First half goals Termon-ate Kilcoo

St Paul’s FonaCAB Ulster Minor Football Tournament

Termon (Donegal) 2-4 Kilcoo (Down) 1-06

From Kevin Herron at Shaws Road
First-half goals from Bobbie McGettigan and substitute Conor Black were enough to see Termon edge out Kilcoo and book their place in next Wednesday’s St Paul’s FonaCAB Ulster Minor football final with a 2-04-1-06 win at Shaws Road this afternoon.
McGettigan hit the net with almost a quarter of an hour gone and substitute Black tapped home a second before the break to give their side a 2-02-0-02 lead at the midway point.
Kilcoo Subsitute Shealan Johnston led his sides fight back with four points from frees but it wasn’t until Jason Morgan hit the net that their comeback started to gather momentum. It wouldn’t be enough to force extra-time though as the Donegal champions held out to book their place in the decider against Derry champions Lavey.

**Kilcoo’s Jamie Grant in action during his team’s win over Kilcoo**

The first quarter of the game was rather cautious as it took 13 minutes for the first score to arrive.
It wasn’t for the want of trying though and Termon almost found the net after four minutes as Jack Alcorn was snuffed out by Kilcoo keeper Adam Curran as the Donegal champions probed the opening score.
Caolan Gallagher was twice off target for Termon while Jamie McKee and Anthony Morgan couldn’t land a score with Kilcoo’s opening opportunities.
Eventually the opening score arrived on the 13th minute and it would prove unlucky for Kilcoo.
Termon midfielder Ryan McFadden slipped the ball across the box to Bobbie McGettigan who slammed the ball to the net.
Sean Og McCusker responded with a converted free at the other end though Conor Black crafted a score within two minutes of his introduction.
Black then doubled his sides lead on the 24th minute. The substitute cut inside and saw his initial shot parried by Adam Curran- though Black’s persistence paid dividends and he on was hand to tap-home and make it 2-01-0-01.
He then added a marvellous point before the break to bring his tally to 1-02 since his introduction with McCusker replying for Kilcoo with a converted free to make it 2-02-0-02 at the interval.
First-half substitute Shealan Johnston converted an early Kilcoo free at the beginning of the second-half, though scores were again at a premium.
It took Termon until the 45th minute to reply as Conor Black popped the ball to twin-brother Stephen who pointed.
Aaron Reid extended his sides lead from a converted free sixty seconds later and with a 2-04-0-03 lead things were looking good for the Donegal side.

But on the 47th minute Kilcoo hit back, Mark Toye conceded possession cheaply and Kilcoo took advantage as Jason Morgan rifled the ball to the net past Emmett Maguire.
Johnston just about converted a free in the aftermath and added his third with 3 minutes remaining to make it a two-point game approaching the dying embers at the Shaws Road (2-04-1-05).
Johnston added a further free four minutes into added time and the Down side may have clinched extra-time but Jamie McKee shot inches wide of the post with the last opportunity.
Emmett Maguire’s kick was followed by the full-time whistle of referee Brendan Toland as Termon celebrated a hard fought victory which secures a New Years Day clash with Lavey.
Kilcoo: A Curran, C Rodgers, T Fettes, C Madine, L Clarke, A Morgan, M Hynes, N Doyle, R Tumelty, J Morgan (1-00), T McEvoy, J Devlin, C O’Reilly, S O McCusker (0-02f), J McKee. Subs: S Johnston (0-04f) for T McEvoy (25).
Termon: E Maguire, M Trearty, J Grant, M Toye, C Gallagher, M Steele, E Coleman, J Alcorn, R McFadden, B McGettigan, S McDaid, L McGarvey, M Gallagher, A McElwaine, C Cassidy. Subs: C Black (1-02) for A McElwaibe (15); S Black (0-01) for M Gallagher (24); A Reid (0-01f) for L McGarvey (38); C McFadden for E Coleman (54).
Referee: Brendan Toland (Lamh Dhearg)