Gormley uPVC Senior Football Championship Semi-Final Replay
Clontibret 2-13 Monaghan Harps 1-13 4/10/13
Clontibret qualified for the SFC Final at the second attempt when they won an absorbing semi-final replay against Monaghan Harps in Emyvale on Friday night. Second-half goals by Vincent Corey and Conor Lavelle were enough for Clontibret to qualify for a seventh final (including one replay) since 2006. The O’Neills, who had eight scorers in all, were pushed all the way once again, but their greater experience told in the end. Vincent and Martin Corey, Conor McManus and Conor Boyle were among the main men for Clontibret, while Shane Smyth, Conor Galligan, Kevin Loughran and Stephen Driver were prominent for the Harps.
Clontibret started with long-range points from play by Paul McGuigan and Brian Greenan and a 30-metre free by Conor McManus, before Dónal Hahessy got the Harps on the scoreboard. Shane Smyth added a fine point for the Harps, who drew level when Neil McAdam won and scored a 45-metre free, only for Vincent Corey to release Michael McEniff to regain Clontibret’s advantage. The scores were a bit harder earned in the second quarter, with Nicholas Treanor and McManus twice swapping points from frees to leave Clontibret ahead by 0-7 to 0-5 at half-time.
Vincent Corey linked up with Darach Mooney to bag the game’s first goal just over a minute after the restart and McManus quickly set up David Savage to tag on a point. Dónal Hahessy responded with a brace of frees after fouls on Shane Coyle and Conor Galligan, only for McManus to win and score a free at the other end. A Smyth point was quickly cancelled out by Vincent Corey, before Smyth landed a great score from distance and Fearghal McMahon tapped over a free for a foul on Hahessy. McManus hit his first point from play to restore Clontibret’s three-point cushion and although Stephen Driver kept the Harps in touch with an outside-of-the-boot effort, sub Conor Lavelle punched to the net for the O’Neills. The Harps’ response was swift, as a Liam Hahessy shot dropped into the net, but Martin Corey hit back and McManus curled over a great score from the left wing. A foul on Galligan allowed McMahon to convert a 30-metre free in the last minute, but the Harps couldn’t find a way through for the equalising goal and Clontibret advanced to a second meeting with Scotstown in this year’s SFC on county final day next Sunday.
Clontibret: A Morgan; D Mooney, JP Mone, C Boyle; D Mone, P McGuigan (0-1), M Corey (0-2); A Rooney, E Greenan; D Savage (0-1), V Corey (1-1), B Greenan (0-1); N Morgan, C McManus (Capt., 0-6, 4f), M McEniff (0-1).
Subs: C Lavelle (1-0) for N Morgan (H-T), F Mone, R McGuigan.
Monaghan Harps: C McKenna; N Hahessy, A Óg McAnespie, K Loughran; C Galligan, N McAdam (0-1f), G Treanor; S Driver (0-1), G White (Capt.); N Scott, D Hahessy (0-3, 2f), S Coyle; D Fanning, S Smyth (0-3), N Treanor (0-2f).
Subs: F McMahon (0-3f) for Fanning (24), E McArdle for N Treanor (inj., 32), L Hahessy (1-0) for Scott, P Coyle for D Hahessy (inj.) (both 53).
Referee: N McKenna (Emyvale).
By cshalvey Sat 5th Oct
