Ulster SFC quarter-final: Loughmacrory (Tyrone) 0-11 Kilcoo (Down) 0-16
The vast experience of a Kilcoo team that has been at the forefront of Ulster club football for a decade proved too much for first-timers Loughmacrory as the Down men systematically carved out a five points win to set up a semi-final clash with Erne Gaels of Fermanagh.
Everything the Magpies did was wrapped in efficiency and organisation, and on a night when conditions mitigated against flair, they produced some classy moments as well.
Tyrone’s breakthrough champions were unable to live with the intensity that has become the trademark of a team that has contested five provincial finals in the past 10 years.
RM Block
A defensive shutout blunted the threat posed by Loughmacrory’s exciting young attacking stars, and at the other end, seasoned score-takers Paul Devlin and Shealan Johnston did the damage on the scoresheet.
“It was a tricky assignment for us, because first of all it was away, and it was against a team that had nothing to lose,” said Kilcoo manager Martin Corey.
“And the weather wasn’t great, so it was tricky for us, but I feel we navigated our way through it well.”
Corey was delighted with the manner in which his defence nullified the attacking threats that had cause so much damage in Loughmacrory’s run to a maiden Tyrone title.
“I think we worked collectively in that, but if I’m being honest, the weather probably stifled those quality players on both teams.
“They struggled to do things that they would usually do.
“We’re blessed that have a good teamed defence there that really helped us get over the line.”
And the Magpies boss insisted that his players are not driven by the disappointment of defeat to another Tyrone side, Errigal Ciaran, in last year’s final.
“We don’t talk about the hurt, we don’t talk about the past, we just talk about the next training and the next game, and that’s the only thing that we concern ourselves with.
“If there’s a wee bit of hurt there, well then that’s up to the boys to use that within the rules of the game.”
A vastly experienced Kilcoo side imposed themselves on the contest from the outset, pressing heavily on the man in possession to win turnovers that kept them going forward with purpose.
That was after going behind to a Pauraic Meenagh two-pointer and a Ruairi McCullagh free as the Tyrone champions cancelled out Anthony Morgan’s early score.
The Magpies worked the ball with control and accuracy, with centre back Darryl Branagan powering forward as he ran at the Loughmacrory defence and they shot the next five scores while defending with discipline.
Paul Devlin’s free was followed by a couple of Shealan Johnston efforts, while Branagan added a point as well.
They switched the ball with men in support, they displayed patience to create a score for Ryan Johnston for a 0-6 to 0-4 lead after 20 minutes.
Loughmacrory struggled to get their young attacking stars Eoin McElholm and McCullagh into the game, but they had other men capable of putting the ball over the bar, and as they grew into the game in the latter stages of the half, Meenagh and Cathaoir Gallagher both found the target.
Kilcoo led by 0-7 to 0-5 at the interval, but with the wind in their backs in the second half, they eased further ahead with a sweetly struck Devlin two-pointer, and seconds later Darryl Branagan made it double scores, 0-10 to 0-5.
McElholm finally managed to escape the clutches of the tight-marking Niall Branagan to slot over a point, and as they began to weave patterns to unsettle the Kilcoo cover, McCullagh added another from a free.
McElholm, now finding pockets of space to pick passes, sent Cathaoir Gallagher in to close the gap, Kilcoo displayed their class to craft and execute wonderful scores, first through wing back Miceal Rooney, then a delightful Shealan Johnston two-pointer.
By the end of the third quarter, the Mourne champions led by 0-14 to 0-8, and with wing backs Rooney and Callum Rogers giving them pace along the flanks, they kept their opponents stretched.
Loughmacrory had to press hard to chisel out scores for McElholm and a Cathaoir Gallagher free, but defensively, the Down men were sound and disciplined right to the end, never allowing their focus to slip, with Ryan McEvoy and Darryl Branagan stoic in everything they did.
There were occasional scares, one of which saw Gareth Donaghy fire in a belter which stung the palms of goalkeeper Niall Kane on its way over the bar, but even then a goal would not have been enough for the Red Hand champions.
Loughmacrory: O O’Kane; D Curran, N Kelly, A Macidulskas; S Dobbs, R Fox, S Conway; A Donaghy, C Donaghy; G Donaghy (0-0-1), E McElholm (0-0-2), C Gallagher (0-0-3, 1f); P Meenagh (0-1-1, 1f), R McCullagh (0-0-2, 2f), M McNamee.
Subs: E Donaghy for Fox (52), R Grimley for Meenagh (52)
Kilcoo: N Kane; A Branagan, R McEvoy, N Branagan; M Rooney (0-0-1), D Branagan (0-0-2), C Rogers; Aaron Morgan, Anthony Morgan (0-0-1); C Doherty (0-0-1), R Johnston (0-0-1), S Johnston (0-1-2); P Devlin (0-1-3, 2f), J Johnston, E Branagan.
Subs: J Devlin for A Branagan (11), S Og McCusker (0-1) for J Johnston (41), B McEvoy for Rooney (54)
Referee: M McNally (Monaghan).
