AIB Ulster Club Intermediate Football Championship Final

Truagh 0-17 Eskra 0-12                               30/11/13

Truagh became the first Monaghan club to win the Ulster IFC since 2005 with a merited success against Eskra in Armagh. Truagh were only headed twice, both in the opening five minutes, and they went on to set the pace, with their forward line impressing and a total of seven Gaels players getting on the scoresheet in an open, entertaining game. Eskra peppered the Truagh goals with shots in the closing stages, by which stage the north-Monaghan side had been reduced to 14 men, but the Tyrone champions couldn’t find a way past Ian Treanor and co. Paudie, Christopher and Daniel McKenna all caught the eye for Truagh, with good support from Rory Treanor, Barry Cuddy and Niall Feely, while Peter Hughes, Joseph McCarroll and Cormac Arkinson led Eskra’s challenge.

Eskra were first off the mark when Peter Hughes converted a 45-metre free for a foul on Niall Marlow, but Truagh drew level in style when Daniel McKenna finished off a flowing move. Hughes tapped over a 20-metre free for a foul on Cormac Arkinson, but Truagh continued to make most of the running and they were unlucky not to create a goal chance when Daniel McKenna was unable to hold onto a Mark Counihan pass. The north-Monaghan men then took charge with three quick points, started by a long-range free from Paudie McKenna, following a foul on Rory Treanor. Barry Cuddy quickly added a good point, before John McCarron got forward to play a one-two with Daniel McKenna and tap over. Cathal McCaffrey got one back for Eskra after a long run by Hughes and another burst by Eoin McCaffrey set up Niall Marlow to fist over, but a well-struck ’45 by Christopher McKenna kept Truagh on the front foot.

Paudie McKenna then set up his namesake Daniel for a fine point and he added an equally-good score of his own after linking up with Counihan, before a patient move ended with Christopher McKenna taking a pass from Damian McRory and confidently splitting the posts. Joseph McCarroll ended 11 scoreless minutes for Eskra with an effort from distance, only for Daniel McKenna to reply with his left foot. Eskra finished the half strongly, with McCarroll landing another good point and Cormac Arkinson seeing a snapshot saved by Ian Treanor, but Truagh still led by 0-9 to 0-6 at the interval.

Daniel McKenna and Counihan combined to feed Rory Treanor for the first point of the second half, but Truagh then survived a couple of nervy moments, as Ian Treanor was almost deceived by a speculative effort from Hughes, who then set up Shane Hackett for a shot which Treanor tipped over the bar. Christopher McKenna restored the four-point gap from a 30-metre free after a foul on Rory Treanor and Daniel McKenna then won and scored a 13-metre free, although a foul on Niall McGinn allowed Hughes to keep Eskra in touch. Christopher McKenna sent over a great point from distance and he then turned provider for Counihan to open his account, before a fine score by Paudie McKenna made it three in quick succession for Truagh, although they saw Aidan Coyle shown a second yellow card six minutes from time.

A close-range free by McCarroll and a Paul Marlow point kept Eskra in with a chance, but Daniel McKenna responded in style to leave Truagh in control going into injury-time, by which stage the Tyrone side had seen shots at goal by Arkinson, Adrian Scullion, Hughes and Conor O’Hagan either blocked or saved. A nice point by Hughes and a shot that fizzed over by Aaron Kelly cut the gap to four, but another long-range score by Paudie McKenna sealed a five-point win for Truagh, whose captain Pauric Treanor got his hands on his second piece of silverware this year.

Truagh: I Treanor; J McCarron (0-1), N Feely, N McQuillan; D McRory, R Treanor (0-1), P McKenna (0-4, 1f); P Treanor (Capt.), B Cuddy (0-1); N Coyle, N McRory, E Kelly; C McKenna (0-4, 1f, 1 ’45), M Counihan (0-1), D McKenna (0-5, 1f).

Subs: A Coyle for McCarron (inj., 13 mins), A Treanor for Kelly (52), K Sheerin for Counihan (58).

Eskra: D McCarroll; J Hackett, A Scullion, K Kelly; P Marlow (0-1), N McGinn, C McCaffrey (0-1); E McCaffrey, C Arkinson; S Hackett, P Hughes (Capt., 0-5, 3f), J McCarroll (0-3, 1f); C O’Hagan, N Marlow (0-1), P Turbitt.

Subs: N Meegan for C McCaffrey (inj., H-T), P Meegan for N Marlow (44), A Kelly (0-1) for Turbitt (49), M McGinley for Arkinson (52).

Referee: N Mooney (Cavan).