Ballinderry 2-5 Kilrea 0-6:A BRACE of first-half goals from Raymond Wilkinson set Ballinderry on their way to an eventually comfortable victory at Celtic Park yesterday in front of 5,751 spectators.
With Kevin “Moss” McGuckin and Martin Harney dominant at midfield the Shamrocks were always in control against first-time finalists Kilrea.
Shamrocks rocked Kilrea with a goal after only 43 seconds. Martin Harney’s long ball was palmed down by Enda Muldoon to Raymond Wilkinson who finished low from a tight angle.
Kilrea pulled a score back through Benny Quigg but a long-range Harney point and a Conleith Gilligan free stretched the Shamrocks’ lead to 1-2 to 0-1.
On 25 minutes Ballinderry repeated the formula as Muldoon again knocked a long ball down to Wilkinson to goal. Kilrea managed the final score of the half but trailed by 2-2 to 0-3 at the break.
With a lead to defend and facing the breeze Ballinderry withdrew Enda Muldoon to midfield and it proved an effective tactic as he won a feast of possession.
The first score of the second period went the way of the Shamrocks with Gilligan pointing.
It took them until the 46th minute for Kilrea to score again as Charlie Kielt pointed from a free which was soon cancelled out with a similar effort from Gilligan.
Kilrea did manage a couple of late scores from Tiernan Rafferty and James Donaghy but the last word went to Gilligan who pointed.
BALLINDERRY: M Conlan; D Bell, Kevin McGuckin, C Wilkinson; M McIver, C Nevin, R Scott; Kevin ‘Moss’ McGuckin, M Harney (0-1); D Conway, R Wilkinson (2-0), T Martin; R Bell, E Muldoon, C Gilligan (0-4). Subs: A Devlin for Martin (37 mins), D McGuckin for D Conway (48 mins), N McCusker for Bell (59 mins), R Wilson for McIver (60 mins).
KILREA: P Morgan; J Darragh, A Rainey, M McWilliams; B Óg McAlary, L Morrow, J Morgan; C Kielt (0-1, free), James Kielt (0-1, free); E Morgan, J Donaghy (0-1, free), E McAleese (0-1); G McWilliams, B Quigg (0-1), P McNeill. Subs: P McAlary for E Morgan (19 mins), T Rafferty (0-1) for G McWilliams (40 mins), D Johnston for P McNeill (45 mins), E Darragh for Quigg (54 mins), Jack Kielt for J Morgan (60 mins).
Ulster Quarter-finals (Sun, Oct 30th)
Tyrone v Ballinderry Healy Park
St Gall’s v Crossmaglen Casement Park
Roslea Shamrocks v Burren Brewster Park
Glenswilly v L ORahilly venue TBA
