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Magherafelt justified their favourites tag to become the first team into the semi finals of the Paul McGirr U16 Club Champions Tournament on Saturday but it was a game where the scoreline definitely did not reflect the game with Monaghan champions Inniskeen squandering a number of gilt edged goal scoring chances that would have swung the game in their favour. Magherafelt started well and it took Inniskeen keeper Chris Martin to pull off a superb save to deny them an early goal. Two early frees from Aidan Woods got Inniskeen off the mark but Magherafelt replied with points from Simon McErlain and midfielder Cormac Murphy, Murphy was to have a great influence in the game showing a superb work rate this throughout. Attacking half back Declan Martin gave the Derry boys the lead before man of the match Caolan Coyle got the first goal of the game for them when he pounced on a rebound after another great save from Shane Martin. Inniskeen showed their intentions by responding well, scoring three of the next four points through miidfielders Ciaran McNulty and Andrew Woods as well as one from Aidan Woods. Shea Donnelly kept Magherafelt in from with two points to go into the half time break 1-05 to 0-05 ahead.
Harry Monahan had a chance to immediately put Inniskeen level but a poor finish was the first of four good second half goal chances that the south Monaghan were left to rue. A fine score from Ciaran McNulty from the right wing reduced the deficit before the three point advantage was restored by a volleyed point from Ryan Kearns after a penetrating run from Murphy. Points were swapped between Aidan Woods and Murphy as Patrick McLarnon in the Magherafelt goal reacted sharply to deny Woods a goal. Two points from midfielders McNulty and Andrew Woods reduced the deficit to the minimum midway through the second half but this was a s good as it got for them with Magherafelt’s main men Coyle and Murphy taking the game by the scruff of the neck. Coyle converted a point after winning an Inniskeen kick out and then Murphy capitalised on a poor kick out to score his teams second goal. Coyle again stepped up to put the game beyond reach converting a penalty after a foul on Ben McErlain. Magherafelt manager Oliver Monaghan was understandably delighted to progress to the semi final “We are very relieved to have got through after a tough game, we had watched some DVD’s of Inniskeen and knew that their big men down the middle would be hard to stop. Inniskeen were very unlucky missing four goal chances and it took some fantastic saves from Patrick McLarnon to keep us in the game. Our defence has been the benchmark of the team and it was a fantastic performance from them, we have been training since the 11th of January and are glad to keep our season going”.
Teams: Magherafelt – Patrick Mcarnon, Liam Og McElhone, Conor McCluskey, Ciaran Shields, Declan Martin (0-1), Caolan Coyle (2-01, 1 Pen), Cianan McCann, Cormac Murphy (1-02), Peter Tohill, Cathal Martin, Odhran Lynch, Simon McErlain (0-1), Ben McErlain (0-1f), Ryan Kearns (0-1) and Shea Donnely (0-2). Subs Jack Diamond for C McCann, Aaron McKee for O Lynch, Emmett Young for B McErlain, James Beggan (0-1) for S Donnelly, Eoghan Hawe for C Martin and Ciaran McKeever for R Kearns
Inniskeen – Shane Martin, Gavin Dooley, Seamus Kindlon, Shane Hanratty, Padraig Russell, Christopher Hanratty, Dylan Curtis, Ciaran McNulty (0-3), Andrew Woods (0-3, 1f), Harry Monahan, Jack Hoey, Jarlath McGahon, Pauric McGahon, Aidan Woods (0-4, 2f) and Aaron Keenan
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