Super Stewartstown set up Croker clash

STEWARTSTOWN 1-14 CLIFDEN 1-9

(after extra-time)

STEWARTSTOWN are on their way to Croke Park after they dug deep to snuff out the resistance of Galway champions Clifden after extra-time in the All-Ireland Junior Club Championship semi-final in Roscommon on Saturday afternoon.

It was a dramatic, albeith scrappy, encounter with fortunes fluctiating wildly throughout before the Harps took the spoils to set up a date at Headquarters with Kerry’s Fossa next Sunday.

Despite playing with the advantage of a strong breeze at their backs in the first half, Stewartstown trailed 1-2 to 0-4 at the break with John O’Brien scoring the Clifden goal in the 20^th minute.

A series of costly turnovers in promising scoring positions cost the Harps dear, though Gerard O’Neill and Tiernan Rush did slot over quality points.

The lethal Ger Gibbons scored all of Clifden’s points on the day and his accuracy from frees helped them to maintain their advantage as the second half unfolded.

The evergreen Gareth Devlin was having a stormer for Stewartstown and his frees helped to keep them in contention, before defender Jason Park popped over the equaliser entering the closing straight.

The Tyrone champions were playing all the football late on, even after Cionor Quinn picked up a second yellow card, but the Clifden keeper pulled off a couple of fine saves to force the match into extra-time.

Gibbons and Devlin traded pointed frees on the restart and then in the 70^th minute the latter pounced for the all-important Stewartstown goal, finding the net from a brilliant crossfield ball by sub Anton Coyle.

The drama wasn’t over yet with Stewartstown sub James Campbell blacked carded and Clifden were then awarded a penalty but Greg Kelly pulled off a great save to deny Gibbons.

Boosted by this the Harps finished with a flourish, as Theo Lowe (mark), Anton Coyle (free) and appropriately Devlin all split the posts to secure a famous triumph.

The Scorers

Stewartstown

Gareth Devlin (1-6, 4frees), Jason Park, Gerard O’Neill, Stephen Talbot, Dylan McElhatton, Tiernan Rush, Macauley Quinn (0-1 each), Theo Lowe (0-1,mark), Anton Coyle (0-1,free)

Clifden

Ger Gibbons ((0-9,8frees), John O’Brien (1-0)

The Teams

Stewartstown

Greg Kelly, Jason Park, Darren Devlin, Conor Quinn, Kyran Robinson, Mark Rooney, Gerard O’Neill, Stephen Talbot, Cathal Devlin, Dylan McElhatton, Dan Lowe, Tiernan Rush, Theo Lowe, Macauley Quinn, Gareth Devlin. Subs used: Cumhai O’Neill for C Devlin (44mins), Anton Coyle for T Lowe (57), James Campbell for D McElhatton (60), Dylan McElhatton for K Robinson (80)

Clifden

Ian Staunton, Ruairi King, John Mannion, Noah Murray, Gearoid King, John O’Brien, Sean Black, Conall Joyce, Shane Sweeney, Enda Connelly, Mike O’Toole, Henry O’Toole, Colm Coneys, Emmet Moran, Ger Gibbons. Subs used: Darragh Kennedy for E Connelly (h-time), Damien Joyce for J O’Brien (43mins), Colin Connolly for G King (47), Eoin Mahon for E Moran (59), Enda Connelly for D Joyce (67), Cathal O’Donnell for H O’Toole (77).

Referee: Jonathan Hayes (Limerick)