Sport

Gowna take their chances

Gowna... 0-11 Clontibret..

Mon Oct 28 2002 - 00:00

Gowna ... 0-11 Clontibret ... 1-7: Strong words from former Derry manager Eamonn Coleman at half-time revived Gowna's fortunes as they came back from a four-point deficit to defeat Monaghan side Clontibret at Breffni Park yesterday. It was a tense game and was packed with plenty of incidents, particularly in the second half.

Clontibret dominated the first half and must be wondering how they let the game slip away. They were in control in that opening period and their half-time lead, 1-5 to 0-4, should have been considerably more.

Anthony Rooney and John Hughes provided a sound midfield platform for Clontibret while in attack Niall Malone, Fergal Mone, Gregory Leonard and Michael Hughes combined to give the Gowna defence a difficult time.

It was Fergal Mone who gave Clontibret the breakthrough with a 16th-minute goal to put the Monaghan side 1-3 to 0-1 ahead. Gowna kept in touch with points from Dermot McCabe and Ciarán Fitzpatrick. Clontibret missed two more goal opportunities which gave Gowna a lifeline they scarcely deserved.

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Clontibret restored their four-point lead 12 minutes into the second half but they scored just two scores in this period. Gowna dominated the final 20 minutes, reducing the arrears with points from Dermot McCabe and Seán Pierson levelling the scores with five minutes of normal time remaining. Gowna's winning scores came from McCabe with three minutes left and Gerald Pierson added another in injury time. Gowna will meet Enniskillen Gaels in the semi-final.

GOWNA: R Bannon; D Duignan, F Hartin, B Sorohan; G O'Reilly, J Brady, C Madden; B Morris, P Brady; C Fitzpatrick (0-1), C Brady (0-1), N Madden; D Brady, D McCabe (0-6), G Pierson (0-2). Subs: G Hartin for J Brady, C Hartin for D Duignan, S Pierson (0-1) for N Madden.

CLONTIBRET: P McElroy; B McSkane, D McKenna, C Leonard; M Corey, JP Mone, P McGuigan; J Hughes (0-1), A Rooney; N Malone, F Mone (1-2), G Leonard (0-1); M Hughes (0-2), V Corey, B Morgan. Subs: D Mone (0-1) for G Leonard, N Magennis for N Malone, B Mullen for J Hughes.

Referee: C Broderick (Down).