Carrickmore 0-10 Errigal Ciaran 1-6
Ulster Champions Errigal Ciaran missed out on the opportunity to complete the Tyrone double, losing out to derby rivals Carrickmore in a closely-fought league semi-final at Dunmoyle today.
Carrickmore played almost the entire match with just 14 men, and finished with 13, but held on to set up a meeting with Dungannon in next weekend’s decider.
Errigal manager Enda McGinley rested his entire first choice team, three weeks out from the All-Ireland semi-final against Dr Crokes of Kerry, but was encouraged to watch his fringe players run Carmen to a single point.
It started brightly for Danny Fullerton as he steered a ’45 between the posts to get Carmen off the mark, but soon turned to despair, his afternoon brought to a sudden and premature end by a straight red card, issued by referee Sean Devenney for a kick out at an opponent after just six minutes
Errigal Ciaran struggled to make their numerical advantage count, and it took them 20 minutes to get their first score through Dara McGinley.
By that time, last year’s beaten league finalists had gone four clear with points from Sean Donnelly, Rory Donnelly and Lorcan McGarrity.
Full forward Rory Donnelly brought his tally to four before the end of the opening half, but there were warning signs as Errigal created a couple of goal chances, Ryan McGarrity saving superbly from McGinley, who also had an effort deflected away for a ’45.
Carrickmore led by 0-7 to 0-2 at the break, but the home side, with the wind in their backs after the restart, closed the gap with three Mark Kavanagh scores in a dominant third quarter.
However, their opponents reasserted themselves, restoring the four points cushion as McGarrity (2) and substitute Ciaran Cuddy hit the target.
McGarrity, who had already been booked, picked up black/red cards two minutes from the end, and while Errigal pulled back a late goal, fisted home by substitute Tom Loughran in stoppage time, Carrickmore survived.
Carrickmore scorers: R Donnelly 0-4 (1f, 1m). L McGarrity 0-3 (3f), D Fullerton (’45), S Donnelly, C Cuddy 0-1 each.
Errigal Ciaran scorers: T Loughran 1-0, M Kavanagh 0-3 (1f), R McRory, D McGinley, A McAnenly 0-1 each.
