Lavey and Enniskillen in huge St Paul’s clash
TWO of the tournament’s heavyweights are set for a showdown tomorrow at 1pm at the St Paul’s Ulster Minor Club Championship, the game being hosted at their Shaw’s Road complex.
Last year’s winners Enniskillen Gaels meet Derry representatives Lavey in the first of the semi-finals, the other on St Stephen’s Day when Kilcoo — going for a minor-senior double — face a Termon side from Donegal who have been shooting the lights out so far in huge wins over Armagh’s Silverbridge and Monaghan’s Emyvale.
Enniskillen Gaels had a nervy enough start to their win over Antrim’s Cargin last Sunday, going in at the break 1-3 to 0-3 ahead, the goal arriving from Ryan O’Donnell.
As the second half got under way Cargin nibbled that lead back to two points before the defining moment of the game when a flighted delivery from Gaels defender Shay Conway left star forward Conor Love marked by Sean Óg Quinn and Sean McAuley but he managed to gather the break to thump high into the Cargin net.
The third goal arrived when the Gaels took advantage of a wayward kickout, Ross Bogue drawing his man before sending it into the corner for James O’Donnell to square for late substitute Josh Horan to palm to the net.
Horan and Love were key men for St Michael’s Enniskillen in their MacRory and Hogan Cup winning exploits, and they will come up against a tougher test tomorrow although the extra week will help Horan’s comeback from injury.
Lavey are backboned by sons of Derry’s 1993 All-Ireland winners, Seamus and Henry Downey, and Johnny McGurk. They were much the better side than Cavan amalgamation outfit Drumlo-man Gaels, but it wasn’t until the closing moments that they were able to put a gloss on their performance, a long ball being collected by Matthew Downey and well finished to the net for a 1-16 to 0-11 win.
Lavey manager Michael Hasson is placing his boys as underdogs, but it is in the balance.