Bredagh (Down) v Clontibret (Monaghan)
St. Paul’s-Sunday 1.pm
The first of the St. Paul’s/fonaCAB Ulster Minor Football club semi-finals is scheduled for this Sunday, 21st December when Down champions, Bredagh take on Clontibret O’Neill’s from Monaghan.
A Charlie Mone inspired Clontibret O’Neill’s of Monaghan swept aside the challenge of Derrygonnelly from Fermanagh in the first quarter-final of the St. Paul’s-fona/cab Ulster Minor Football club championship at Colaiste Feirste.
The Monaghan side led 1-7 to 1-3 at the break with their goal coming from Evan Treanor after 11 minutes and Darragh Keenan, Malachy Treanor, Charlie Mone, Jack Brady, Daniel Boylan and Odhran Boylan all weighing in with points.
The second half was less than a minute old when Odhran Boylan fired home Clontibret’s second goal and even then it looked as good as over and the Monaghan champions would push on to rake up an impressive second half tally.
Darragh Keenan, Charlie Mone, Jack Sullivan, Daniel Boylan, Jack Brady and Shane Connolly gave an exhibition of point taking as Clontibret romped home winners by 19 point to set up a semi-final meeting with Bredagh of Down.
Charlie Mone led his line superbly and caused endless problems for Derrygonnelly up front while Darragh Keenan, Odhran Boylan, Evan Treanor and Shane Connolly were others to impress for an impressive Clontibret.
It took penalties to separate their opponents on Sunday, Bredagh and Southern Gaels from Cavan in their quarter final at Colaiste Feirste.
Jack McConville saved three of Southern Gaels four penalties as Bredagh advanced to the semi-finals in a 3-1 shoot-out.
The sides were inseparable over the hour, finishing 1-19-3-13 after 80 plus minutes of play through normal time and extra time as a shoot-out was needed to settle things on the night.
Bredagh nominated outfield player McConville for the goal keeping duties after regular keeper Joseph McIntyre had played through normal time with an injury, and their substitute keeper couldn’t be substituted because it was after full-time.
As things worked out it paid dividends in the end with the South Belfast side progressing to meet Monaghan champions Clontibret in the last four.
The Cavan outfit looked to have nicked it on the hour mark when Dylan Corr produced a magnificent angled score that appeared to be the winner, though Bredagh forced extra time when Luke Doran converted a close range free to tie things up at the conclusion.
At the end of the opening half of extra time it was the Belfast side who held the slender 1-17-3-10 lead when Jacko Watson shot over on the turn.
Midway through the second period of extra time the sides drew level as Caolan Fitzpatrick’s angled shot dropped over.
Bredagh thought they had done enough in the dying embers when they hit back-to-back points in the space of a minute.
Dara McCabe laid the ball off to Conn Huston to nudge his side back ahead and Jacko Watson bent a shot inside the posts to surely settle things by the 80th minute.
The drama wasn’t over though and in the additional minute that was to be played at the end of the second period, Southern Gaels forced a free outside the arch and it was successfully landed by Cormac McEntee who began extra time with a two-pointer from play and his effort from the placed ball ensured that penalties were required.
Jack McConville became the Bredagh hero with his three saved penalties but is likely to return to his outfield duties if Joseph McIntyre is deemed fit to resume goalkeeping duties and there might not be too much separating these sides after 60 plus minutes with the possibility of another penalty shootout not to be ruled out.
Charlie Moone could prove the difference in a tight contest for the Monaghan side however and they might just edge an eagerly awaited semi-final.
The second semi-final of the St. Paul’s/fonaCAB Minor tournament will take place on St. Stephen’s Day, December 26th with the final scheduled for New Year’s Day.