Derrygonnelly 0-9 Kilcoo 1-8

 

Derrygonnelly's Ulster Club ambitions ended in the Atheltic Grounds today as they went down by two points to Down champions Kilcoo.

The key score of the contest arrived eight minutes into the second half when Aaron Branagan tucked home after Kilcoo had caught Derrygonnelly out with a quickly taken free.

That score put Kilcoo three ahead and they were able to keep their noses in front through to the final whistle to set up an Ulster final decider against Naomh Conaill from Donegal.

The Harps will rue missed chances over the course of the game with 11 wides in all over the 60 minutes while they also dropped a couple of efforts into the goalkeeper's hands.

Derrygonnelly had made a bright start to the contest as they landed the opening two scores through Garvan McGinley and Kevin Cassidy to give them a 0-02 to 0-00 lead after four minutes.

However, it was to be five minutes into the second half before the Harps added to their tally as they wasted a number of good scoring chances.

Kilcoo opened their account with a point from Ryan McEvoy from a free but Derrygonnelly then swept down the other end and the excellent Shane McGullion powered through the Kilcoo defence but his shot was pushed around the post by Kilcoo goalkeeper Martin McCourt.

The Mourne side did begin to come more into the game as the half progressed and points from Aaron Branagan and a Paul Devlin free saw them move into a 0-03 to 0-02 lead.

Derrygonnelly had their chances to add to their tally but Conall Jones and Ryan Jones were among those to shoot wide before a Jerome Johnston long range point at the end of the first half saw Kilcoo take a two point lead in at half time, 0-04 to 0-02.

That advantage stretched out to three early in the second half as Devlin converted a free after Tiernan Daly had made a goal saving block to deny Ryan Johnston.

However, the Harps rallied after this and three points in three minutes from Garvan Jones (2) and Declan Cassidy had them back on level terms with the momentum seeming to have swung their way.

They were then hit though with a Kilcoo goal moments later as a quick free from Conor Laverty played in Anthony Morgan and he fed the ball across the goal to Aaron Branagan who shot low to the net to make it 1-05 to 0-05.

When McEvoy tagged on a free it gave Kilcoo a four point lead at the midway stage of the half but Derrygonnelly dug in and looked to battle their way back into the contest.

Stephen McGullion pulled a point back for Derrygonnelly before both sides were reduced to 14 men as Lee Jones and Jerome Johnston picked up second yellow cards.

Kilcoo were always able to come up with a point when it was needed and Eugene Branagan arrowed over a point to again put four in it.

The Harps though fought back and Garvan Jones, Conall Jones and Jack Love landed points to cut he deficit to a single point deep in added on time.

Kilcoo though were able to work the ball down the other end of the pitch after this and Ryan Johnston fisted over with the last action of the half as it finished 1-08 to 0-09.