Bellurgan reach fourth Tully final in five years

ANOTHER happy chapter in Bellurgan’s love affair with the Tully Bookmakers Cup was written on Sunday when, in one of the most one-sided semis in living memory they qualified for their fourth final in five years.

And in a struggling season their chances of glory was increased with the news of league champions Newfoundwell’s defeat to First Division Carrick Rovers in the other quarter-final.

They will also be encouraged that Niall Donnelly, dogged by injury all season, started and scored twice, while fellow striker Ciaran Sheelan - whose season was feared to be over also on account of a recent injury - made a substitute appearance and showed no ill effects during his 20 minutes on the pitch.

After only narrowly missing out on automatic promotion from the second tier, hosts Athboy were expected to put up stiff opposition, but the tie was as good as over at the half-way point.

Bellurgan took control early, scoring twice in the first 15 minutes, with Diarmuid Murphy putting them in front in the fifth minute from the spot. The penalty was awarded when Declan Sharkey was taken down as he rounded a defender in the box from a pass by Stephen Finnegan.

The midfield pair caused a lot of problems for the home side and were involved in setting up the goal of the match. Another diagonal cross-field pass by Finnegan picked out Sharkey, who brought the ball down and put it first time into the middle for the in-rushing Tadgh O’Connor to volley to the net.

The only time that Athboy threatened was from a curling free kick which struck the Bellurgan crossbar on the halfhour and was cleared by Ray Finnegan.

Donnelly, in his first start of an injury-spoiled season, made it 3-0 five minutes later. Aoghan McGuinness, who excelled in midfield, picked out a lovely run by him as he split the home defence for Donnelly to bury a shot low into the corner of the net.

Any doubt there was about the outcome was crushed five minutes into the second half, with the same pair combining

for Donnelly to score his second and his side’s fourth goal with a beautiful curling shot.

The other dangerous duo then gained a tangible reward to extend the lead to 5-0. Stephen Finnegan whipped the ball to the back post to present Sharkey with a virtual tap-in.

The substitutes then got in on the scoring act, with Shane O’Brien putting away Sheelan’s incisive pass, and Dermot Traynor then completed his side’s tally from a rebound in the last couple of minutes when the Athboy goalkeeper couldn’t hold Jason Finnegan’s stinging effort from outside the penalty box.

BELLURGAN: Robert Arthur, Owen Traynor, Ray Finnegan, Diarmuid Murphy, Chris Lawson (Cian McDonald), Brian White (Shane O’Brien), Aoghan McGuinness, Stephen Finnegan, Declan Sharkey (Jason Finnegan), Niall Donnelly (Ciaran Sheelan), Tadgh O’Connor (Dermot Traynor).