Sigersons’ hopes are sunk by Killeeshil

Killeeshil 0-13 Strabane 0-5

THE Championship sometimes throws up the unpredictable but not in this case at O’Neill’s Healy Park on Friday evening as hot favourites Killeeshil turned in an effective showing to dash the Junior hopes of Strabane.

This semi-final never really reached any great heights in terms of intensity or excitement, with an inevitability about the outcome pervading the contest.

As was the case in their impressive quarter-final victory over league champions Drumquin, Killeeshil played with a strong breeze at their backs in the first half and quickly sought to capitalise on this advantage.

With Packie McMullan pulling the strings around the middle, ably supported by Conall Monaghan and lively half-back Michael Carty, they asserted early control. McMullan slotted over a second minute free and shortly afterwards he helped launch a blistering counter-attack which was capped by midfielder Paul O’Neill drilling over.

McMullan was again the creator for a smartly taken score by captain Tomas Hoy and by the ninth minute Killeeshil were four points to the good, as Hoy again slipped over a close range free.

While their forward sector fed off scraps throughout the first quarter, there was encouraging signs that the Sigersons were coming to life, as Mark McAdams and Oran McGrath mined effectively for possession.

Scoring opportunities remained at a premium however and a couple of quality conversions by Michael O’Neill and Mark Monaghan eased Killeeshil ahead by the half-dozen, both planting sweet wind-assisted attempts between the sticks.

The sprightly Carty galloped onto Gary Reilly’s pass to fist over and stretch the lead even further, before Strabane belatedly broke their duck in the 20trh minute, Gavin Molloy benefitting from good approack work by Oran McGrath and Haydyn McNamee to register a much needed score.

Buoyed by this the Sigersons began to turn the teritorial stakes in their favour, and McNamee went close to finding the net when he muscled his way in along the endline, but fired his low shot the wrong side of the near post.

Killeeshil’s early zip and intensity had slackened off somewhat though a brilliant score by Michael O’Neill, coming up on the shoulder of Carty to swing over a beauty got them going again. Strabane however had the last say of the first half with Kyle Morrison finding a pocket of space to neatly shoot over. (Half-time Killeeshil 0-8 Strabane 0-2)

Despite having the elements now in their favour Strabane fell further behind when corner back Ciaran O’Reilly earned due reward for his adventure by slotting over in some style, though a black card for Michael O’Neill represented a glimmer of light for the Sigersons.

Gavin Molloy did register a sharply taken score but in the main Strabane struggled to chisel out openings and two quick fire scores from McMullan and midfielder Dillion O’Neill stretched Killeeshil’s lead.

The match drifted towards its inevitable conclusion down the home straight. The hard working McNamee stuck over a close range free and mark but sub Cormac Donaghy and Michael O’Neill had the final say for St Mary’s who progressed with the minimal fuss to the final.

The Scorers

Killeeshil

Michael O’Neill (0-3), Tomas Hoy (0-2,1f), Packie McMullan (0-2,1f), Ciaran O’Neill, Michael Carty, Paul O’Neill, Dillion O’Neill, Mark Monaghan, Cormac Donaghy (0-1 each)

Strabane

Gavin Molloy (0-2), Haydn McNamee (0-2,1f,1m), Kyle Morrison (0-1)