Maguire Transport Minor Football Championship Division One Final

Carrickmacross 3-10 Magheracloone 0-11                         13/10/13

 

Carrickmacross won their first MFC in ten years when they finished strongly to see off local rivals Magheracloone in the final at Clones last Sunday. Despite conceding a goal on the 20-minute mark, Magheracloone came back strongly and they led by two points ten minutes into the second half, only for Carrick, who had been wasteful in front of goal in the first half, to outscore them by 2-5 to 0-1 from then on. Stephen and Kevin O’Hanlon and Jamie Gartlan were prominent in a very lively Carrick forward line, while Aaron Lynch and Niall Loughman were on top in the centre and Conor Duffy marshalled the defence to good effect. Alan McCahey, Paudie Kirk, Paul McArdle and Michael Metzger tried hard for Magheracloone, who were left to rue the injury-enforced absence of Seán McClory.

Alan McCahey (free) and Kevin O’Hanlon swapped points early on, before Paudie Kirk edged Magheracloone ahead. Aaron Jones equalised and Stephen O’Hanlon regained Carrick’s lead from a 20-metre free after a foul on Corrie Sullivan, only for Kirk to reply with a good point. Stephen O’Hanlon then scored the first goal with a cracking finish at the end of a strong run after he had been released by Conor Duffy. McCahey got a point back for Magheracloone after a one-two with Alan Kieran and although Aaron Lynch provided a quick response, McCahey then won and scored a free from out on the left wing. A well-taken point by Kirk left Magheracloone trailing by just one point at half-time on a scoreline of 0-6 to 1-4.

The Mitchells drew level after the restart when Ciarán McClory converted a 25-metre free for a foul on Seán Marron, before Kevin O’Hanlon edged Carrick ahead and the Emmets captain then had a shot saved by goalkeeper Mitchell Tuite after a run by Jamie Gartlan. Magheracloone hit the front with a fine score by McCahey and a fisted effort by Marron, from an Oisín Conroy shot, while Michael Metzger was denied by Carrick keeper Oisín McDonnell after he had been put through by McCahey, who then hit his fifth point at the end of a move involving McClory and Kieran. Niall Loughman brought Carrick back to within a point and substitute Pádraig Marron got them level with his first touch, before Loughman took a pass from Sullivan to fire home a brilliant goal. Lynch and Sullivan combined to create a point for Jones and Gartlan killed the game off four minutes from time when he slid a shot past Tuite. Richard Merrin ended 17 scoreless minutes for Magheracloone, but Ciarán Matthews quickly replied, before Stephen O’Hanlon won and scored a 20-metre free to seal victory for Carrick. Kevin O’Hanlon was the man to lift the Feargal O’Hanlon Cup, while midfielder Aaron Lynch won Man of the Match.

 

Carrickmacross: O McDonnell; A Birdy, P Linden, F Holland; D Eakin, C Duffy, F Lonergan; A Lynch (0-1), N Loughman (1-1); C Sullivan, A Jones (0-2), P Larney; J Gartlan (1-0), K O’Hanlon (Capt., 0-2), S O’Hanlon (1-2, 0-2f).

Subs: P Marron (0-1) for Larney (42 mins), D Jones for Eakin (49), C Matthews (0-1) for Gartlan, L Capaldi for Sullivan (59).

 

Magheracloone: M Tuite; D Kindlon, P McArdle, C Freeman; J Lambe, O Conroy, P Duffy; M Metzger, C McClory (0-1f); D Rudden, P Kirk (Capt., 0-3), A Kieran; P McMahon, S Marron (0-1), A McCahey (0-5, 2f).

Subs: C Conroy for Duffy (44), R Merrin (0-1) for Rudden (55), A Martin for Marron (57).

 

Referee: C Mulligan (Aghabog).