AIB Ulster Club Intermediate Football Championship Final

AIB Ulster Club Intermediate Football Championship Final Lisnaskea 0-13 Doohamlet 1-7 Doohamlet’s bid for an Ulster Club IFC title fell just short when they lost out to a strong Lisnaskea side at Kingspan Breffni Park in Cavan on Saturday. Doohamlet went into the game unbeaten in nine championship games this year and they looked like they just might make it a perfect ten when they led by four points inside the final quarter, but Fermanagh senior-league finalists Lisnaskea finished very strongly to hit the last five points of the game. Almost everything Lisnaskea tried during the final quarter worked, as they outscored Doohamlet by eight points to one. Man-of-the-Match John Woods, Daniel Kille, Kevin Curran, Brian Óg Maguire, Mark McKenna and Pearse Collins were to the fore for Lisnaskea, while Gabie Casey, Martin Hughes, Ciarán and Shane McManus, Colin Walshe and Darren Connolly led a typically spirited Doohamlet challenge. Lisnaskea were first off the mark with a point from a 25-metre free by Daniel Kille after a foul on Paul Curran in the seventh minute, but Mark Murphy provided a quick response with a point from play for Doohamlet. Adrian Little converted a free for a foul on Stephen Carters and Brian Óg Maguire added a point to double Lisnaskea’s lead. Ted Duffy replied from a 30-metre free, following a foul on Shane McManus, but neither side scored in the following 12 minutes, as the closest either side came was when James Casey reacted well to turn a John Woods shot around the post. When the next score arrived, it went to Lisnaskea, as Kille booted over from a ’45. Doohamlet finished the second half with a flourish, though, hitting 1-1 to snatch a half-time lead. They got a scrappy goal on 28 minutes when a Shane McManus cross somehow evaded a cluster of Lisnaskea defenders, allowing Niall Johnny Connolly to turn the loose ball home for his fifth goal in his last five championship games. Shane McManus linked up with Ted Duffy to tag on a point which gave Doohamlet a 1-3 to 0-4 advantage at the interval. Kille converted a 35-metre free for a foul on Shane Ingram to halve Lisnaskea’s deficit after the restart, but Shane McManus fisted over after he had been well-placed by Niall Johnny Connolly. Ciarán McManus followed that up with a well-taken point after a pass from Ted Duffy, who added an equally good score, following strong work by Shane McManus. Doohamlet could have taken control of the game when Niall Johnny Connolly went within inches of scoring his second goal, only for Lisnaskea’s Pearse Collins to clear Connolly’s fisted effort off the line, after Mark Murphy’s point-attempt had come back off the upright. Lisnaskea corner-back Kevin Curran broke upfield to kick an inspirational point from distance and it started a revival for the Fermanagh men, as Shane Ingram quickly found the target, after good approach play by Curran and Maguire. Stephen Carters took a pass from Mark Little and sent over to close the gap to a point, but a good score by Doohamlet captain Glen Cumiskey restored his team’s two-point lead. It was only a momentary reprieve for the Monaghan men, however, as Lisnaskea bossed the final ten minutes. Carters got his second point after a Maguire shot fell short, before Kille produced a moment of magic to equalise when he curled over a magnificent sideline kick. A point from play by Kille edged Lisnaskea ahead and midfielder Connor Curran doubled their lead with a great score. The Emmetts secured a first-ever Ulster club title when Kille tapped over a 20-metre free a minute into injury-time after Niall McElroy had been fouled. Lisnaskea: B McGoldrick; K Curran (0-1), M McKenna, P Collins; M Smyth, J Woods, N McElroy; B Óg Maguire (Capt., 0-1), C Curran (0-1); M Little, S Carters (0-2), A Little (0-1f); D Kille (0-6, 3f, 1 ’45, 1 s-l), P Curran, S Ingram (0-1). Subs: D Graham for Smyth (48 mins), N Hicks for P Curran (52). Doohamlet: J Casey; G Casey, M Hughes, S Johnny Connolly; K McArdle, C Walshe, D Connolly; G Cumiskey (Capt., 0-1), C McManus (0-1); O Hughes, T Duffy (0-2, 1f), Greg Duffy; M Murphy (0-1), S McManus (0-2), N Johnny Connolly (1-0). Sub: J Duffy for Murphy (50). Referee: B Cassidy (Derry).