Ulster Junior Club Football Final
St Mary’s, Faughanvale 0-09
St Mary’s, Rockcorry 3-10
Rockcorry continued Monaghan club’s rich history in this competition when they became the sixth club from the county to win the Ulster Junior title since it began in 2001.
The favourites defeated Derry champions Faughanvale thanks to three goals scored at crucial times by Mark McGuirk, Fergal McGeough and Mark Carroll.
Having defeated Down champions Glasdrumman and Fermanagh kingpins Cao O’Dwyer’s en route to this year’s final, a blistering first half gave the Farney men a comfortable lead they never looked like relinquishing.
With a very blustery wind at their backs, Rockcorry went in 1-6 to 0-2 ahead at the break. Mark McGuirk scored their stunning goal, with their six points shared by five different players.
Faughanvale were guilty of stage fright and produced a number of unforced errors. Players that were inspirational in that semi-final over Templeport looked nervous and edgy.
That said, the Derry champions carved out three goal chances through first Aaron Cassidy, Odhran McKinney and Eunan Murray – all of which were superbly saved by Rockcorry’s Jamie Smith.
Faughanvale struggled throughout to find the scintillating form that saw them defeat Brackaville and Templeport, and needed a good start to the second half to have any hope.
Credit to the Derry men they took the game to the Monaghan champions and hit three of the next four points, with an inspirational Martin McGuinness knocking over two of them.
However, Rockcorry sucked up most of the pressure and countered to hit the decisive score of the game when Fergal McGeough, terrific all game, banged home his side’s second goal of the game to give Rockcorry a 2-7 to 0-5 lead.
Substitute Martin Carroll’s 56th minute goal confirmed the win with Mickey Morgan’s side running out ten point winners. Club legend Anthony Tate converted the final free of the game to bring the curtain down on a wonderful career and confirm Rockcorry as the new provincial champions.
Scorers-
Faughanvale: Joe Gray 0-3 (0-2f), Martin McGuinness 0-2, Kevin Martin 0-1, Jordan Curran 0-1, Michael Sweeney 0-1
Rockcorry: Fergal McGeough 1-3 (0-1f), Mark McGuirk 1-1 (0-1f), Mark Carroll 1-0, Lorcan Smyth 0-2, Anthony Tate 0-1f, Mark Daly 0-1, Stephen McGuirk 0-1
Faughanvale: Daryl Moore, Declan McGuinness, Michael Sweeney, Gordon Fahey, Jordan Curran, Stephen King, Aaron Cassidy, Odhran McKinney, Ryan King, Eoin McElhinney, Joe Gray, Martin McGuinness, Kevin Martin, Eunan Murray, Conor O’Hara
Subs: Sean Bradley for K Martin (32), Oisin Quinn for C O’Hara (43), Michael McLaughlin for O McKinney (57)
Rockcorry: Jamie Smith, Colin Quinn, Johnny Reilly, Niall McKeown, Stephen McGurk, Keith Daley, Conor McGeough, Mark Thornton, Mark Daly, Cathal Sheridan, Fergal McGeough, Paul McKeown, Mark McGurk, Noel Carroll, Lorcan Smyth
Subs: Martin Carroll for C Sheridan (23), Anthony Tate for S McGuirk (58),Aaron McGorman for L Smyth (60)
Referee: Sean Laverty (Antrim)
FULL MATCH REPORT IN DERRY NEWS AND COUNTY DERRY POST
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