AIB Ulster Club Intermediate Football Championship semi-final: St Malachy’s, Castledawson (Derry) 2-11 Pomeroy Plunketts (Tyrone) 1-16
POMEROY’S potent second half display earned them a narrow victory and a place in the Ulster Club IFC final.
The Tyrone men trailed by six points at one stage of a first half that saw them lose both their midfielders.
But they regrouped, reorganised and found a way to win, with significant help from a bench that rose to the challenge.
“We had looked at Castledawson and knew the quality that they would bring,” said Pomeroy manager Mark Harte. “But for some reason things weren’t clicking for us early in the game, they got a goal and looked to be running away with the match at one stage.
“Only for Christopher Colhoun’s goal just before half-time things would probably have been a lot tougher. While we still went in at half-time on the back foot, that score gave us a foothold and a point from Gavin Goodfellow five seconds after the restart set down a marker.”
And it was a more focused and increasingly determined Plunketts team that seized the opportunity after the break.
“Thankfully, the lads went out in the second half and got things right. You have to expect the unexpected, and the loss of two midfielders made a difference as well. But we managed to dig deep and the couple of substitutes also provided us with a serious injection.
“The vast majority of this team have never played at this stage of a provincial competitive before. There are a number of survivors from the 2004 and 2005 team, and by and large the players are 23 or under. They’re learning and are going to make mistakes, because every game is against opposition who have won their county title.”
Pomeroy looked comfortable in the opening stages, easing ahead through Chris Colhoun and Ryan Loughran, but the Derry men launched their challenge with a ninth minute goal. Connor Taggart’s dropping delivery was not cleared, and Aidy Bradley seized upon the loose ball to smash to the net from close range.
Niall McNicholl and Bradley were comfortable on the ball, while Niall Keenan and Rian Connery pressed effectively from the back as they strove to build on that major boost. McNicholl and Conor Scullion knocked over frees, and an exquisite Aidan Keenan effort helped them open up a 1-3 to 0-2 lead after 18 minutes.
Pomeroy defended nervously, struggling to break out of their own half, and in a 20-minute spell, managed just one point, a deflected Frank Burns effort.
Meanwhile, a St Malachy’s side growing in confidence by the minute went six clear through McNicholl, and the Plunketts had lost both midfielders, Brendan Cunningham to injury and Ryan Loughran to a black card. However, they finished the half strongly, Colhoun firing in a goal and Justin McCaffrey adding a point to trim the deficit to two.
Castledawson led by 1-6 to 1-4 at the interval, but once Pomeroy got settled into an enforced new formation, they found some fluency, with Frank Burns, Kieran McGeary and John Loughran running at the Castledawson defence.
McGeary slotted over a string of frees as they shot six points without reply to go three clear, a nine points swing. But at the beginning of the final quarter, the Oak Leaf representatives gave themselves fresh hope with a goal from nowhere.
Aidy Bradley launched along range free goalwards, and Aidan Keenan rose to punch to the net. However, the Plunketts responded with another volley of scores, Loughran, McGeary and Burns, with a delightful effort, all on target.
Castledawson lost skipper McNicholl to a black card and substitute Colum Lavery to a straight red late on, as Pomeroy sealed their place in the final with a couple of points from substitute Aidan Woods.
MATCH STATS
Pomeroy: J McCourt, B Burns, C McKenna, S Quinn, D Nugent, HP McGeary, M McKeever, B Cunningham, R Loughran (0-1), K McGeary (0-6, 0-5 frees), O McCreesh, F Burns (0-2), J Loughran (0-1), C Colhoun (1-2), K Armstrong. Subs: G Goodfellow (0-1) for Cunningham, A Woods (0-2) for Colhoun, R Lagan for Quinn, Black card: R Loughran replaced by Justin McCaffrey (0-1)
Castledawson: D Shivers, M McAllister, N Keenan, M O’Kane, K O’Kane, P Henry (0-1), R Connery, D Devlin, N McNicholl (0-3 frees) A Bradley (1-1), R Shivers, D Devlin, C Taggart, A Keenan (1-2), C Scullion (0-3 frees). Subs: B Ludlow for Henry, Henry for R Shivers, Shivers for Taggart, C Lavery for N Keenan Black card: McNicholl replaced by L Doyle (0-1)
Referee: M McNally (Monaghan)
