AIB Ulster Club IFC quarter-final
Liatroim (Down) 0-9 Killanny (Monaghan) 0-7
THE football in the opening game in Páirc Esler wasn’t exciting but the lack of scoring contributed to an exciting finish that saw injury-time drama in the Liatroim goal area before they managed to break for Eoin McCrickard to fist over an insurance point and bring the Down champions into a semi-final with nearby Cullyhanna.
Yet, the opening few minutes had promised more. Conor McCrickard finished a neat move right from the throw-in with the first point and his brother Pearse Óg landed a free a couple of minutes later when Gerard McAnulty was fouled.
At the other end, Edward Walsh hit back with a free for Killanny. Conor McCrickard then could have taken a forward mark but went for goal and his shot came off the crossbar. Pearse Óg added his second score from a free after 11 minutes.
After that the game was more a snore-fest with Liatroim slightly the more dominant team, quick on the break, but getting caught with unforced errors in the final third.
At the other end, Killanny didn’t have one shot from open play until the 38th minute - and it dropped harmlessly into Erin Cotter’s arms.
The game was 58 minutes old before Edward Walsh, who had already scored four frees, landed Killanny’s first score from play.
Meanwhile, the Fontenoys were now also relying on shots from the dead ball. Pearse Óg managed one point from play after 22 minutes. He had converted four frees by the 49th minute and the Down team led by 0-7 to 0-4.
Cormac McElroy flashed a shot off the post when a goal would have killed the tie three minutes later, but then sub Chris Kelly-McEvoy fired over the score of the match from 40 metres to restore the three-point lead.
Deep in injury time, however, a lob into the Liatroim area was punched clear by Cotter with plenty of bodies around him. The Fontenoys survived and will have derby semi-final in a fortnight.
Teams
Liatroim E Cotter, S Óg O’Rourke, G McAnulty capt, M Owens, D Morgan, R McCrickard, C McElroy, L Middleton, E O’Hare, PJ Davidson, P Óg McCrickard, R O‘Hare, C McAnulty, C McCrickard, E McCrickard
Subs O Clarke for E O’Hare (22), C Kelly-McEvoy for D Morgan (46), C Owens for G McAnulty (62)
Killanny K Duffy, O Burns, R Duffy, R Berg, R Grimes, T Duffy, C Leegan, C Murray, D Connolly capt., M Vernon, S McMahon, E Walsh, D Leegan, K Collins, M Grimes.
Subs K Connolly for M Vernon (15), C Vernon for M Grimes (41), C Marry for K Collins (41), G Flanagan for S McMahon (51), D Traynor for D Leegan (55)
Scorers
Liatroim P Óg McCrickard 0-5, 4 frees, C McCrickard 0-2, 1 free, C Kelly-McEvoy 0-1, E McCrickard 0-1.
Killanny E Walsh 0-5, 4 frees, C Leegan 0-1 free, R Grimes 0-1.
Referee S Laverty (Antrim)
