Aughadrumsee 0-13 Coa 1-08

Aughadrumsee claim first championship title since winning the Intermediate crown in 1990 as they won the Junior Football Championship with a 0-13 to 1-08 victory over Coa under the lights at Brewster Park last Friday night.

Following a sluggish start to the game in which they fell five points behind, 1-03 to 0-01, Aughadrumsee settled into the contest in the second quarter as they closed to within one point at the break.

And the Magpies pushed on in the second half, hitting six points in row to move five clear as the contest entered the final five minutes.

There was to be late drama in the game as Coa were awarded a penalty in injury time when trailing by four points but Cathal Beacom’s effort flew over the bar and although Beacom then added a free, Aughadrumsee held on to win by two points in the end.

And there is no doubt that they were deserving victors on the night with captain Eugene Kearns, Darren Kearns, Shaun McManus and Eddie Courtney all to the fore at stages during the game as they sealed the win.

It was Coa though who were the better side over the opening quarter of an hour of the tie, settling quicker into the game compared to a nervous looking Aughadrumsee side.

The O’Dwyers landed the first score of the game when Gary Lynch rattled over a good effort from the right although Eddie Courtney answered with a free for Aughadrumsee.

With Cathal Beacom pulling the strings though in the early exchanges for Coa, they moved ahead again as Julian Carters slotted over from a fine Ryan Beacom ball before Cathal Beacom then drilled over a 45.

And Coa looked in full control as Cathal Beacom released Jason Farry with a quick free and the half forward blasted his shot to the roof of the net to make it 1-03 to 0-01.

Darren Kearns did reply with a point for Aughadrumsee but the five point gap was restored when the ball was worked to Ciaran Beacom from a turn over and he duly fired over.

Aughadrumsee though finally began to settle to the task after this with Shaun McManus and Fergal Sherry becoming more influential in the middle of the park and they chipped away with points to claw their way back into contention.

Courtney banged over a long range free before Stephen Flynn then knocked over to make it 1-04 to 0-04.

Another Courtney point, this time a fine effort from play on the right, cut the deficit to two points although Coa hit back with Ryan Beacom on target for a point.

Aughadrumsee though were in the ascendancy and Dale Crudden slotted over a score before Courtney landed the score of the game from an acute angle on the left hand side to leave the bare minimum dividing the sides at half time, 1-05 to 0-07.

And Aughadrumsee continued were they left off at the start of the second half with Crudden registering his second point after they had turned over the ball.

Coa were living on scraps for the majority of the second half but they did have a couple of goal chances that fell to Ryan Hanna but both were scrambled away by the Aughadrumsee defence.

Having got back on level terms, the St. Macartans were able to push on and McManus drove over a super point with the outside of the boot to put them ahead for the first time in the game in the 42nd minute.

And from this they went on to pull clear as Crudden, Eugene Kearns and Darren Kearns pointed from play and Courtney tagged on a free to make it 0-13 to 1-05.

Coa’s first point of the second half didn’t arrive until the 57th minute when Cathal Beacom firing over but they then had the chance to turn the game on it’s head when they were awarded a penalty in added on time.

Referee Mark Curry adjudged there was a foul following a scramble in the Aughadumsee goal mouth but Beacom was unable to make the most of the opportunity as he blazed over from the spot, much to Aughadrumsee’s relief.

Still Coa continued to press and Beacom clipped over a free to make it a two point game.

However, they were unable to get the goal they needed to snatch the win out of the hands of Aughadrumsee and when the final whistle was eventually blown there was huge celebrations.

They will now go on face the Armagh champions in Crossmaglen in the quarter final of the Ulster Club on October 20.