Sport

Mickey Moran's Kilcoo edge Pete McGrath's Rostrevor in feisty clash

Kilcoo’s Paul Devlin wins a ball ahead of Rostrevor’s James Rice during yesterday’s Down ACFL Division One clash in Kilcoo Picture by Bill Smyth
Kilcoo’s Paul Devlin wins a ball ahead of Rostrevor’s James Rice during yesterday’s Down ACFL Division One clash in Kilcoo Picture by Bill Smyth Kilcoo’s Paul Devlin wins a ball ahead of Rostrevor’s James Rice during yesterday’s Down ACFL Division One clash in Kilcoo Picture by Bill Smyth

MICKEY Moran’s Kilcoo came out on top in a feisty, low-scoring Down ACFL Division One battle with Pete McGrath’s Rostrover side yesterday.

Rostrevor finished the game with 13 players as Shaun Parr and Conor Doyle were red-carded, both on second yellows, while the Magpies’ Aidan Branagan also saw red in a second half that saw more cards than scores.

The game was physical but it was measured football. Both sides were keen to play a counter-attacking system, but with neither being over-committal going forward, there were too few attacks to counter and as a result the scores were locked on 0-1 each with 18 minutes gone.

The Reds took the lead when Caolan Mooney seized the initiative and with his now trademark devastating burst of pace, he pulled away from three Kilcoo markers and steered a 35-metre effort between the posts.

Kilcoo replied when another Down county player, Paul Devlin, converted frees on 18 and 22 minutes.

Rostrevor keeper Johnny Parr

(0-2) levelled with a converted free, but on 26 minutes Daryl Branagan displayed blistering pace as he received a pass from Conor Laverty, raced past the 21 and fisted across to Celium Doherty, who timed his run perfectly and fired past Parr for a wonderfully worked goal.

There were some ill-tempered exchanges before the break but referee Gavin Finnegan displayed some Easter goodwill and issued yellow cards to Parr, Doyle and Branagan, which were later to prove costly.

Three converted frees in the second half – two from Devlin and one from keeper Niall Kane – were enough to seal a 1-5 to 0-6 victory for the home side.

Rostrevor pushed more numbers up but points from powerful midfielder James Donaghy, substitute Miceal Mackin, a Johnny Parr converted 45 and a Mooney free proved to be not enough to catch the Magpies.

Mayobridge lead the pack at the top of Division One following their one-point victory (2-8 to 1-12) over CPN at a sun-kissed Moygannon Park on Saturday.

’Bridge displayed a bit more quality when it mattered. Caolan Gallagher’s goal on 40 minutes levelled the score on 1-6 each and once Conaill Gallagher’s free went over the bar to put them in front the Sky Blues looked comfortable.

They stretched their lead with Kevin McClorey, Corey Quinn and the impressive Shane Annett all picking off points to take charge.

It was change from the first half, when Ruairi McCormack’s fine goal and points from Alan Davidson and the lively Ross McGarry (1-6) helped CPN to a 1-6 to 0-5 lead at the break.

Warrenpoint rallied again late and two minutes from time McGarry almost ripped the net with a stunning goal from 35 metres. He followed up with a superb 50-metre converted free, but CPN fell just short, much to the relief of Mayobridge.

Elsewhere, Loughinisland, who had made a bright start under Jody Gormley with two wins in their first three games, couldn’t find a way past visiting Ballyholland Harps and had to settle for a 0-13 apiece draw.