Gaelic Games

Fast start gets Derrygonnelly over the line against Armagh

Both sides reduced to 13 men in Ulster quarter-final at Brewster Park

Sat Oct 28 2017 - 21:20

Derrygonnelly Harps 2-8 Armagh Harps 1-8

Two early goals were the springboard for a thoroughly deserved victory for favourites Derrygonnelly Harps in the Ulster club football quarter-finals, as both sides finished with 13 mean.

Referee Dan Mullan handed out red cards to Conor Coulter and Gareth Swift of Armagh along with Derrygonnelly’s Denis Greene following an incident in the 40th minute.

He then sent off Derrygonnelly’s Gary McKenna for a second yellow card offence in the 58th minute.

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Derrygonnelly’s first goal arrived when veteran Paul Ward sent Armagh keeper Patrick Morrison the wrong way from the penalty spot after Gary McKenna had been fouled.

The excellent Conal Jones then added a fine goal after a bad kick out and the Fermanagh champions were ahead by 2-1 to 0-0 ahead after 10 minutes.

It took a shell- shocked Armagh Harps 17 minutes to open their account from the boot of Joe McElroy and Ultan Lennon was also on target as the winners led by 2-2 to 0-3 in the 20th minute.

Stephen McGullion and Jones increased the home side’s lead and they turned 2-4 to 0-4 to the good at half time.

The pace slowed drastically in the second half as Armagh lost their two men while Conal and Garvan Jones increased Derrygonnelly’s lead.

Although outgunned, Armagh Harps continued to threaten on the break but Derrygonnelly team captain Ryan Jones and defender Michael Jones led their troops to victory.

Conal Jones hit a high soaring point to put the winners into an unassailable lead of 2-7 to 0-6 seven minutes from time.

There was no way back for the Armagh champions, who continued to chip away at the Fermanagh champions lead but ultimately came up short.

Derrygonnelly Harps: D Feely, S McGullion, T Daly, M Jones; D Greene, E McHugh, G McGinley; R Jones, G Jones (0-2); K Cassidy, P Ward (1-0 pen) D Cassidy; G McKenna, Lee Jones, C Jones (1-5). Both sides reduced to 13 men in Ulster quarter-final at Brewster Park: S McGullion (0-1) for T Daly (8), A Gallagher for Lee Jones (36), N Gallagher for S McGullion (59), A McKenna for K Cassidy (64), S Jones for P Ward (65).

Armagh Harps: P Morrison, S Farry, K Loughran, C Stevenson; R McGrath, D McKenna, M McConville (0-1); L Oliver, C White; R McShane (0-1) J McElroy (0-1) T O'Kane; C Vernon, U Lennon,(1-2) S McCoy. Subs: J Loughran for K Loughran (26), G Swift (0-2), for R McGrath (29), C Coulter for L Oliver (h-t), C Murphy (0-1)or T O'Kane (39).

Referee: D Mullan (Derry)

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