Naomh Padraig, Uisce Chaoinn 0-12 v 0-8 St Comgall’s
Economical Naomh Padraig, Uisce Chaoin had a historic win in the Ulster Club JFC after disposing of Antrim counterparts Naomh Comhghall in Letterkenny on Saturday.
The Donegal side led from the start with the cultured Jonathan Toye, Kevin Lynch and Kevin Dohery in top form and they made light of the absence of key striker Kevin Lynch.
They deservedly led by five points at the break on a score of 0-8 to 0-3.
Outgunned Naomh Comghall mounted a mini-revival but never looked like overtaking the Tír Chonaill champions.
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Toye and Naomh Comhghalls Ryan Clarke swapped early points with the impressive Toye and Dylan Murdock exchanged points before Cormac McColgan, Kevin Doherty and Toye left it 0-5 to 0-2.
McColgan clipped over two points and Clarke replied-but it was the Muff men who had a five points advantage at the break.
The visitors looked more purposeful on the resumption as Doherty and Tom Patchett exchanged scores and Murdock made it 0-9 to 0-5.
Toye and Patchett traded scores as Drew McKinney closed out the scoring for the winners.
Naomh Padraig Uisce Chaoin scorers: J Toye (0-5, 0-2 frees), K Doherty (0-3, 0-2 frees), C McColgan (0-3), Drew McKinney (0-1)
Naomh Comhghall scorers: T Patchett (0-3 frees), D Murdock (0-2), R Clarke (0-1), James McCabe (0-1).
Collegeland 1-14 v 1-13 Dromara
Armagh champions Collegeland nudged their way passed Dromara in a dramatic and exciting Ulster JFC quarter-final at Pairc Esler. Extra time was required to separate the sides, and in the end, one point was the difference.
Substitute Oliver Murphy was the hero for Paul Doyle’s men, hitting 0-2 after being introduced, including the winner. Dromara will rue their missed chances, particularly the late wide from Colm Kelly, who pulled his free right of the post.
Having led by five points in normal time due to a Brendan McNeill goal, it looked as though Dromara would waltz to victory. But Collegeland had other ideas, and they dominated the second half of normal time.
Dromara edged ahead at the end of the opening period, thanks to a Brendan McKey mark, leaving them 0-9 to 0-7 ahead at halftime.
McNeill’s goal, which came from a long ball in which the Collegeland defence failed to deal with, drove them into a 1-9 to 0-7 advantage.
Collegeland really caught fire, and it was their deadly inside duo of Caolan McQuaid and Adrian Trainor that pulled them back into the game. The pair combined for Collegeland’s major, and 1-2 from McQuaid gave them a one-point lead.
Kelly landed the equaliser that brought the game to extra time where both sides missed opportunities. Luke Savage and Murphy swapped scores before James Kelly put Collegeland up by one at halftime of extra time.
Savage tied things up, but Murphy slotted over a close range free and that was enough to see Collegeland qualify for the semi-finals.
Collegeland Scorers: C McQuaid 1-6 (2f), Jason Kelly 0-2 (1f), O Murphy 0-2 (1f) James Kelly 0-1, S McKenna 0-1, N McParland 0-1, P McGeary 0-1.
Dromara Scorers: L Savage 0-4 (2f), C Kelly 0-3 (3f), B McNeill 1-0, B McKey 0-3 (1m), C Flanagan 0-2, P Flynn 0-1.
Aghadrumsee 1-09 v 1-10 Drumhowan
Drumhowan advanced past the challenge of Aghadrumsee at Shamrock Park to confirm their place in the final four of the Ulster Junior Club Championship.
A tight ending saw Aghadrumsee spurn two chances in the final moments as Caolan Reilly’s point with two minutes to go proved to be the winner.
Darren Kearns kicked the opening point of the game for the Erne side with Drumhowan then hitting three wides before Tom Doherty got them off the mark, followed by a Liam McGurk point.
Martin O’Hara put the Magpies back in front when his shot was saved but the forward punched the ball into the net on the rebound.
Eddie Courtney’s free was answered with points from Drumhowan’s Reilly and Doherty.
Courtney converted another before McGurk quickly replied at the other end as he slipped in a near post goal after a quick hand-passing move.
Killian McAdam pointed in between frees from Aghadrumsee’s Courtney and Aiden Bannon to leave the halftime score at 1-05 apiece.
Aodhan Durnian slotted over a long-range point to start the second half scoring with Reilly on target a few minutes later.
Another Bannon free was met with three Drumhowan points in a row to make it 1-09 to 1-07 with less than ten minutes to go, as McGurk and Kevin Mooney (2) pointed.
A driving run from midfielder Damien McCarville cut the gap to one but a strike from Reilly, which skyrocketed into the clouds, dropped between the posts to the roars of the Drumhowan support and, despite a Durnian point in injury time, the Monaghan champions held on to march into the semis.
Aghadrumsee: Eddie Courtney 0-03 (3F), Aiden Bannon 0-02 (2F), Martin O’Hara 1-00, Aodhan Durnian 0-02, Darren Kearns 0-01, Damien McCarville 0-01.
Drumhowan: Liam McGurk 1-02, Caolan Reilly 0-03, Tom Doherty 0-02, Kevin Mooney 0-02, Killian McAdam 0-01.
Knockbride 1-07 v 1-10 Craigbane
A performance laced with hunger helped Craigbane to victory on Sunday in Kingspan Breffni as they booked a semi-final spot.
The Derry champions led by five points before Lorcan Reilly tapped over the Cavan side’s first score on the cusp of half-time.
It was 48th minute goal from Jude McLaughlin that shot Kevin Moore’s side back into the driving seat, 1-6 to 0-4, after the home side dug themselves back into the game.
Before that, Ben O’Kane made a save to deny Liam Fay as Knockbride enjoyed their spell.
The ‘keeper breathed a sigh of relief when Matthew Traynor failed to even register a score with a goal for the taking with a later chance.
In a frantic second half, it was Craigbane who had all the answers in the big moments with Ben Mulvey’s late goal not enough to turn the tide.
Lee Moore – who hit 0-5 overall – and Jude McLaughlin set the tone with early scores as Craigbane tore into the game from the off.
Two Fergal Mortimer points doubled their lead with Moore adding two scores for a 0-6 to 0-1 interval lead.
Points from Ciarán Smith and Fay cut the Craigbane lead to two points by the end of the third quarter before the game’s crucial first goal.
After an Oisin O’Donnell turnover, Jude Óg Moore ferried the ball upfield and after Aaron Sharkey’s shot came back off the bar, Jude McLaughlin slotted cooly to the net.
The end-to-end nature of the game continued but Moore and Conor McLaughlin shot two points in a minute to open a 1-9 to 0-6 lead.
When Bliain Gormley blocked a certain goal, Knockbride hit the net from the resultant 45 with Mulvey applying the finish.
Possession was the key word and when Jude Óg Moore fielded from the kick-out, experienced duo Gormley and Brian Rainey began the attack that led to Jude McLaughlin’s insurance point from a free.
Craigbane: L Moore 0-5 (2f), Jude McLaughlin 1-2 (1f), F Mortimer 0-2 and C McLaughlin 0-1
Knockbride: B Mulvey 1-0, L Reilly (2fs), C Smith (f), L Fay 0-2 each and M Smith 0-1