Kilrea Vs Ramor/Munterconnaught
Thomas Devlin Motors Ulster U21 Club Football Championship
Quarter Final
Kilrea Pearses (Derry) 2 :17
Ramor/Munterconnaught (Cavan) 1:09
13th February 2011
Kilrea eventually eased their way to a
semi-final meeting with Antrim Champions Cargin after defeating a dogged Ramor/Munterconnaught
team by 11 points at Creggan in the Thomas Devlin U21 Ulster Club Football Championship.
The Cavan champions were the quickest out of the blocks and went on the attack immediately from the throw in. With only a minute gone they were awarded a penalty following a foul on the Ramor/Munterconnaught corner forward. The Paul Queally taken penalty however was brilliantly saved by Kilrea keeper Jonathan Barclay and a perfect start for the Breffni County was not to materialize.
The Cavan team however
kept the pressure on the Derry champions and Jack Brady slotted over a 13 metre
free in the third minute to open the scoring. Adrian Cole then added a point
from play in the sixth minute however this seemed to be the score to spur
Kilrea in to action with Brendan Mc Cusker, Tiarnan Rafferty and a James Kielt
20 metre free moving the Derry team into the lead.
Ramor/Munterconnaught responded through Jack Brady to level the teams once again but a goal by Benny Quigg after a dazzling 30m run from Kilrea’s Paddy Mc Neill, followed quickly by a point from Denver Johnston opened up a four point gap mid way through the first half. A Jack Brady free reduced the difference to a goal once again although Kilrea were then to add 6 unanswered points before half time.
Firstly Paddy Mc Neill started to widen the gap with a fantastic individual point from play following some great work by midfielder James Kielt. One minute later Kielt converted his own hard won free after he was pulled down at the end of a strong run through the Ramor/Munterconnaught defence. Jack Kielt and Benny McCusker added points in quick succession before two pointed frees from James Kielt closed out the first half on a score line of Kilrea 1:10, Ramor/Munterconnaught 0:04.
The second half started just as the first
did with Ramor/Munterconnaught out of the blocks quickest. Following a quick opening
point, the Cavan men were awarded a second penalty and just like the first spot
kick Kilrea’s No. 1 saved brilliantly again this time from Jack Brady.
On this occasion however, referee Gregory Walsh ordered a retake after the unfortunate net minder was adjudged to have advanced from his line before the ball was struck. On his second attempt Brady made no mistake and the deficit was cut to 5 points.
With their tails well and truly up, the penalty conversion was added to with a pointed free from ace marks man Brady and even more drama was to shortly follow as a straight red card was shown to Kilrea’s Denver Johnston for a stamp leaving the Derry champions looking very rattled for a short period.
They regrouped however and responded
with two pointed frees from James Kielt followed by a period of individual
dominance by Paddy Mc Neill who hit three great points in a row from open play
to create a 9 point gap again.
At this stage Ramor/Munterconnaught’s chance of winning was as good as over. Paul Queally tried to keep the Cavan men in touch with a well taken point, however Benny Quigg hit his and Kilreas second goal of the game in the 25th minute and followed it up with a point in the 28th minute. The Cavan champions recorded two more points from substitute Hugh O Connell and midfielder McEnroe before the final whistle.
The last action of the game was left to Kilrea’s Benny Mc Cusker as he hit his third point of the match. At the long whistle The Derry Champions ran out winners on a score line of Kilrea 2:17, Ramor/Munterconnaught 1:09
The Brian Denver Plumbing Man of the
Match award was given to Kilrea’s number 15 Paddy Mc Neill.
Kilrea Scorers: James Kielt (0:7), Paddy McNeill (0:4), Benny Quigg (2 :0), D Johnston (0:01), T Rafferty (0:01), B McCusker (0:03), Jack Kielt (0:01)
Ramor/Munterconnaught Scorers: J Brady (1:04), P Queally (0:02), A Cole (0:01), H O’Connell (0:01), J McEnroe (0:01)
Match Report kindly supplied by Sean Nelson
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