Outstanding Curran Save Puts Coalisland Through

Sunday 31.10.2010

Club

Coalisland 1-10 Roslea (Fermanagh) 1-7

Tyrone champions Coalisland are through to the Ulster senior club semi final after holding off the challenge of Fermanagh’s Roslea at Healy Park Omagh yesterday afternoon.

It was a keenly contested game throughout with the Tyrone men deserving their win as they were the more cohesive unit throughout the sixty minutes. Scores proved difficult to come by early on with Plunkett Kane and Seamus Quigley on target for their respective sides before Coalisland keeper Johnny Curran edged his team in front from a “45”.

Quigley levelled matters from a free before his brother Sean put Roslea in front and they seemed set to take that advantage to the changing rooms until disaster struck in the final attack of the half. A long ball in from Philip Toner was dropped by keeper Sean Boyle and Tiarnan O’Hagan was on hand to drill to the net for a 1-3 to 0-4 lead.

It was a cruel blow to Roslea and when Coalisland added points from Brian Toner and Paddy McNeice within five minutes of the restart the Tyrone champions looked set to establish a match winning cushion.

Roslea though had other ideas and in the sixth minute Sean Quigley got on the end of a delivery in from his brother Seamus to flick the ball over Curran and into the net. It was a score that visibly lifted the Fermanagh champions and by the end of the third quarter they were back in front thanks to another Seamus Quigley brace.

A superb Philip Toner point brought Coalisland level before O’Hagan turned sharply to give them the lead once more. Quigley and substitute Dermot Thornton exchanged points before Roslea had centre half forward Niall Cassidy sent off three minutes from time for a second yellow card offence.

Philip Toner and Thornton added points but in a frantic finish Coalisland had defender Steven McNally dismissed for a second yellow card offence while keeper Curran denied Liam Lynch a goal with an outstanding finger tip save onto the bar in the final attack of the game.

Coalisland – J Curran [0-1], L O’Neill, P Donnelly, L Wylie, S McNally, N Kerr, C Bayne, P McGahan, P Toner [0-2], P Kane [0-1], B Toner [0-1], S Curran [0-1], P McNeice [0-1], T O’Hagan [1-1], G Toner. Subs – D Thornton [0-2] for S Curran, M Early for Kane

Roslea – S Boyle, C Mulligan, P McKenna, M Renfrew, P Sherry, P Lynch, C Quigley, K Cosgrove, J Sherry, L Lynch, N Cassidy, N Cosgrove, B Sherlock, Seamus Quigley [0-6], Sean Quigley [1-1]. Subs – R McCormack for Sherlock, D Reilly for P Lynch [temporary blood]

Referee – C Brannigan, Down