Football

Ballinascreen edge past Errigal Ciaran to secure semi-final spot

fonaCAB Ulster Minor Tournament: Ballinascreen 1-10 Errigal Ciaran 1-8<br />Pictures by Seamus Loughran&nbsp;
fonaCAB Ulster Minor Tournament: Ballinascreen 1-10 Errigal Ciaran 1-8
Pictures by Seamus Loughran 
fonaCAB Ulster Minor Tournament: Ballinascreen 1-10 Errigal Ciaran 1-8
Pictures by Seamus Loughran 

fonaCAB Ulster Minor Tournament: Ballinascreen 1-10 Errigal Ciaran 1-8

Derry champions Ballinascreen are through to the semi-finals of the fonaCAB Ulster Minor Tournament at the St.Paul’s club after a deserved two-point triumph over Errigal Ciaran yesterday afternoon.

The sides were level at 1-4 apiece at the break and when Ballinascreen moved three points in front going into the final quarter they looked to have done enough.

Errigal Ciaran though showed tremendous battling qualities to close the gap to the minimum but they couldn’t get level again on a day when they had both midfielders Joe Oguz and Peter Og McCartan sent off in the closing nine minutes.

It was Oguz who opened the scoring in the second minute and at the end of the opening quarter it was 0-2 apiece with Ciaran Doyle and the superb Emmett Duggan edging Ballinascreen ahead before McCartan levelled matters.

In the 17th minute the Derry lads struck for a brilliant goal when good work from the impressive Cathal Donnelly up the left wing saw him find Duggan who finished in style low past keeper Ciaran McKenna.

Darragh Canavan and Reece McSorley traded points before Duggan split the posts for a 1-4 to 0-3 advantage.

Ballinascreen were the better side at this stage but Errigal Ciaran rallied as the interval approached.

First of all Thomas Owens was fouled for a 25th minute penalty which Ciaran Traynor converted before a late Canavan free brought the first half scoring to a close.

McCartan drove through from midfield to hit a brilliant point seconds after the restart but Ballinascreen were quickly level again thanks to a fine effort from Donnelly.

McCartan then got through for another well taken score but in the next attack McSorley hit a beauty with the outside of the boot to leave it 1-6 apiece.

It was an explosive start to the second half and it was the winners who continued in that vain to take a grip on proceedings.

Duggan skipped past two challenges to hoist a brilliant point, half back Conal Logan ventured forward to arrow over and when Euan McBride made it 1-9 to 1-6 it looked like being a decisive gap.

Canavan though closed the gap from a free before full forward Traynor hit an inspirational point from play to leave it game on again in the 49th minute.

That though proved to be their last score and moments later they lost Oguz to a second yellow card.

Both sides had their chances but failed to take them before midfielder Martin Bradley fisted over the bar in the last minute to edge the winners two in front.

McCartan was straight red carded in injury time for a high tackle on Ciaran Doyle as Ballinascreen held on. 

Ballinascreen: R Scullion, D McCoy, C Doyle (0-1), R McKenna, R Doyle, A Bradley, Conal Logan (0-1), M Bradley (0-1), Christopher Logan, E McBride (0-1), C McAlinden, C Donnelly (0-1), E Duggan (1-3), N Rafferty, R McSorley (0-2).

Subs: N Doyle for Christopher Logan, M Farrelly for Rafferty, D McCullagh for C Doyle, D Kelly for Donnelly

Errigal Ciaran: C McKenna, T Colhoun, Cathair Quinn, Cormac Quinn, P Traynor, A McAnenly, P McNeilis, P Og McCartan (0-3), J Oguz (0-1), O Robinson, D Canavan (0-3, 3f), J McMenamin, E Neill, C Traynor (1-1, 1-0 pen), T Owens.

Subs: M Campbell for Neill, E Owens for Robinson, E Neill for Owens

Referee: B Toland (Antrim)

OTHER GAMES

FonaCAB St Paul’s Ulster Club Minor Football Tournament quarter-final:

St Eunan’s, Letterkenny (Donegal) 0-11 Clann Eireann (Armagh) 0-9 (after extra-time)

ST EUNAN’S: R McGeehin; J Angel Atuahene, C McCloskey, A Gallagher; R Hilferty, J Kelly, P McEniff; P McColgan (0-1), A Deeney; L Hasson, N Hannigan (0-5, 2 frees), E McGeehin (0-1); C O’Donnell, M McGovern, O Purdy (0-2). 

Subs: D Morrison (0-3 frees) for C O’Donnell (39), S Breen for M McGovern (52), J Kelly for R Hilferty (55), S Maguire (0-1, started ET)

CLANN EIREANN: C McAlinden; A O’Connor, O McKeagney, R Shine; C Magee, J Haddock, J Conlon; S McCarthy (0-2), C Turbitt (0-2); M Cooper (0-1), T Kelly (0-1), E Kearney; A McConville, R McConville (0-1), R Meehan (0-2).

Subs: R McDonald (0-1) for A McConville (22), C Kearney (0-1) for R Meehan (52), D McCarthy for M Cooper (60), R Meehan for R McConville (ET), T French for A O’Connor (ET 7)

REFEREE: Brendan Toland (Antrim)

FonaCAB St Paul’s Ulster Club Minor Football Tournament quarter-final: 

Enniskillen Gaels (Fermanagh) 3-12 Ramor United (Cavan) 2-4

ENNISKILLEN GAELS: C Newman; O Agnew, P Cassidy, J O’Hare; G Greene, J Cassidy (0-1), R Quinn (0-1); E Beacom (0-1), B Horan (0-1); M McAleer (1-2, 0-1 free, 0-1 45), J Rehill (0-1), C Love (1-2, 0-1 free); R Beattie (1-1), M Dixon (0-2), F Quinn. 

Subs: R Swift for O AGnew (54), J Horan for J Rehill (57), E Butler for P Cassidy (58), L Hamill for C Love (60)

RAMOR UNITED: C O’Kelly; A O’Reilly, K Brady, A Farrelly; L Lynch, B Smith, S Kavanagh; B Quilty, L Maguire (0-1); S McEvoy, S Keogan (2-3, 0-1 free), R Kellet; R Patterson, G Mannion, N McWeeney;

Subs: A Mannion for N McWeeney (HT), A Mockas for A O’Reilly (40), D Grant for S McEvoy (51)

REFEREE: Charlie Hemsworth (Antrim)

RESULTS AND SCHEDULE

Preliminary round

St Eunan’s, Letterkenny (Donegal) 1-7 St Mary’s, Burren (Down) 0-7

Quarter-finals

 Enniskillen Gaels (Fermanagh) 3-12 Ramor United (Cavan) 2-4

St Eunan’s, Letterkenny (Donegal) 0-11 Clann Eireann (Armagh) 0-9

O’Donovan Rossa (Antrim) 2-15 Killanny Geraldines (Monaghan) 0-7

Errigal Ciaran (Tyrone) 1-8 St Colm’s, Ballinascreen (Derry) 1-10

Semi-finals (both at St Paul’s)

Enniskillen Gaels v St Eunan’s, Letterkenny (Saturday, December 23, 12pm)

O’Donovan Rossa v St Colm’s, B’screen (Tuesday, December 26, 1.30pm)