2018 Paul McGirr U16 Club Champions Tournament first round
Newtownbutler (Fermanagh) 2-13 Termon (Donegal) 1-15 (after extra-time)
THE 2018 Paul McGirr U16 Club Champions Tournament got off to a blistering start with Newtownbutler First Fermanaghs coming back from the dead in extra-time to edge in an epic encounter.
The game started in a blizzard of snow and finished in strong sunshine in an afternoon of contrasting conditions with goals from Newtownbutlers star forwards Ger O’Keefe and Conor Courtney just doing enough to help them overcome the challenge of a physically imposing Termon side ably led by captain Jack Alcorn.
Termon set up with a very defensive formation, with Conor Cassidy paying a sweeping role, but it was the Fermanagh boys who got the scoring underway with two pointed frees from man of the match Ger O’Keefe.
Alcorn levelled the scores with two frees of his own before Courtney, with a fine effort tipped over by Termon keeper Emmett Maguire, and Sean Conlon restored the margin to two.
Pointed frees from Aaron Reid, who finished with 0-6 to his name, and Mark Gallagher saw the teams head into the break on level terms.
Reid and Alcorn were having an increasing influence for the Donegal men around centrefield and early second half scores from both men left daylight between the teams for the first time.
Three points from O’Keefe and an effort from Joseph Clancy kept Newtownbutler in touch before the rampaging Manus O'Connell put Termon two up with five minutes remaining as the intensity grew to new levels.
Centre-back Diarmaid King, who was having a great game, clipped one over before the diminutive O’Keefe blasted to the net to put Newtownbutler in the driving seat as the game entered injury-time.
Termon captain Alcorn had other ideas, though, and two late frees, the second a towering effort from 50 yards with the last kick of normal time, brought the sides level at the end of a pulsating 60 minutes.
Extra-time started well for Termon with substitute Oisin Forde finshing a great move to the back of the net. O’Keefe once again pointed to keep Newtownbutler in touch but two points from Alcorn in the second half of extra-time looked to have sealed victory for Termon as both teams tired in testing conditions.
But Courtney then took centre stage, a devastating burst through the Termon defence ending in a point and then O’Keefe feeding him once again for an identical run which ended with a superb finish to the bottom corner to level the game once again.
Newtownbutler then won the resulting kick-out and won a free 30 yards out which King nailed to send a delighted Fermanagh contingent into the quarter-finals, where they will face Cavan champions Gowna.
Newtownbutler manager Finbarr O’Keefe was understandably delighted with the performance of his charges.
''It was an incredible performance by our lads, full of heart and determination and their never-say-die attitude against a great Termon team is a fitting tribute to the lads,'' he said.
''We have a small panel of only 18 players and everybody played their part as we were pushed to the limit. They are comrades in arms and fought right to the end.
''We are used to playing tournament football but this was a level they have never experienced before and I am truly proud that they have come through it.''
Newtownbutler: C O’Dowd, D McDaid, J McCaffrey, D Martin, P McGuiness, D King (0-2 1f), R O’Keefe, C Swift, S Conlon (0-1), J Clancy (0-1), D McLoughlin, G O’Keefe (1-6 4f), A McDonald, O Wilson (0-1), C Courtney (1-2)
Subs: D Crudden for McGuinness, O McKeown for McDonald
Termon: E Maguire, P McDaid, B McGettigan, M Trearty, M O’Connell (0-1), M Steele, B McGettigan, K McGettigan, J Alcorn (0-5 4f), P McDaid, L Callaghan, A Reid (0-6 3f), M Gallagher (0-2, 2f), A Gallagher (0-1 1f), C Cassidy; Subs: O Forde (1-0) for Callaghan
