Fianna One Step From Decider

Sunday 30.09.2018

Championship Football

Coalisland secured the last place in this year’s LCC senior championship semi finals when they defeated last year’s beaten finalists Errigal Ciaran in an enthralling encounter at Carrickmore on Sunday evening.

It was a keenly contested clash from start to finish with the Fianna doing enough to come through on a 0-15 to 2-7 scoreline to book a last four meeting with next door neighbours Edendork. The winners were out of the blocks quickly and by the end of the opening quarter they had established a 0-5 to 0-1 lead thanks to points from Cormac O’Hagan, Plunkett Kane (2), Michael McKernan and Peter Herron.

Moments later Errigal Ciaran got a goal against the run of play when Peter Harte finished to the net from close range after keeper Peter Donnelly had saved from Davy Harte. Herron and Tommy Canavan traded points before Ronan McRory bagged a brilliant goal. Peter Harte and Paddy McNeice exchanged points as did McNeice and Paudge McAnenly and Darren Canavan to leave it 2-5 to 0-9 at halftime.

McNeice and Darren Canavan traded points from frees on the restart before Errigal keeper Darragh McAnenly made a great save to deny the former. Errigal then lost Peter Harte to a black card which was a major blow to their hopes. Peter Donnelly then came to the Fianna’s rescue to save from Steafan Tierney  before frees from O’Hagan and McNiece levelled matters.

McNeice then knocked over another placed ball for the lead, Errigal Ciaran losing centre half back Michael McCrory to a straight red card for a foul on O’Hagan leading up to the free. With nine minutes to go it was all square again when substitute Darragh Canavan showed the Coalisland defence a clean pair of heels to score. Coalisland though weren’t to be denied with O’Hagan landing a quality score from forty metres out before wing half back Niall Kerr got forward to fist the insurance point in injury time.