Errigal Juveniles breeze into the Paul McGirr Final

Errigal Ciaran 7-10  Kinawley 1-1

ERRIGAL Ciaran have qualified for the final of the prestigious Paul McGirr Ulster U16 Championship for the first time in their history with a thumping win over Kinawley in Saturday’s semi-final clash at a stormy Gardrum Park.

Saturday’s game was notable in more ways than one as it marked the competition’s return after a four-year hiatus and it became apparent from early on that this was going to be a one-sided affair.

The Tyrone champions made hay with the gale-force breeze at their backs in the first-half, surging into a 4-4 to 0-1 lead at the interval with lethal sharpshooter Shea McDermott weighing in with a supremely well-taken hat-trick of goals.

The slickness of Errigal’s build-up play was commendable in the conditions with midfielder Ciaran Mullin’s pinpoint distribution a major asset as they laid the platform for a comfortable victory over the boys from Fermanagh club Kinawley.

A critical problem for Kinawley, particularly in the first half with the 50 mile per hour winds in their faces, was getting their hands on primary possession from the restart with a ravenous Errigal Ciaran team deploying a high press that yielded major dividends throughout.

It didn’t take long for Errigal to run up a considerable lead with Shea McDermott and Senan Canavan landing early points before the first goal in the game in the fifth minute via McDermott, and it wasn’t his last three-pointer of the afternoon.

They piled on the pressure with another goal, this time from Michael Mullin after good work in the middle from Matthew Hackett and the game was put to bed by the end of the opening quarter as Shea McDermott completed his hat-trick with two further goals, leaving the Kinawley goalkeeper no chance on either occasion.

That left Errigal with an insurmountable 4-4 to no score lead but Kinawley didn’t drop their heads and got what turned out to be their only pointed effort of the game when Conor Simmons popped over a free in the 21st minute.

Kinawley’s forays forward were few and far between and on the rare occasion they threatened to breach enemy lines, the likes of Aodhan Quinn and Odhran Mullin were on hand to avert the danger.

There were no further scores for the remainder of the half as Errigal’s disciplined rearguard kept their opponents at play, and they produced a professional performance in the second-half to rubberstamp their place in next Sunday’s final.

Kinawley grabbed a consolation goal early in the second-half via Conor Simmons, their final score of the game, but other than that it was virtually all one-way traffic with Charlie Maguire growing in prominence and delivering three points into the teeth of the gale.

Substitute Dan Loughran made a very strong impression indeed and he scored Errigal’s fifth goal of the day in the 50th minute after an incisive pass from the game’s top-scorer Shea McDermott.

Errigal kept on coming in waves and Ciaran Mullin, who was exceptional throughout, broke forward as they established a 6-8 to 1-1 lead as the game headed into the closing stages.

Errigal’s subs were excellent and Loughran tagged on a point before Jack Kelly did likewise having been teed up by Paudi McKenna.
And it was Loughran who delivered the final score of the game, rolling the ball into an empty net after characteristically slick build-up play from a well-drilled Errigal team. Job done and they’ll go into next Sunday’s final brimming with confidence after such a formidable display.

THE SCORERS
Errigal Ciaran
Shea McDermott (3-2, 0-1f), Dan Loughran (2-1), Michael Mullin and Ciaran Mullin (1-0 each), Charlie Maguire (0-3), Senan Canavan (0-2), Paul McGinley and Jack Kelly (0-1 each)

Kinawley
Conor Simmons (1-1, 0-1f)

THE TEAMS
Errigal Ciaran
Jude Curran, Korneliusz Mielniczek, Lorcan McGarvey, Odhran Mullin, Aodhan Quinn, Paul McGinley, Michael Mullin, Ciaran Mullin, Matthew Hackett, Charlie Maguire, Elliot Kerr, Senan Canavan, Michael McDermott, Shea McDermott, Ronan Fleming. Subs: Dan Loughran for R Fleming, Lorcan Murray for A Quinn, Jack Kelly for C Maguire, Paudie McKenna for M McDermott, Peadar Kelly for J Curran

Kinawley
Ronan Cleary, Cormac McGreevy, Conal Crudden, Shay McManus, Ronan Brennan, Matthew Ferguson, Conan McManus, Tomas Cathcart, Conor Simmons, Aidan Leonard, Ryan Wray, Ben Melanaphy, Cathair Maguire, Eoin McTernan, Kian McHugh. Subs: Cathair Reilly and Cian Martin for C McGreevy and R Wray

Referee: Brian McCallion (Castlederg)