Four Masters began their campaign to become the first team to hold the Ulster U18 and U16 titles at the same time with a hard fought victory over a gallant Portglenone Roger Casement’s in the Paul McGirr Ulster U16 Club Championship quarter-final.
Played before a large attendance under the floodlights of Gardrum Park, Dromore, it was a riveting contest, hard-hitting and competitive yet with plenty of skill and endeavour on display on a chilly evening.
The towering Odhran Doherty, who accounted for all but one of his side’s scores, had a tremendous 60 minutes for the Antrim champions, giving every last ounce of energy as he almost singlehandedly rescued his side’s cause, but ultimately the overall class and scoring power of the Donegal town lads proved the difference.
Central to all that was good for Four Masters was MFC Sports man of the match, midfielder Tomas Carr, who gave a masterful display of elegance and skill mixed with a tremendous work-rate, controlling proceedings for his side.
Doherty opened the scoring with a close range free for the Roger Casement’s but Four Masters struck back immediately when a defence-splitting pass from Carr found full-forward Gethin Mosby, who dispatched coolly to the net.
Daire Slevin, Thoms Lenehan from a free and Carr all added points before Carr once again carved open the Portglenone rearguard with a ball over the top to Slevin, who found the net to put their side into a commanding 2-4 to 0-1 lead.
But Doherty, ably helped by the dynamic Tom Duffin, stepped up with two points to reduce the deficit. Lenehan who was accurate throughout for Four Masters responded with a point after a scintillating run rounding two defenders, and a further score from Thomas McHugh nullified those two scores, before Doherty once again rampaged through for the final score of the half to leave Portglenone trailing 2-5 to 0-4.
The second half began with a period of dominance for the Antrim but unfortunately for them a mixture of staunch defending and wayward shooting meant they weren’t troubling the scoreboard. A central part in this was the defending of Four Masters Ethan McCrea who kept a tight rein on things at the back.
After a period of sustained pressure on their defence, Four Masters broke away for scores from Carr, Finn Gillespie, and two from Lenehan, one an outstanding effort with the outside of the boot. A point blank save from Portglenone minder Eoghan Smith to deny Lenehan gave his side some hope and to their credit they went on to dominate the remaining period.
The switch of Duffin to the inside forward line was paying dividend as Mosby grabbed a point and this was added to by a long range free from Doherty and another from the hard working Conor Burns as Doherty really started to dominate proceedings.
Then Portglenone got a lifeline when a long range effort from Doherty deceived everyone and found the roof of the net, much to the delight of the vocal Portglenone support. However, another few missed chances put paid to their chances as swapped free kicks from the game’s two outstanding marksmen Doherty and Lenehan brought proceedings to an end as Four Masters progress to the semi finals.
Four Masters joint-manager Emmett Gallagher, who along with Caolan Loughrey masterminded the victory, was understandably delighted with how the evening went: “We’re delighted to have got the victory today and to get to the last four. The two goals in the first half gave us a bit of a cushion but we would feel in that period we could have been further ahead with the possession we had.
“We knew Roger Casements would have their spell and the way they came back in their county final to win we needed a big second half. They did create chances in that second half and really pushed us to the end but we were also able to keep the score board ticking over and the bench came in and got us over the line. It’s a great learning experience for the boys to be playing at this level and we’re looking forward now to extending the season for another few weeks.”
Four Masters: Fintan James; Eoghan Tomas, Ethan McCrea, Sean Sweeney; Thomas Healy, Jack McGroarty, Odhran McMullin; Tomas Carr (0-2, 0-1 free), Conor Griffin; Daire Slevin (1-1), Thomas Lenehan (0-5, 02 frees), Rory Doherty; Finn Gillespie (0-1), Gethin Mosby (1-1), Thomas McHugh (0-1).
Subs: Conall Flannery for T McHugh, Phelim James for S Sweeney, Daithi D McGinty for F Gillespie, Oran Boyle for R Doherty, Kian Gallagher for J McGroarty
Portglenone: Eoghan Smith; Cillian McKenna, Conall Morgan, Cillian McDonnell; Thomas Douthart, Christy McDonnell, Tom Duffin; Odhran Doherty (1-6, 0-3 frees), Rory O’Kane; Eoghan McErlain, Tom Convery, Conor Burns (0-1); Frank McAleese, James McVeigh, Conor McKeever.
Subs: Oisin Convery for F McAleese, Frank McAleese for R O’Kane.
