10th Title For Fianna

Sunday 21.10.2018

Championship Football

Coalisland 2-11 Killyclogher 1-7

Coalisland are County champions again for the first time since 2010 after a power packed second half display sent them on their way to a deserved seven point success over Killyclogher at Healy Park.

Third quarter goals within three minutes of each other from Paddy McNiece and Peter McGahan turned a three point deficit into a three point lead and the winners never looked back as they claimed a 10th O’Neill Cup for their club.

It was Killyclogher who led 1-4 to 0-5 at the break after a keenly contested opening period. Killyclogher opened the scoring inside sixty seconds with a wonderful effort from out on the right wing from Tyrone attacker Mark Bradley. Brian Toner levelled matters from a free for a Coalisland side who failed to score from play in the first half. Great work from Tiernan McCann saw him set up Aidy Kelly for a Killyclogher point but Toner levelled matters from another placed ball. Conal McCann and McNiece traded scores and in first half injury time Tiarnan McCann combined with his brother Conall to fire in a brilliant goal.

Bailey Leonard kicked Coalisland’s first score from play on the restart but two frees from the boot of Bradley left Killyclogher three in front. Then came that turning point in the 41^st minute when a long delivery in from Fianna Captain Stephen McNally was spilled by keeper Fox and McNiece made no mistake from close range. Two minutes later another route one delivery from wing half back Niall Kerr was plucked out of the air by the towering McGahan who turned sharply to fire low past Fox.

The Fianna now had the bit between their teeth and they weren’t going to let go with 2010 Captain Plunkett Kane, O’Hagan and a superb brace from substitute Tiarnan Quinn putting the icing on the cake for the deserved winners.

Coalisland: P Donnelly, D Fee, P Hampsey, E Hampsey, M McKernan, S McNally, N Kerr, J Carberry, P Kane (0-1), P Herron, C O’Hagan (0-2, 2F), B Toner (0-2, 2F), B Leonard (0-1), P McNiece (1-3, 3F), P McGahan (1-0). Subs: T Quinn (0-2) for Toner, C Quinn for Herron, S Hughes for McGahan, P O’Farrell for Kerr (black card)

Killyclogher: S Fox, M Swift, D Gorman, E Bradley, M Murnaghan, T McCann (1-0), G Sludden, G Wallace, N McFadden, A Kelly (0-1), C McCann (0-1, “45”), N Donnelly, S O’Neill (0-1), M Bradley (0-3, 2F), E McFadden. Subs: F Meenagh for E Bradley, PT Cunningham (0-1, 1F) for O’Neill, T Cox for N McFadden, J Carlin for Kelly, D Leonard for Cox (black card)

Referee: S Hurson, Galbally