Kilcoo (Down) 2-14

Ballybay (Monaghan) 1-7

KILCOO ARE ON the march again.

The All-Ireland club football champions had too much for Ballybay Pearse Brothers in Clones this afternoon. Well seasoned and too much in the way of craft was enough to swat off the gutsy Monaghan champions.

The attritional nature of the Crossmaglen win the previous week, plus the fact that Kilcoo native and their joint manager Jerome Johnston opted not to face his three sons and six nephews certainly didn’t help matters but bar a blip in the first half, Kilcoo were in complete control.

In fact the second half was a non affair once Jerome’s middle son Ryan fired home from the narrowest of angles.

Eldest son Jerome opened the scoring for Kilcoo but Thomas Kerr landed a ’45 and Shane McGuinness for the second week running, found the net from the penalty spot to leave it level and tighter than it should have been midway through the first half.

Kilcoo full back-Ryan McEvoy ensured his side would go with the lead with two excellent scores that would add to a complete performance where the Down player seems to be outgrowing his position.

With the score 0-8 to 1-2 at half time, the feeling around the provincial venue was that Kilcoo would not relinquish an advantage for the second time.

Paul Finlay landed points either side of Johnston’s goal but Paul Devlin upped the ante with three superb placed balls to see Kilcoo probe and run Ballybay ragged in the finish.

Micheál Rooney punched home a goal after trademark running move in the finish for the Down champions.

Scorers for Kilcoo: Ryan Johnston 1-1 Paul Devlin 0-4 (0-3f, 0-145’), Miceál Rooney 1-0, Ryan McEvoy 0-2 (0-1f), Ceilum Doherty 0-2, Aaron Branagan 0-2, Niall Kane 0-1 (0-1f), Jerome Johnston 0-1 (0-1m), Conor Laverty 0-1.

Scorers for Ballybay Pearses: Shane McGuinness 1-0 (1-0pen), Colm Lennon 0-2, Paul Finlay 0-2 (0-1free), Ciaran Galligan 0-1, Thomas Kerr 0-1 (0-145’), Dessie Ward 0-1 (0-1f).

Kilcoo

1. Niall Kane

2. Niall Branagan, 4. Aaron Branagan, 3. Ryan McEvoy

7. Miceál Rooney, 6. Darryl Branagan, 5. Anthony Morgan

8. Aaron Morgan, 9.Dylan Ward

10. Ceilum Doherty, 11. Ryan Johnston, 12. Shealan Johnston

15. Paul Devlin, 14. Jerome Johnston, 13. Conor Laverty.

Subs

17. Tiernan Fettes for Anthony Morgan (40)

21. Sean Óg McCusker for Doherty (53)

18. Aidan Branagan for N Branagan (59)

24. Christopher Rooney for R Johnston (61)

21. McDarragh Hynes for Rooney (61).

Ballybay Pearses

1. Julius Sniauksta

24. Micheal Hannon, 3. Tiernan McSkean, 7. Eoin McKearney

15. Ryan Wylie, 19. Colm Lennon, 5. Shane Monaghan

6. Drew Wylie, 8. Dessie Ward

17. Ciaran Galligan, 11. Shane McGuinness, 18. Daniel Caraher

13. Paul Finlay, 14. Christopher McGuinness, 12. Thomas Kerr.

Subs

9. Aaron Toner for Caraher (ht)

10. Shane McQuillan for Ward (Blood 45-48)

4. Brent Wylie for Monaghan (50)

28. Patrick O’Neill for McKearney (57)

10. Shane McQuillan for D Wylie (61)

2. Thomas Keenan for Finlay (61) 

Referee: Niall Cullen (Erne Gaels)