Éire Ógs Into All Ireland Final

Saturday 03.01.2026

Championship Football

Clogher 2-13 Kiltimagh 0-9

Clogher’s historic All Ireland Junior Championship run has reached the Holy Grail of Croke Park next weekend after the Tyrone and Ulster champions saw off the challenge of Kiltimagh with the minimum of fuss at Carrick on Shannon on Saturday afternoon.

It was a contest that the Éire Ógs were always in control off and when man of the match Ciaran Bogue fired in his first goal in the 26^th minute they never looked back.  Clogher led 1-7 to 0-4 at the break and in the second half they comfortably held their opponents at arms length with Bogue getting his second major on his way to a personal haul of 2-4.

It was a superb all round team display from Clogher with their defence giving little away with Sean McCaffrey, Ruairi McCaughey and team Captain Conor Shields to the fore while Barry McKenna and Darragh Mellon won the midfield battle. Up front the forward line were all hungry for the ball with Ryan McCaughey posting 0-5 with Marc McConnell also to the fore.

Bogue was denied a 7^th minute goal by Kiltimagh keeper Jame McNicholas with his opposite number Rory McElroy opening the scoring from the resulting “45”. Oisin Mulderrig levelled matters and after McCaughey and Thomas Keegan had traded points from frees it was all square at the end of a low scoring opening quarter.

McElroy then knocked over another placed ball for a lead that his side were never to lose and he saved well from Keegan after Bogue and Keegan had registered for their respective sides. The first goal then arrived when a long delivery in from teenager Vincent Lowry was won by Bogue who showed good strength to hold off a challenge before finishing in style low to the bottom left hand corner of the Kiltimagh net. Bogue and McCaughey both tagged on points with Keegan responding for the Mayo and Connaught champions to bring the first half scoring to a close.

Conor Malee opened the second half scoring for Kiltimagh but normal service was quickly resumed as McKenna placed McCaughey for a fisted point before Bogue knocked over his only score from a free. Kiltimagh midfielder Paul Kelly then weighed in with the only two pointer of the afternoon but any thoughts of a comeback were quickly dispelled. Bogue pointed and then took a pass from McCaughey to finish to the net via the post in the 52^nd minute to end the game as a contest.

Clogher were still full of running, just as they were all after noon in a very composed display. They could have had more goals but twice McCaughey correctly elected to take his point. Aiden Cosgrove and Keegan had late Kiltimagh points but either side of that Shields had Clogher’s last score and he will now lead his side out against Kerry and Munster champions Ballymacelligott at Headquarters next Sunday afternoon.

Clogher scorers: Ciarán Bogue 2-4 (1F), Ryan McCaughey 0-5 (1F), Rory McElroy 0-2 (1F, 1 x 45), Conor Shields 0-1, Vincent Lowry 0-1

Kiltimagh: Thomas Keegan 0-4 (3F), Paul Kelly 0-2 (2pt), Conor Mallee 0-1, Oisin Mulderrig 0-1, Aiden Cosgrove 0-1