Super Moortown return to senior football

Moortown 2-12

Clonoe 1-9

By Kevin Kelly

MOORTOWN have returned to senior football at the first time of asking after producing a superb display at Coney Park in Ardboe on Saturday afternoon to send Clonoe back down to Intermediate.

After coming up short in both the league and championship the St Malachy’s had to do it the hard way and there is no doubt that their recent competitive play-off wins over Rock and Moy stood to them here. They got to grips with their opponents in the first half and when Clonoe landed four points without reply either side of the interval to draw level they never panicked.

An excellent goal from corner back Connor McVeigh had them in front again only for Connor McAliskey to convert a penalty to leave things in the melting pot again. Lesser sides may have crumbled but not this Moortown side and while their second goal had an element of good fortune about it there is no doubt that they were worthy winners on the day. Clonoe will reflect on the dozen wides that they kicked but on the day they never played to their potential and as a result they have been relagated for the second time in three years.

Three times in the opening eight minutes Clonoe had their noses in front through McAliskey and the McClure brothers,, Fintan and Declan, but that proved to be the only time that they would lead in the remainder of the contest.

Rian Smith, Paul Quinn and Liam Lawn cancelled those scores out and after Mattie Conlon had edged them in front Sean Kelly weighed in with an outstanding brace from distance for a 0-6 to 0-3 lead by the end of the opening quarter. Clonoe were already guilty of six wides by this stage before Shea Lawn turned sharply to leave four between the sides. Sean Paul Quinn cleared a flick from Fintan McClure off the line before Moortown were dealt a blow when they lost their Captain Brian McLernon to injury. McAliskey had the final say of the half from a free to reduce the deficit to 0-7 to 0-4.

Clonoe reappeared for the second half with renewed vigour as they pressed up on the Moortown kickout and they got their reward with three quickfire points from Fintan McClure, Declan McClure and PJ Lavery inside seven minutes to draw level. Moortown looked to be struggling but crucially they grabbed a brilliant goal in the 42nd minute against the run of play.

A great crossfield pass from Smith put corner back McVeigh in behind the Clonoe defence and he gave keeper Mickey O’Neill no chance with a clinical low finish to the bottom left hand corner of the net. Shea Lawn followed that up with a converted free to push them four clear going into the final quarter.

Darragh McGrath and Conlon exchanged quality point before Clonoe were thrown a lifeline in the 51st minute when Danny McNulty was fouled for a penalty which McAliskey expertly converted. Tarlach Quinn then charged through from centre half back past three or four challenges to land an inspirational score for Moortown only for Clonoe substitute James Taggart to cancel that out with only three minutes of normal time left to play.

Moments later the crucial score of the contest arrived when Liam Lawn embarked on a surging run that saw him race in on goal and when his rasping shot came back off the bar it hit the unfortunate McGrath and into the net. It was just the boost that the St Malachy’s needed and they closed the game out with a Shea Lawn ‘45’ and a fisted point from the impressive Smith to give them a deserved victory.

Scorers

Moortown: Shea Lawn 0-3 (1F, 1 “45”), Connor McVeigh 1-0, Darragh McGrath OG 1-0, Sean Kelly 0-2, Rian Smith 0-2, Mattie Conlon 0-2, Liam Lawn 0-1, Paul Quinn 0-1, Tarlach Quinn 0-1

Clonoe: Connor McAliskey 1-2 (1-0 pen, 1F), Declan McClure 0-2, Fintan McClure 0-2, PJ Lavery 0-1, Darragh McGrath 0-1, James Taggart 0-1

Teams

Moortown: Tony Quinn, Connor McVeigh, Christopher McGuigan, Sean Paul Quinn, Connor Quinn, Tarlach Quinn, Paul Quinn, Sean Kelly, Blaine Ryan, Liam Lawn, Shaun Conway, Rian Smith, Shea Lawn, Mattie Conlon, Brian McLernon. Sub: Patrick Quinn for McLernon

Clonoe: Mickey O’Neill, Ciaran O’Neill, Darragh McGrath, Shane Hughes, Shea Coney, Patrick Doris, PJ Lavery, Declan McClure, Ryan Morrow, Fintan McClure, Danny McNulty, Daryl Magee, Pascal McClure, Connor McAliskey, Dwayne Quinn. Subs: Rhys Donnelly for Doris, Ryan Quinn for Pascal McClure, James Taggart for Morrow

Referee: Martin Conroy, Moy