Clonoe Reserves pip Pomeroy in Intermediate Knockout Final

CLONOE 0-14 POMEROY 0-9

CLONOE are Intermediate Reserve Championship winners for 2023 after they produced a strong finish at Father Campbell Park in Coalisland on Wednesday evening to get the better of a battling Pomeroy side.

It was nip and tuck throughout the sixty odd minutes with little separating the two sides but when it mattered most it was the O’Rahillys who got the crucial scores to get them over the line.

It was the winners who made the better start to the contest with their leading marksman Conor McLoughlin landing an early double. Callum Lagan and Nuno responded for the Plunketts with Eamon Hughes scoring from a Clonoe mark and McLoughlin knocking over a free.

It was Pomeroy though who closed out the first half on top as Lagan converted a free to level matters before the same player gave his side a slender interval advantage from a placed ball as well, 0-5 to 0-4.

Clonoe substitute MJ Mansell levelled matters in the early stages of the second half before Aidan Coyle restored the Plunketts advantage. McLoughlin was looking sharp every time that he gained possession for Clonoe and he split the posts from play to equalise before a free from the boot of Daryl Magee edged the O’Rahillys back in front.

In the 42^nd minute Pomeroy were dealt a blow when they lost midfielder Kezzy Armstrong to a second yellow card offence but two minutes later it was fourteen v fourteen again after Clonoe captain Colm Devlin received a black card.

Ronan Corey and Coyle swapped points before McGrath and McLoughlin both registered again for Clonoe to leave them 0-10 to 0-8 in front.

It continued to be a keenly contested game and when Coyle sent over the bar only the minimum separated the two sides.

It was very much in the melting pot at this stage but Clonoe showed more composure when it mattered most to establish a match winning advantage. Pomeroy couldn’t get back on level terms and indeed they were held scoreless going into the concluding stages of the game.

Clonoe on the other hand made better use of their possession with McLoughlin sending over his sixth point of the night with all but one of those coming from play. McGrath got his second of the game as did Mansell with fellow substitute Rhys Donnelly getting a point sandwiched in between as the O’Rahillys deservedly took the silverware. In the closing moments Pomeroy’s Gavin Goodfellow and Clonoe’s PJ Lavery were both sent off.

TEAMS & SCORERS

Clonoe

Pauric Kerr, Paudi Hanna, Michael O’Neill, Cormac Convery, PJ Lavery, Sean Hughes, Darragh McGrath (0-2), Colm Devlin, Ciaran McKeever, Ronan Corey (0-1), Daryl Magee (0-1), Ciaran Corr, Conor McLoughlin (0-6), Eamon Hughes (0-1), Arian Devlin. Subs: MJ Mansell (0-2) for Sean Hughes, Rhys Donnelly (0-1) for Arian Devlin, Jerome McClure for O’Neill, Ciaran Magee for McKeever, Tyler Devlin for Colm Devlin

Pomeroy

Justin McCaffrey, Leo Quinn, Gareth McAleer, Denver Nugent, Hugh J Cunningham, Nuno (0-1), Ryan O’Gara, Darren Wallace, Kezzy Armstrong, Eoin Mills, Callum Lagan (0-5), Aidan Coyle (0-2), Cormac Quinn, Sean Quinn (0-1), Ollie McCreesh. Subs: Gavin Goodfellow, Pearse Quinn

Referee: Brian McCallion (Castlederg)