Universal Graphics Junior Football Championship Final           

Blackhill 1-8 Emyvale 1-8                                         6/10/13

 

The JFC Final will go to a replay for the second time in five years after Blackhill and Emyvale couldn’t be separated in Scotstown last Sunday. A David McAlister penalty had Emyvale ahead at half-time, but they played second-fiddle to a Philip Donnelly-inspired Blackhill for much of the second half and last year’s runners-up needed a late Martin McAree point to avoid another final defeat. A stop-start game featured unfortunate injuries to players on both teams, meaning that all of 12 minutes had to be added to the second half. Donnelly, Ryan and Dónal Courtney and Michael Geehan gave good performances for Blackhill, with Gregory Devlin, James Bellew and subs Michael Flannery and McAree making most impact for Emyvale.

The first shot of the match saw Michael Geehan blocked down, before Garreth McQuaid kicked a good point for Emyvale in the fifth minute. The north-Monaghan side missed a great goal chance when Daniel McMahon drilled wide after he had been put through by Paul McCarron, before Gerard McCaffrey rose above his crossbar to prevent a Geehan shot from going over. Blackhill eventually got off the mark on 11 minutes when Colin Woods curled one between the posts after playing a one-two with Geehan, who then edged them ahead, following a strong run by Ryan Courtney.

Geehan soon added a second point at the end of a jinking run, before Dónal Courtney made an important intervention at the other end to deny Emyvale a goal chance. McQuaid ended 16 scoreless minutes for Emyvale, who drew level when David McAlister tapped over a 20-metre free for a foul on Seán McMeel. They then created a goal chance on 25 minutes and although Paul McCarron’s effort was blocked, the rebound fell for Ryan McAnespie, who was brought down inside the square, allowing McAlister to convert the penalty and give Emyvale a 1-3 to 0-3 half-time lead.

Blackhill took just 18 seconds to draw level after the restart when Philip Donnelly raced onto a pass from substitute Darren Woods to fire a low shot into the net, but Emyvale regained the advantage when Daithí Colton landed a nice score. Sub Michael Flannery fisted over to double Emyvale’s lead, but they survived a couple of scares, as Donnelly sent a goal-attempt wide before setting Colin Woods up for a shot that McCaffrey turned around the post. From the resulting ’45, Donnelly landed a fine point, but Martin McAree came off the bench to send over a well-taken score for Emyvale, following a long ball by Michael Flannery. Emyvale also saw shots by Colton and McAlister saved by Michael Shevlin, before Dermot Daly booted over a great point at the end of a move involving Donnelly and Geehan.

Colton had another shot straight at Shevlin after he had been released by McMahon and the Blackhill defence cut out a McAlister pass intended for McAnespie, before a James Bellew point-attempt was awarded following consultation between the referee and his umpires. Darren Woods linked up with Ciarán Courtney to get one back for Blackhill, who drew level when Donnelly won a long ball in from Anthony Courtney. Man-of-the-Match Donnelly got on the end of a Daly pass to take on his marker and send over a fine score which edged Blackhill ahead going into injury-time, but after a tense eight minutes, Martin McAree held his nerve from a 35-metre free, following a foul on Bellew, to level it up again. Almost another four minutes were played, but neither side could find a winner, so they must do it again under lights in Inniskeen on Saturday evening.

 

Blackhill: M Shevlin; G McArdle, D Courtney, D McDermott; A Courtney, Shane Courtney (Capt.), R Courtney; E Byrne, D Daly (0-1); Stephen Courtney, H Byrne, C Courtney; M Geehan (0-2), P Donnelly (1-3, 0-1 ’45), C Woods (0-1).

Subs: D Woods (0-1) for Stephen Courtney (H-T), C Costello for McArdle (inj., 43 mins), Stephen Courtney for R Courtney (inj., 68).

Temporary sub: C Costello for A Courtney (24-26).

 

Emyvale: G McCaffrey; S McMeel, J Flannery, C Connolly; M Brown, G Devlin, K McQuaid; C Hughes, J Bellew (Capt., 0-1); R McAnespie, D McAlister (1-1, 1-0 pen, 0-1f), G McQuaid (0-2); D McMahon, Paul McCarron, D Colton.

Subs: M Flannery for Brown (inj., 37), Martin McAree (0-2, 1f) for McCarron (47), J McAlister for G McQuaid (55), D Bellew for McMeel (63).

 

Referee: D Connolly (Scotstown).