WESTENRA HOTEL JUNIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINAL Emyvale 2-12 Clones 1-13 Emyvale came with a late flourish to book their place in the final of the junior football championship at the expense of last year's defeated finalists, Clones, in this free-flowing and very entertaining semi-final that was played in ideal conditions in Scotstown on Saturday evening last. As a contest this game was close all through and Clones looked as if they might just edge home when they had opened a three points lead with less than 10 minutes of normal time remaining but Emyvale struck for a vital goal by Robbie McHugh to turn the game in their favour and they drove on from there for a deserved victory. In a game that was punctuated with some passages of fine football, high fielding and counter attacking skills, both sides picked off some excellent scores but it was Emyvale's superior finishing that saw them register all but two points of their tally from play. In fact Emyvale probably could have won by a greater margin as they were also guilty of hitting eight wides over the course of the game while Clones registered just one in all although their greater economy in that regard was not matched by the level of opportunities created. Emyvale set their stall out early in this encounter but as the first half unfolded the lead changed hands on a number of occasions before Emyvale went in at the break ahead by the narrowest of margins, 1-6 to 0-8. Clones again made the early running in the second-half and Emyvale were forced to play catch up for a period before mounting that late rally that saw them over the line. Emyvale registered the first score through Gavin McKernan in the fourth minute, McKernan applying a good finish after a neat one tow with Daniel McMahon. Emyvale in fact could have gone further in front at this stage when Brendan McKenna fielded a high centre from Brendan Askin to set up Martin McAree but he was denied with a well timed block by Danny Rooney. Clones now began to settle and Adrian Alford brought them level when he converted a free for a foul on Michael Treanor and two minutes later Alford put Clones in front for the first time with a good finish after excellent approach work by Danny Rooney and Darragh Graham. Brendan McKenna was making his height tell when he broke a centre from John Flannery into the path of the Daniel McMahon and he brought Emyvale level. McMahon and Brendan O'Brien then worked together to place Gavan McKernan and he put Emyvale back in front. The sides were level yet again when Darren Freeman converted a free for a foul on Colm Connolly and Freeman was central to a move that saw Danny Rooney in with a chance on the Emyvale goal but he blasted wide. Colm Connolly and Danny Rooney were working well together along the wing and that combination work served to create the chance for Declan McKernan who restored Clones to the lead with a well taken point. Further Clones pressure saw Darragh Holland break through to set up Darragh Graham and he put Clones two in front. Brendan McKenna was now operating in midfield for Emyvale and his high fielding helped set up Robbie McHugh who reduced the deficit to the minimum with less than 10 minutes remaining to the break. Within a minute though, Clones were back to a two points lead when Darren Freeman showed great opportunism to capitalise on a loose ball after a free in by Adrian Alford had dropped short. Brendan McKenna drove Emyvale forward on a counter attack that placed Daniel McMahon who picked off a good point from a difficult angle but almost immediately Clones struck back, Declan McKernan was fouled and Adrian Alford obliged from the free to restore Clones to a two points lead with five minutes of normal time remaining in the first half. Two minutes later though the scene had changed dramatically when Brendan McKenna's high fielding saw him get on the end of a centre from Martin McAree, he placed Patrick McCarron who had come on the overlap and he finished well to give Ciaran Morgan in the Clones goal no chance from close range to restore Emyvale to the lead. Darren Freeman pulled back a point from a free following a foul on Colm Connolly but the last score of the half fell to Emyvale when Brendan McKenna picked off a good point to give his side a one-point lead at the break, Emyvale 1-6, Clones 0-8. Within a minute of the restart Emyvale had doubled their lead when Patrick McCarron placed Patrick J McKenna for a point but the response from Clones was quick and emphatic as Darren Freeman converted two frees in the space of a minute, the first for a foul on Adrian Alford and the second for a foul on Declan McKernan, to level the game yet again. Play continued to swing from end to end with Martin McAree converting a free for a foul on Gareth McQuaid to restore Emyvale to the lead but within minutes Clones were back in front when Declan McKernan got on the end of a long ball in from Fintan Kelly to place Colm Connolly who blasted past Gerard McCaffrey for an excellent goal. John Flannery responded with a good point for Emyvale at the end of a quick counter attack following good work by Shane McKenna and Gareth McQuaid. Again the response from Clones was emphatic with Ross Adamson driving forward to place substitute Declan McQuaid for a good score to put Clones two in front. Pressure by the Clones forwards saw Patrick McCarron blown for over-carrying and Darren Freeman obliged from the free to put Clones three in front. Emyvale pulled back a point in the 17th minute but a minute later Colm Connolly restored Clones to a three points lead after good work by Darragh Holland and they looked to be in a good position at this stage to drive on for victory. However that Colm Connolly point proved to be their last score of the game as Emyvale increased the tempo and when they found the Clones net for the second time, a long free in by Martin McAree breaking for Robbie McHugh who blasted to the net to set Emyvale up for victory. The momentum had now swung to the north Monaghan side with Robbie McHugh setting up Patrick J McKenna for a good point with Patrick McCarron and Brendan Askin then combining well for Askin to put Emyvale three points in front and that was the margin that separated the sides at the finish. Both sides finished the game with 14 men, Emyvale had Brendan McKenna dismissed for a second yellow card offence with Clones then having Darragh Graham dismissed on a straight red card for an off the ball strike on Seamus Downey. Emyvale now await the outcome of tomorrow evening's replay between Killanny and Toome to see who they will play in the final. Teams and Scorers: Emyvale: Gerard McCaffrey; Seamus Downey, Sean McMeel, Shane McKenna; Brendan Askin, John Flannery 0-1, Gareth McQuaid, Brendan O'Brien, Patrick J McKenna 0-2; Patrick McCarron 1-1, Martin McAree 0-2, (2f), Robbie McHugh 1-1; Daniel McMahon 0-2, Brendan McKenna 0-1, Gavin McKernan 0-2. Subs: Darren McKernan for G McKernan, Gavin McKernan for G McQuaid, Cillian McKenna for S Downey. Clones: Ciaran Morgan; Danny Rooney, Eoin Kelly, John Jenkins; Patrick McCarville, Fintan Kelly, Darragh Holland, Ross Adamson, John McDonald; Adrian Alford 0-3, (2f), Darren Freeman 0-6, (5f), Colm Connolly 1-1; Michael Treanor, Declan McKernan 0-1, Darragh Graham 0-1. Subs: Declan McQuaid 0-1 for J Jenkins, Colin McCaughey for P McCarville. Referee: Martin McGinn (Aughnamullen). Tweet

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