Stewartsown beat Brockagh to earn promotion

Brocagh 0-5

Stewartstown 1-10

PROMOTION back to Division Two after just one season is Stewartstown’s due reward for an almost perfect campaign which culminated in this emphatic victory to clinch the league title on Sunday afternoon.

It was all in the hands of the Harps as they prepared for this potentially difficult clash.

But they negotiated the challenge with style and discipline to secure the two points required for them to top the Division Three table.

There was no doubting their delight at the final whistle as the team, their management and supporters gathered to celebrate. They will now be looking forward to the championship and, of course, Intermediate football again in 2023.

Dylan McElhatton’s great goal entering the closing stages of this clash proved decisive.

But even without that big major, the Harps were already well on course to seal and the win, thanks especially to a superb first half display with the wind.

The Loughshore venue can be notoriously difficult, and a good start was half the battle for the Harps. Little separated the teams during the opening few minutes, but when things settled Stewartstown made the most of their advantages.

Good play in the defence laid the foundations for victory. Time and again, Quintin O’Neill, Conor Quinn and the stand-in captain for the day, Tiarnan Rushe, tackled determinedly. In addition, their direct style and cross-field passes worked a treat for Macualay Quinn and Cathal Devlin at midfield.

Vetern Gareth Devlin was looking lively up front until a back injury curtailed his involvement. Nevertheless, points from Kryan Robinson and Shea O’Neill got them going, as they sought to make the most of the wind advantage.

Dan Lowe’s accuracy from frees was also proving important. He hit two in a row to extend the lead to four, and they came close to grabbing a goal as well.

First Kryan Robinson’s shot was well saved by Daniel Davidson for Brocagh. Minutes later, Dan Lowe hit the post, and Brocagh just mnaged
to save a second shot from Shea O’Neill.

The Emmetts tried hard to stem the tide, but their attacks were few and far between in that first half. Conor McDonald and Pearse McAliskey did embark on a number of promising runs forward, and Michael Hughes and Michael Robinson were a threat in their attack.

But that first half was all about Stewartstown and they continued to control matters. Stephen Talbot’s high shot sailed over the bar, as Macualay Quinn used all his strength to twice race through to fire over. As a result, they were well placed when another Dan Lowe free put them 0-8 to no score ahead nearing the break.

Brocagh did get some respite. A point from Michael Hughes finally broke their duck in the third minute of added time, and provided them with a springboard to perhaps turn things around on the resumption.

They continued to defend in numbers, and made some inroads into that deficit during the quarter quarter. Owen Canavan drove forward and was rewarded with two points, as Conan McDonald, Michael Canavan and Ciaran Campbell also worked hard.

Michael Hughes and Michael Robinson fired over to leave only five between them. A goal for them then might have changed the game, but it didn’t really look like coming. Despite the best efforts of Aidan Dorman, it was Stewartstown who held their nerve.

Dylan McElhatton’s goal was a real peach. He won possession about 30 yards out and embarked on a
mazy run which finished with
him firing with style to the bottom corner.

That made the score 1-9 to 0-4 and it was game over, even though the Harps did misjudge a number of shots for scores against the wind.

Swapped points between Michael Hughes for Brocagh and Dan Lowe for Stewartstown completed the final score, as both teams now put their focus on making a mark in the forthcoming Junior championship.