UNIVERSAL GRAPHICS JUNIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP.
Clones 2-13, Aghabog 0-10.
Clones always held a slight edge in this tough, hard hitting contest in St Oliver Plunkett Park, Emyvale, on Sunday afternoon last, a game that saw Darren Freeman back in the Clones colours and James Mealiff back on active service after a lengthy layoff through injury. They were only headed once in the entire contest, going on to lead by a point at half-time and when the chips were down in the latter stages they upped the tempo to register 5 unanswered points between the 17th and 33rd minutes to clinch a comfortable victory and get their championship aspirations off to the best possible start. Goals were vital scores in this contest, Clones getting 2, the 1st in the 8th minute of the match and the 2nd 9 minutes into the 2nd half to give them a 6 points lead at that stage. Aghabog to their credit battled for everything and going into the final quarter just 4 points separated the sides, but crucially Aghabog were not to score again while Clones registered 5 unanswered points in the closing stages to ease to victory.
Teams and Scorers: Clones: Jason McNamee, Peter Cosgrove, Ben Daly, Darragh McDermott, Ryan Rooney, Fintan Kelly 0-1, Darragh Holland, Ethan Audley, Emmet McEntee 0-1, Fabien Beggan 0-2, Eoin McQuaid 0-2 (2f), Colm Connolly 1-1 (1-0 pen), Cameron Dowd 1-0, Darren Freeman 0-3, Adrian Alford 0-2 (1f). Subs: James Mealiff 0-1 for C Dowd, Matthew Rehill for R Rooney, Cian O’Connor for E McQuaid.
Aghabog: Conor MacLeod, John McCrohan 0-1, Stephen McPhillips, Seamus McMenamin, Cameron O’Leary, Gary McBride 0-1, Patrick McCabe, Fergal O’Hanlon, Jack O’Hanlon 0-1, Dermot Smyth 0-3 (3f), Oisin Gleeson, Damian Smyth 0-1, Ciaran Logue 0-2 (2f), Sean O’Brien, Tyler O’Hanlon 0-1. Subs: Michael Smith for J McCrohan, RyaN Gleeson for J O’Hanlon, Shane Brady for S O’Brien, Shane Kierans for C Logue.
Referee: Xavier Coyle (Tyholland).
By Majella Boyd Wed 2nd May
