PLATINUM TANKS RESERVE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION 3 FINAL.

Clones 3-12, Carrickmacross 1-10.

A hat-trick of goals by Fabian Beggan help a sharper, slicker, Clones to victory over Carrickmacross in this fairly low-key and at times scrappy, niggly encounter in St Oliver Plunkett Park, Emyvale, on Friday evening last. Carrickmacross were not helped by the fact that they were reduced to 14 players just 4 minutes into the game when David Eakins was red carded but Clones, despite their numerical advantage contrived to make life difficult for themselves at times particularly through over elaboration. The sides went in level at the break, a goal from a penalty by Sean Downey hauling the Emmets level but Beggan struck for 2 of his hat trick in the opening minutes of the second-half to give Clones a platform for victory and when he completed his hat-trick as the game entered the final quarter it was effectively all over. Play became scrappy and tempers threatened to flare in that final quarter with Clones also finishing the game with 14 players when Kevin Reilly picked up a black card that, added to an earlier yellow card, meant he could not be replaced, but Clones had done enough earlier to take the result and make up for the disappointment of losing this final in 2015.

Teams and Scorers: Clones: Christopher Cadden, Matthew Newell, Eugene Holland, Kevin Reilly, Luke Rehill, Jake Rehill, Ryan Rooney 0-1, Emmet McEntee 0-1, Eoin McQuaid 0-2 (1f), Ethan Audley 0-1, James McElwain 0-1 (f), Fabian Beggan 3-2 (0-2, 1’45, 1f), Sarto Quigley, Cian O’Connor 0-4, Dean O’Connor. Subs: Eoin Kelly for M Newell, James Gibson for L Rehill, Gerard Foy for Dean O’Connor, Dylan O’Connor for F Beggan, Packie McCarville for S Quigley, Darragh McDermott for C O’Connor.

Carrickmacross: Robbie Honney, Adrian McCluskey, Conor Duffy, Padraig Marron, Caolan Martin, David Eakins, Adam Waller, John G Conlon, Aaron Murray, Kieran Ward 0-2, Ryan Carolan, Ronan Lonergan, John McMenamin 0-1, Sean Downey 1-6 (1-0p, 0-2f), Jamie Gartland 0-1. Subs: Ronan Kiernan for P Marron, Ronan Gallogly for A Waller, Fergal McDermott for J Gartland. Referee: David Forde (Scotstown).