Gormley uPVC Senior Football Championship Final - Clontibret 1-10 Castleblayney 0-10

Clontibret won back-to-back SFC titles for the first time since 1956 with this deserved win over Castleblayney in a well-contested Final in Clones on Sunday last. For the second year in a row, a Conor McManus goal gave Clontibret a three point win as the Man of the Match, who hit 1-5 in all, found the net after just over a minute. McManus was outstanding while Pauric Duffy, Martin and Vinny Corey and Dessie and Fergal Mone also impressed for Clontibret. Ciarán Tavey, who had an excellent first half and Gary Ward showed well for Blayney.

Clontibret got off to a perfect start when McManus finished well past Pádraig McBennett after being put through by Pauric Duffy. Jason Hughes got Blayney off the mark a minute later with a good point but Clontibret replied with a great score with the outside of the boot by Rodney Gorman. Ciarán Tavey reduced the gap to a point when he converted a twenty metre free for a foul on Martin McElroy before kicking a point from play with his left foot, set up by Dermot McArdle. McManus and Tavey swapped points from frees and Tavey hit a good point after a goal attempt by Ciarán Hanratty had rebounded off the post to level it up at the end of a lively first quarter. McManus restored Clontibret’s lead with a superb left-footed point following a good run by Vinny Corey but Tavey levelled it again with a well-taken point from play before giving Blayney the lead for the first time with a well-struck 45 metre free, three minutes into stoppage time. Clontibret though drew level with the last kick of the half, a twenty metre free by, making it Clontibret 1-4 Castleblayney 0-7 at the break.

Fergal Mone put Clontibret back in front with a good point after more good work by Vinny Corey before Gary Ward went within inches of getting a goal for Blayney with a shot that hit the post after linking up well with Hanratty. McManus doubled the reigning champions’ lead with a nicely taken point following a well-worked move involving Corey and Gorman. Hanratty got Blayney’s first score of the half and his first of the day on eleven minutes with a twenty metre free for a foul on McElroy before McBennett kept Blayney’s hopes alive with an acrobatic save from Gorman after a high ball by Fergal Mone. McManus set up county team-mate Vinny Corey for a fisted point and Corey returned the favour as McManus kicked a fine point to leave a goal between the teams going into the last ten minutes. Hanratty kept Blayney’s hopes alive with a fine point with the outside of his boot and after Fergal Mone had restored the three point gap with a fisted point, Hanratty tapped over a free to leave just two in it. Blayney suffered a blow with the sending off of McElroy on a second yellow card for a high tackle on Pauric Duffy and Clontibret quickly made use of the extra man with Duffy racing through on a superb solo run and setting up Fergal Mone to ensure that the O’Neill’s retained the Mick Duffy Cup.

Clontibret now go on to play Armagh champions Crossmaglen in the First Round of the Ulster Club Championship in two weeks time in a repeat of last year’s semi-final, which Cross won by a point.

Clontibret: P McElroy, P Duffy, E Ward, M Corey, D Mooney, Paul McGuigan, D Mone (Capt.), JP Mone, E Greenan, Pádraig McGuigan, M Hughes, C McManus (1-5, 0-2f), R Gorman (0-1), V Corey (0-1), F Mone (0-3).

Subs: B Óg Magennis for Pádraig McGuigan (H-T), R Murphy for Hughes (44 mins), D McKeown for Greenan (48), J Golden for Gorman (54).

Castleblayney: P McBennett, P Mallon, C Hughes, C Brady, F Moore, S McGeough, R McArdle, R Tracey, G Ward, D McArdle, C Tavey (0-6, 3f), M McElroy, C Hanratty (0-3, 2f), J Hughes (0-1), A Irwin (Capt.).

Subs: K Duffy for McGeough (48), J McHugh for Ward (52).

Referee: J O’Rourke (Éire Óg).