Fintan McClure and Declan McClure had early Clonoe points, but they went 22 minutes without a score as Moortown grew into the game, going ahead for the first time through Mattie Conlon, before a couple of spectacular long-range efforts from midfielder Sean Kelly nudged them four clear.
They led by 0-7 to 0-4 at the interval, but were pinned back for the first 10 minutes of the second half by the O’Rahillys who went level through PJ Lavery.
But all their good work was undone as Moortown broke away for corner-back McVey to rifle home a goal.
It was a crushing blow for a Clonoe side that struggled to recover, but they did narrow the gap to a point with a McAliskey goal from a 51st-minute penalty.
However, it was the promotion-chasing St Malachy’s who finished with a flourish, Liam Lawn grabbing a deflected goal and Shea Lawn sealing it with his third point.
Scorers
Moortown L Lawn 1-1; C McVey 1-0; S Lawn 0-3 (0-1f, 0-1 45), R Smith, M Conlon & S Kelly 0-2 each; P Quinn & T Quinn 0-1 each
Clonoe C McAliskey 1-2 (1-0 pen, 0-1f); F McClure & D McClure 0-2 each; PJ Lavery, D McGrath & J Taggart 0-1 each
