AIB Ulster Club SFC First Round

Kilcoo 2-13 Derrygonnelly Harps 1-7

By Gareth Cauldwell at Brewster Park

A devastating opening 30 minutes from Kilcoo was crucial at Brewster Park. 

The Magpies produced some slick football in the first half to carve open a 1-9 to 0-1 half time lead and while Derrygonnelly did grow into the game in the second half they never looked like troubling Kilcoo in terms of the result as the Down kingpins finished up nine-point victors. 

Points from Eugene Branagan and Ryan Johnston for Kilcoo and a Conall Jones effort for Derrygonnelly saw the away side lead 0-2 to 0-1 after nine minutes. 

However, Kilcoo then started to take a firm control on proceedings with their pace and movement giving Derrygonnelly all sorts of problems. 

Celium Doherty and Ryan Johnston clipped over points from play before Niall Kane drilled over a 45 and Paul Devlin converted a free to make it 0-1 to 0-6. 

Aaron Morgan then landed a superb effort with the outside of the boot for an increasingly dominant Kilcoo before they then struck for the first goal of the game. 

Jack Devlin was pulled down as he burst through on goal and from the resultant penalty Paul Devlin slotted to the net to make it 0-1 to 1-7. 

Derrygonnelly did go close to bagging a goal of their own when Shane McGullion nicked the ball past goalkeeper Kane but it came off the base of the post and Kilcoo broke down the other end for Ryan McEvoy to fire over. 

With Devlin then clipping over a further free it left Kilcoo 11-points to the good at the interval. 

Derrygonnelly did show much greater urgency in their play in the second half with Gary McKenna converting a free before Kilcoo had Ryan Johnston black carded for pulling down Michael Jones. 

Ryan Jones and Paul Devlin then traded points before the Harps swooped for a goal, McKenna rifling to the top corner of the net to make it 1-3 to 1-10. 

Substitute Sean Og McCusker almost replied with a goal for Kilcoo when he was put through but his shot was saved by Jack Kelly in the Harps goal and went over the bar. 

Garvan Jones answered with a good point for Derrygonnelly to leave seven in, it but any slim hopes that the Harps may have had were extinguished in the 52nd minute as Miceal Rooney fed McCusker, who palmed to the net to make it 1-4 to 2-11. 

Daryl Branagan and Eugene Branagan tagged on further points for Kilcoo to extend their advantage and while Garvan Jones and Conall Jones converted frees for Derrygonnelly these were only consolation points as Kilcoo ended up 2-13 to 1-7 winners to set up a quarter final clash with Monaghan champions Scotstown. 

Scorers for Kilcoo: P Devlin 1-3 (1-0 pen, 3fs), S Og McCusker 1-1, R Johnston 0-2, E Branagan 0-2, N Kane 0-1 (45), R McEvoy 0-1, D Branagan 0-1, Aaron Morgan 0-1, C Doherty 0-1.

Scorers for Derrygonnelly: G McKenna 1-1, G Jones 0-3 (2fs), C Jones 0-2 (1f), R Jones 0-1.

Kilcoo: N Kane; N Branagan, R McEvoy, A Branagan; M Rooney, D Branagan, E Branagan; Aaron Morgan, R Johnston; S Johnston, J Devlin, Anthony Morgan; P Devlin, C Rooney, C Doherty 

Subs: S Og McCusker for C Rooney (HT), C Laverty for J Devlin (47), M Hynes for Doherty (52), C Rogers For A Branagan (58) C Fettes for R Johnston (60+2).

Derrygonnelly: J Kelly; A Jones, O Smyth, M Jones; S McGullion, R McGovern, N Maguire; R Jones, C McGovern; S Gilroy, G Jones, E McHugh; L Jones, C Jones, G McKenna 

Subs: R McGovern for N Maguire (HT), D Cassidy for C McGovern (43), R McHugh for Gilroy (43), McKenna for E McHugh (58), D Ward for M Jones (58). 

Referee: M McNally (Monaghan).