Ulster GAA Junior Club Championships,

Final Score: Kilclief Ben Dearg 0-7 2-18 Newtownbutler First Fermanaghs.

It was Newtownbutler who pressed forward after winning possession in the throw-in, and Kealan Fitzpatrick took an early point for the visitors. Quickly they tried to assert themselves over Kilclief by quick attacks.

But Killclief dug deep and pressed back with Conan Hynds getting in their first effort at the Newtownbutler sticks but his shot went wide. This was followed by a good break from Ronan Shields passing to Jack Polly who helped Kilclief get on the front foot but Aidan McCann’s shot also went wide.

But a good run from Newtwonbutler’s Dairmaid King earned him a point. But this was cancelled when Kilclief’s Eoin King took a two-pointer after a free kick award for Rory Sharvin. Then Kilclief went into the lead by a point by King again.

But the Newtwonbutler machine was just cranking up and Daire Chapman took a point in play as his side went up a gear and Sean Conlon just went wide with a long kick.

Dermot King then found the ball and took a point followed by more pressure from Newtownbutler when a King free kick hit the post with Fitzpatrick catching the rebound and kicking over the bar.

Dairmaid King took a free kick and scored 2 points nudging his side back into the lead on 17 minutes on 0-3 to 0–6.

Kilclief were gradually looking to be a team under pressure as Newtwonbutler turned the screws when Conor Courtney took another valuable point.

But Kilclief were not rolling over and Conall Magee replied with a gutsy point. Kilclief were getting an occasional charge at the visitors goal but they were having trouble getting past the back lines of the tight defence.

Just on the whistle at half-time, keeper Loachlann King took a free for Newtownbutler claiming a point. Killough fought back and Eoin King kicked wide then Dairmaid King took a point for the Fermanagh team followed by a well-taken goal close in. In a short space of time Newtownbutler had leapt 7 points ahead in the lead.

Half-time score: 0-3 to 0-8.

Alarm bells were now ringing for Kilclief.

After a spell of both teams chasing up and down the pitch, Stefan McGrattan took a welcome point for Kilclief and this was followed by another point by Fionn McFall after a slow Kilclief build up.

Then a high ball in to the Kilclief goal mouth on 47 minutes saw Sean Conlon rise into the air close to the goalmouth and palm the ball into the net.

Kilclief’s Rory Sharvin took an early 2-pointer and after a flurry from Kilclief, then Newtownbutler’s Fitzpatrick pointed on 6 minutes in and his team-mate Daire Chapman racked up another point which was quickly followed by a break and Daire Chapman scored their first goal just yards from the Kilclief net.

With just 15 minutes plus extra time on the clock, it all looked like an uphill task for the Kilclief team. Padraig Sloan took a free kick but went wide, his side having missed a few crucial scoring efforts which could have made a difference earlier in the match. Through the match there were a number of wides missed.

But one key point in the match in the second half was when Kilclief’s defender Liam Gordon did a two-handed pull down of an attacker and a penalty was awarded. Keeper Caelin Savage actually saved the penalty kick but it was seconds later kicked over his posts.

But Kilclief did not roll over and kept in fighting and Conan Hinds claimed a point in play. As the final stages of the match approached, Ger Keefe missed an easy chance to make the third goal for Newtownbutler.

Overall, Kilclief were outgunned by a slicker team which has a record of team managers all having senior cup medals, but it was a terrific run for the Killough squad who were the worthy winners of the Down Junior Cup.

Kilclief Ben Dearg: 1 Caelin Savage (GK) Liam Gordon 3 Eoin Waterson 4 Aidan McCann 5 Conan Hynds 5 Conall Magee 17 Jack Polly Fionn McFall 9 Thomas Fitzsimmons (C) 28 Ronan Shields Oran Fitzsimmons 12 Rory Sharvin 13 Eoin Kelly 14 Eoin King 15 Padraig Sloan.

Newtownbutler First Fermanaghs: 1 Lochlann King (GK) 2 Ben Caughey 3 Conor McBride 4 Conor Casey 5 Jason Flanaghan (C) 6 Ruaidhri O’Keefe 7 Diarmaid King 8 Sean Conlon 9 Dylan Martin 10 Ger O’Keefe 11 James Connolly 12 Jamie McCaffrey 13 Conor Courtney 14 Daire Chapman 15 Kealan Fitzpatrick.