Craigbane kill off Killeeshil’s Ulster hopes with late goal

Craigbane 1-8  Killeeshil 0-7

KILLEESHIL’S championship came to a damp end at Owenbeg on Saturday evening when Craigbane hit them for 1-3 without reply in the final quarter of this Ulster Junior Club preliminary round opener.

The Tyrone champions twice led by two points but raising two white flags after half-time was never going to be enough.

That said, when Michael O’Neill thumped over to put Killeeshil two points ahead with 48 minutes on the clock, it had the cut of an inspirational score.

The problem was, it was their last score as Craigbane took over with midfielder Bliain Gormley shutting the door any time Killeeshil looked to open up.

With six minutes to go, Killeeshil trailed by a point before it all began to unravel.

First, Packie McMullan pulled a free wide when presented with a chance to equalise.

Then, when they went long on their next attack, Craigbane hoovered up the break before going on the counterattack.

There was a defensive error when the ball bounced into the arms of Fergal Mortimer who fed Lee Moore to seal victory with a stoppage-time goal.

To rub salt on the wounds, ‘keeper Ciaran Reilly was sent off for a strike on Moore as he celebrated his goal.

It was a game of two key scoring bursts. The sides shared six points in the first 11 minutes. Then where was a lull until Craigbane’s dash to the finish line.

Overall, it was an excellent contest. The teams were well matched. In tricky conditions the players put together some excellent passages of play with every ball contested like the game depended on it. And, in a game of fine margins, every bounce of the ball was vital.

It was Killeeshil who set down an early marker with a Dillon O’Neill point after a mere 20 seconds when the ball was worked upfield from the throw-in.

A high ball into the Killeeshil defence wasn’t cleared after Bernard O’Neill’s punch and David Lowry levelled matters.

That was the story of the first 11 minutes. Point for point. Ciaran Reilly’s excellent kick-out put Mark Monaghan on the way to setting up Hoy for a score.

A well worked move saw Jude Óg Moore kick Craigbane level again before an off the ball tug on Hoy handed Cormac Donaghy with an easy free from close range.

Brian Rainey and Fergal Mortimer combined for Jude McLaughlin to score and Craigbane almost went ahead only for goalkeeper Reilly to pull Eoin Coll’s shot from above the bar.

A second Jude Óg Moore put Craigbane ahead for the first time but it was Killeeshil who finished the half on the front foot.

When Oisin O’Donnell’s pass was cut out by Luke Donnelly, Donaghy passed to Hoy who scored on the turn and it was a 45 from Bernard O’Neill who put Killeeshil into a 0-5 to 0-4 interval lead.

If the first 10 minutes of the game was entertaining, the same spell after half-time was a grind.

Jude McLaughlin left a shot short into the ‘keeper while Bliain Gormley dived full length to deny Hoy a chance.

While they didn’t score, Killeeshil began to get forward more but it was Craigbane’s defence who stood tall.

When Luke Donnelly got in behind, he was fouled and Donaghy kicked the Tyrone side two points clear.

In the scheme of things, a two-point margin was significant but as Craigbane began to play pass the parcel, it was Bliain Gormley who pulled the trigger on their first score of the second half, a ball that bounced over the bar.

Just when Craigbane threatened a comeback, Oisin O’Donnell was blown up for taking too many steps and Hoy passed for Michael O’Neill to kick a score from the wing but it was their last score.

It was Craigbane’s time to shine. With 10 minutes to go, they could’ve found the net when Jude Óg Moore went through. He was fouled but when Lee Moore pulled his goal chance wide, the advantage was over and the latter converted a close-range free.

When Aaron Sharkey reacted first to the next kick-out, the ball was worked through the hands before Lee Moore kicked goalward. Bernard O’Neill’s half block saw the ball spin over the head of Michael Carty and Brian Rainey squeezed a shot over.

The sides were level and the momentum was all with Craigbane. But they had to see off Jason Doyle’s half goal chance.

In the next play, James McLaughlin rode a tackle before laying off to Conor McLaughlin who landed the lead score for Craigbane.

Killeeshil did have their last throw of the dice but when they failed to tie the game, Craigbane punished with the game’s only goal.

The Scorers
Craigbane
Lee Moore 1-1 (1f), Jude Óg Moore 0-2, Bliain Gormley, David Lowry, Conor McLaughlin, Jude McLaughlin and Brian Rainey 0-1 each

Killeeshil
Cormac Donaghy (2fs), Tomás Hoy 0-2 each, Bernard O’Neill (45), Michael O’Neill and Dillon O’Neill 0-1 each