No Joy for Clontibret

Ballinderry 3-7

Clontibret 1-9

Publication: Anglo Celt

Date: January 2002

It was disappointment second time around for Clontibret in the final of the Ulster minor football club championship with a stronger and more balanced Ballinderry side taking the honours at the expense of the Monaghan champions in Belfast.

Overall Ballinderry were the better side with a very effective full back line in which full back Conor Wilkinson was superb throughout while centre half back Michael Bell was also seen to good effect throughout the game. In a hard-working attack Ballinderry had excellent performers in Ronan Devlin, Brendan Conway, Colin Devlin and Thomas Maynes, the latter getting one of the goals that spelt the end for Clontibret's aspirations.

For Clontibret it was always going to be a major challenge in that they are by and large a young side with as many as three 15 year olds lining out but it did take Ballinderry some time to come to grips with the Corey brothers in midfield with Vincent emerging as one of the best players on view during the entire game. Centre back Brendan Og Magennis again had another effective hour and demonstrated the range of his game as he broke forward effectively on a number of occasions, one of which saw him hit a magnificent point at a vital stage in the first-half.

Paul McGuigan worked hard on the '40 while Dessie Mone at corner forward was always a threat although life was particularly difficult for the Clontibret attack given the effective, disciplined approach of the Ballinderry full-back line. As a contest the game never really rose to any great heights and was most interesting in the first-half with the sides level on no less than four occasions before Ballinderry struck for two late points to go in two up at the break. In the second half Ballinderry began to exert increasing pressure with a goal from a penalty converted by Ronan Devlin giving them a five points advantage on 18 minutes and underlining the task facing Clontibret in the final quarter.

Clontibret to their credit were battling for everything but any chance they had of making it a close finish was dealt a severe blow six minutes from the end of normal time when Ballinderry got their third goal, Thomas Maynes being on hand to slot home from close range to put the issue beyond any doubt. In the final minutes Clontibret launched an all-out attack, a free by Dessie Mone came back off the crossbar in the 26th minute and keeping up the pressure to the end they did pull back a late goal and a point, both from the boot of Dessie Mone but they were merely consolation scores with Ballinderry crowned champions for the third time.

BALLINDERRY: Rory McGeehan, Sean McGeehan, Conor Wilkinson, John McGuckin, Michael Mc Ivor 0-1, Michael Bell, Paul Scott, Ronan McCusker 0-1, Michael Muldoon, Ronan Devlin 1-1, Brendan Conway, Raymond Wilkinson, Thomas Maynes 1-3, James Bateson, Colin Devlin 1-1. Subs: Kevin Cassidy for R. Wilkinson.

CLONTIBRET: Paul McElroy, Eoin Greenan, Jonathan McGuigan, Conor Evans, Marius McGarrell, Brendan 0g Magennis 0-1, Paraic Duffy, Vincent Corey 0-2, Martin Corey 0-1, Shane Mulligan, Paul McGuigan 0-2, Darren Murphy, Noel Morgan 0-1, Daithi McKeown, Dessie Mone 1-2. Subs: James Greenan for D. McKeown, Rodney Gorman for S. Mulligan.

Referee: P. Mullan (Antrim).