Gormley uPVC Senior Football Championship Semi-Final
Clontibret 1-11 Castleblayney 0-12 16/9/12
Clontibret battled through to the SFC Final with a two-point win over Castleblayney in the first of Sunday’s semi-finals in Clones. The game lacked the drama of the sides’ seven-goal thriller last month, but it was at least close throughout, with a goal by Vincent Corey nine minutes into the second half proving to be the decisive score. The sides were level four times in the first half, including at the interval, but Clontibret were never caught in the last 20 minutes.
Conor McManus was once again the star for Clontibret, kicking eight points, while Dessie and John Paul Mone and Conor Boyle also played well. Martin McElroy, Paddy Mallon and Conor Gurn led the way for Blayney, whose wait for a county title now goes into a tenth year.
Castleblayney got the first score on five minutes from a 30-metre free by Mark Hanratty after a foul on Martin McElroy, but they failed to take a couple of chances to increase their lead and Clontibret made them pay when Conor McManus punished a poor kick-out on ten minutes. McManus and Noel Morgan added well-taken points from play, both set up by Vincent Corey, before McManus converted a 45-metre free for a foul on Morgan to move Clontibret three clear. Martin McElroy got on the end of a high ball from Dermot Malone to get a point back for Blayney and he followed it up with a point from a free from a tight angle, after he had been fouled.
Paddy Mallon charged forward to bring Blayney level and although McManus won and scored a 30-metre free, Hanratty replied from a 20-metre free won by McElroy. Blayney survived a nervous moment when goalkeeper Pauric McNally almost let a fisted effort from Morgan slip over the line following a high centre by Fergal Mone, but the Faughs edged ahead in first-half injury-time when Hanratty converted a 30-metre free for a foul on Paddy Finnegan. There was still time for McManus to equalise with a 25-metre free after he had been fouled off the ball, making it 0-6 apiece at half-time.
Blayney edged ahead five minutes into the second half when Martin McElroy linked up with Malone to kick a good point and McElroy then doubled their lead when he tapped over a close-range free for a foul on Conor Gurn. They fell behind, however, when they lost possession cheaply in the tenth minute and Clontibret took advantage as Paul McGuigan and Colum Greenan combined to release Corey, who coolly slotted home his third goal of the championship. McManus won and scored a 30-metre free and although Mark Hanratty replied after he had been fouled off the ball, a quickly-taken free set up Paul McGuigan to keep Clontibret on top.
McManus opened up a three-point gap when he converted a 30-metre free for a foul on Fergal Mone, but Blayney substitute Brendan McElroy sent over a brace of points with his first two kicks of the ball to make it a one-point game inside the last five minutes. A patient Clontibret move finished with Dessie Mone booting over an inspirational score from distance and they looked to be safe when McManus landed his eighth point from a 20-metre free after a foul on Paul McGuigan. Blayney sub Ciarán Hanratty won and scored a 13-metre free, but the Faughs’ last chance came and went when Dessie Mone blocked a shot from Damien Hughes, who had picked up the breaking ball from a high centre by Finnegan. Clontibret will attempt to win the Mick Duffy Cup for the fifth time in seven years when they take on Ballybay in the final.
Clontibret: A Morgan; C Boyle, JP Mone (Capt.), D Carragher; D Mooney, C Greenan, C Duffy; P McGuigan (0-1), D Mone (0-1); P Boyle, V Corey (1-0), N Morgan (0-1); R McGuigan, C McManus (0-8, 6f), F Mone.
Subs: R Gorman for R McGuigan (H-T), David Savage for Mooney (34), E Greenan for C Greenan (44), E McGuigan for N Morgan (56).
Temporary sub: David Savage for C Boyle (24-27)
Castleblayney: P McNally; K Duffy, L McElroy, S Lynch; P Mallon (Capt., 0-1), M Treanor, D Hughes; C Gurn, C Brady; M McElroy (0-4, 2f), N Duffy, M Hanratty (0-4f); P Finnegan, R Treacy, D Malone.
Subs: B McElroy (0-2) for Treacy (48), C Hanratty (0-1f) for Duffy, J Brady for M Hanratty (both 54).
Referee: P McEnaney (Corduff).
By michael Sun 16th Sep
