McGuigan Builders Intermediate Football Championship
Doohamlet 2-16 Rockcorry 1-5 19/8/12
Doohamlet sent out a warning sign to their challengers for intermediate honours as they powered through to the IFC semi-finals with a comprehensive win over Rockcorry in Clontibret on Sunday. The 2010 winners led by five points at the end of a first half in which Rock’s only point came from a late free and they pulled away in the second half, helped by goals from Shane McManus and Greg Duffy. Colin Walshe, Paul McArdle, Greg Duffy, Ciarán and Shane McManus and Ollie Hughes were all impressive for Doohamlet, while only Mark McGuirk and Keith Daly made any impact for Rockcorry, who were unable to replicate their recent league form, not helped by the absence of Noel Carroll.
Doohamlet opened the scoring with a fine point by Paul McArdle, before Greg Duffy made it two. McArdle landed another good score and Shane McManus added his name to the scoresheet as the one-way traffic continued, before Ted Duffy converted a 30-metre free for a foul on Mark Murphy. Ollie Hughes opened up a six-point gap, although Rockcorry finally got off the mark just short of the half-hour mark when Stephen McGuirk kicked a point from a 25-metre free after a foul on Colin Quinn to leave the half-time score 0-6 to 0-1 in favour of Doohamlet.
Rock got their first score from play through Mark McGuirk three minutes into the second half, but a foul on Jason McElroy allowed McArdle to reply for Doohamlet from a free and a flowing move set up Shane McManus to finish off from close range for the game’s opening goal. Kevin McArdle burst forward from wing-back to add a point, before both sides were reduced to 14 men in quick succession as Colin Quinn was shown a straight red for a high tackle, before Shane McManus picked up a second booking. A brace of points by Mark McGuirk (one from a free) gave Rockcorry a brief lifeline, only for Paul McArdle to reply with his third point. Doohamlet well and truly killed the game off on 46 minutes when Darren Connolly and McElroy combined to set up Greg Duffy to fire to the net, before Ciarán McManus quickly added a point.
McManus kicked another good score at the end of a move involving Darren Connolly and Paul McArdle, although Doohamlet did need goalkeeper James Casey to be on his toes to make a save from Martin Carroll. Rockcorry sub Barry Patterson kicked a fine point from play, but Mark Murphy replied for Doohamlet after he had been well-placed by Kevin McArdle. Ted Duffy tapped over a 13-metre free for a foul on Colin Walshe and Murphy landed a well-taken point as Doohamlet continued to rack up the scores with ease, before Walshe added his name to the scoresheet with a nice point.
A short free by Johnny Duffy set up Walshe for his second in the space of two minutes, before Rockcorry won a penalty for a foul on Johnny Reilly. Mark McGuirk’s spot-kick was well saved by James Casey, but the rebound fell for the Rock forward to tap to the net. Doohamlet have now gone 14 games unbeaten in league and championship and on this evidence, they will take some stopping in both competitions. Rockcorry will have to make a quick recovery in time for their back-door match against Donaghmoyne in Emyvale on Friday evening.
Doohamlet: J Casey; G Casey, M Hughes, S J Connolly; K McArdle (0-1), C Walshe (0-2), D Connolly; C McManus (0-2), G Duffy (1-1); P McArdle (0-4, 1f), T Duffy (Capt., 0-2f), M Murphy (0-2); J McElroy, S McManus (1-1), O Hughes (0-1).
Subs: E McManus for McElroy, J Duffy for D Connolly (both 56 mins), M Marray for O Hughes (60).
Rockcorry: J Smith; K Daly (Capt.), D Matthews, C McGeough; C Quinn, S Lynch, S McGuirk (0-1f); M Daly, M Carroll; J Reilly, F McGeough, N McKeown; L Smyth, P McKeown, M McGuirk (1-3, 0-1f).
Subs: B Patterson (0-1) for S McGuirk (inj., 43), A Tate for Smyth, K Clerkin for P McKeown (both 49).
Referee: D Boylan (Killanny).
By michael Mon 20th Aug
