AIB Ulster Club JFC semi-final
Craigbane (Derry) 1-11 Drumhowan (Monaghan) 1-11
(after extra-time; Craigbane won 5-4 on penalties_
Cookstown joint-manager Jason Quinn doesn’t underestimate the challenge of Four Masters in the Ulster semi-final
“It was tough on my mum and dad. I knew I was self-destructing. And I also knew the next phase of that, if I had carried on, it was not being here. I was in a very dark place...” - the life and times of Caolan Mooney
CRAIGBANE staged a Lazarus-like recovery to come from eight points down to edge out Drumhowan in a penalty shoot-out and set up a north-west Ulster Club JFC final with St Patrick’s, Muff.
Caolan Reilly’s 41st-minute goal put the Farney champions 1-9 to 0-4 ahead early in the second half but they failed to register a single score for the remainder of normal time.
A goal from Brian Rainey, set up by lively substitute Pierce McCloskey, was Craigbane’s lifeline and two points from Lee Moore turned the screw tighter before a pressure free from Jude McLaughlin left a point between the teams.
Captain Fergal Mortimer completed the comeback, thumping over the equaliser with the last kick to force extra-time.
“It’s always in us,” Mortimer said. “Kevin (Moore), John (McGee) and Kieran (McElhinney) have instilled into us this year – there is no panic.
“We knew we weren’t playing well. We knew we had 10 minutes in us and we kicked 1-4 in that last 10 or 15 minutes.”
Both teams missed chances to win the game in extra-time with Lee Moore’s sixth point putting the Derry side ahead for the only time in the tie.
It didn’t last long. Tom Doherty, the star of the first half, fisted over in the next attack and it was down to penalties.
When Joseph Duffy missed the first Drumhowan penalty, Craigbane nailed their first four kicks before Rory Moore hit the winner.
The sides were level, 0-2 each, after 16 minutes with goal chances at either end. Ben O’Kane intercepted Caolan Reilly with Jude McLaughlin denied by Duffy.
Craigbane needed O’Kane again when his breathtaking save turned Aoghan Brennan’s low drive away.
Killian McAdam twice set up Doherty for advanced marks and he was the star man, involved in all but one of Drumhowan’s points, as they led 0-6 to 0-3 at half-time.
Craigbane moved Oisin O’Donnell across to curb him but Drumhowan pushed into a 0-9 to 0-4 lead with Kevin Mooney and Liam McGuirk on target.
Then came another key moment. With Jude Óg Moore galloping upfield, Craigbane needed a spark but Jonathan Lavelle’s tackle stopped the move and seconds later Reilly had the ball in the net.
When Craigbane introduced Pierce McCloskey, they were eight points in arrears but his run and assist made the goal for Rainey and they had a way back.
With Conor McLaughlin’s continued running game and their control on the Drumhowan kick-out, Craigbane turned the game on its head before Mortimer saved them with the last kick.
Extra-time still couldn’t separate the teams and a James McLaughlin block denied Ciaran Duffy a goal before Craigbane clinched their final spot on penalties.
Match stats
Craigbane B O’Kane; O O’Donnell, E Coll, F Lynch; C McLaughlin, Rory Moore, James McLaughlin; B Rainey (1-0), B Gormley, J Moore; A Sharkey, J McElhinney, F Mortimer (0-1); L Moore (0-7, 5f), Jude McLaughlin (0-3, 2f)
Subs P McCloskey for Sharkey (45), L Crossan for Lynch (48), N Feeney for Mortimer (75)
Drumhowan E Duffy; D McElearney, C Curran; A Quinn (0-2f); C Reilly (1-0), J Lavelle, K McAdam; T Reilly, J Treanor, P Quinn (0-1); G Quinn (0-1), L McGuirk (0-1), Kevin Mooney (0-1); A Brennan, T Doherty (0-5, 3m)
Subs J McAdam for G Quinn (52), C Duffy for McGuirk (57), Kieran Mooney for Kevin Mooney (62), G Quinn for A Quinn (HT ET), J Duffy for T Reilly (74), R Duffy for C Reilly (74)
Referee: M Dorrian (Donegal)
