Shane Murphy grabs clinching score for Tyrone champions

Ulster Club IFC preliminary round:

Rostrevor 3-12 Rock 3-15

Shane Murphy kicked a massive two-point free to complete a sensational Rock comeback as they came from nine behind to beat Rostrevor in a drama-packed Ulster Club IFC preliminary round tie at Burren.

Three first half goals had the Down champions firmly in control, but the Tyrone men responded with three second half strikes to turn the game around.

Rostrevor established a strong midfield platform through James Donaghy, James Rice and Calum Lagan, pressing the opposition kick-out to dominate the battle for possession.

They had established a 0-5 to 0-1 lead by the eighth minute, Calum Lagan scoring twice, but Rock hit 0-4 in the space of two minutes to go level, Shane Murphy firing over a two-pointer.

However, the Down champions dominated the second quarter, mixing long ball with a fast running game to take control.

Two goals in the space of a minute had they eight ahead, Piaras O’Kane smashing home the first, before Drew Grant finished a sublime move to the net.

And when Calum Lagan fired in a third on the half-hour, they were nine clear.

Rostrevor led by 3-8 to 0-8 at the interval, but after the restart faced a rejuvenated opponent that took the game fearlessly to them.

Liam Nugent’s immaculate pass sent Odhran Carroll in for a 39th minute, and midfielder Thomas Mackle grabbed a second with a dipping shot two minutes later.

Aidan McGarrity narrowed the gap to two going into the closing ten minutes, before slotting home a penalty which also saw Rostrevor reduced to 14, Eoin Murdock black-carded.

Calum Annet ended a 16 minute scoreless spell to bring the Mourne men level in stoppage time, but Murphy’s massive two-point free regained the lead for Rock, who sealed it with a late Conor McGarrity score.

Rostrevor scorers: D Grant 1-2, C Lagan, P Kane 1-1 each, C Annett 0-3, C Doyle, C Rocks, J Rice, J Donaghy, HP McGeary 0-1 each.

Rock scorers: A McGarrity 1-2 (1-0 pen), T Mackle, O Carroll 1-0 each, S Murphy 0-7 (1tp, 1tpf), L Nugent 0-4 (3f), C McGarrity 0-2.