Gormley uPVC Senior Football Championship Preliminary Round

Truagh 2-13 Magheracloone 0-8

Truagh cruised to an impressive win over Magheracloone in the SFC preliminary round at a sun-drenched Aughnamullen on Sunday. Truagh were outsiders with the bookies, who obviously didn’t take it into account that Magheracloone are currently without Tommy Freeman, Paudie Finnegan and Gavin and Francie Doogan, but the north-Monaghan men produced a dominant performance to get the better of last year’s beaten finalists. Truagh hit an excellent tally of 2-12 from play, in stark contrast with Magheracloone, whose only point from play came from Peter Tuite, who started at corner-back before moving to centre-back. Daniel McKenna, Mark Counihan, Niall Coyle, Barry Cuddy and Niall Feely all caught the eye for Truagh, while Magheracloone depended almost exclusively on Damien Freeman’s free-taking for scores, with only Tuite and Pete Ward holding their own at the back.

Magheracloone were the width of the post away from opening the scoring when a Shane Duffy ’45 hit the upright, before Daniel McKenna converted a 30-metre free for Truagh after a foul on Niall Coyle. Damien Freeman won and scored a 20-metre free for Magheracloone, but Christopher McKenna got on the end of a high ball from Damian McRory to restore Truagh’s lead, which they held from then until the final whistle. Barry Cuddy kicked a point after a clever pass from Daniel McKenna and although Freeman replied from a 20-metre free after Pauric Treanor had over-carried, Coyle doubled Truagh’s lead at the end of a well-worked move involving McRory, Mark Counihan and Gary Feely. Daniel McKenna linked up with Cuddy for a fine point, but Freeman kept Magheracloone in touch with a brace of 30-metre frees after fouls on Paul Jones and James Ward. Coyle responded after a pass from Rory Treanor, before Counihan kicked two well-taken points – the first off his right foot after good work by Coyle and Cuddy and the second with his left foot after a one-two with Niall McMeel – to give his side a double-scores lead at half-time: 0-8 to 0-4.

The game was all but ended as a contest when Coyle burst through for a clinically-finished goal after Keith Sheerin and Gary Feely had combined well to create the chance. Daniel and Christopher McKenna added fine points from play, before Magheracloone got their only score from play when Peter Tuite split the posts after taking a pass from Fintan Kindlon. Damien Freeman added two frees after fouls on Michael Jones and Kindlon, but Counihan soloed through for another good point after a pass from Daniel McKenna. Christopher McKenna scored his second point of the game with his last action before he was replaced, while Counihan fisted just wide from a goal chance, as Truagh continued to cut through almost at will. Freeman tapped over a 20-metre free for a foul on Paul Jones, while Magheracloone’s off-day was summed up by a second Duffy ’45 hitting the upright late on. Truagh finished the game in style when Gary Meehan fired home their second goal after winning a high ball in from fellow sub Pádraig McKenna. Truagh will play Ballybay in what should be an entertaining first-round game, while Magheracloone have been paired with Doohamlet in the back door.

Truagh: I Treanor; M Treanor, N Feely (Capt.), N McQuillan; D McRory, B Cuddy (0-1), R Treanor; N McMeel, P Treanor; K Sheerin, D McKenna (0-4, 1f), N Coyle (1-2); C McKenna (0-3), G Feely, M Counihan (0-3).

Subs: P McKenna for P Treanor (47 mins), S McKenna for C McKenna (49). N McRory for Sheerin (53), G Meehan (1-0) for Counihan (57), B Treanor for G Feely (60).

Magheracloone: S Duffy; M Jones, P Ward, P Tuite (0-1); N Babington, P Farnan, David Freeman; J Ward (Capt.), C Duffy; G Finnegan, Damien Freeman (0-7f), K Gilsenan; J Hand, F Kindlon, P Jones.

Subs: K Rudden for C Duffy (30), S Hamill for Hand (33), J Kieran for Babington (39), R Freeman for Gilsenan (53), C Burns for David Freeman (57).

Referee: B McNally (Cremartin).