Drumhowan 1-13, Blackhill 1-11.

Drumhowan kept up their amazing record of never having lost a Monaghan Junior football championship final when they annexed their sixth title in all at the expense of Blackhill, in this totally absorbing contest that built to an exhilarating finish in Inniskeen on Sunday. Drumhowan led at half-time by 0-7 to 0-6 but then found themselves under increasing pressure in the third quarter at the end of which Blackhill had opened a four points lead, a goal by Ciaran Courtney a crucial score in that strong spell. Entering the final 10 minutes Drumhowan also found themselves reduced numerically with the dismissal of Martin McElroy on a red card but that setback galvanised them into action and they went on to hit 1-4 without reply between the 23rd and 28th minutes, Colm Lambe with the goal, to overturn that earlier four points deficit and take a three points lead. Blackhill rallied in the closing minutes for points by Andrew Burns from a '45 and Colin Woods to reduce the deficit to the minimum but Drumhowan held out in a frenetic finish and an injury time point by Anthony Mulligan left them ahead by two at the death.

Teams and Scorers: Drumhowan: E Duffy, M McElroy, L McGuirk, B McGuirk, N Mooney, D Duffy 0-1, P Mulligan, JP O'Neill, A Mulligan 0-1, D Millar 0-2, K McElroy 0-1, Kevin Mooney 0-3, Kieran Mooney 0-1, A Duffy, C Lambe 1-4 (0-4f). Subs: A Quinn for P Mulligan, M Atkinson for A Mulligan.

Blackhill: M Shevlin, G McArdle, D Courtney, Shane Courtney 0-1, J Daly 0-1, R Craig,. A Courtney 0-2, E Byrne, H Byrne, P Donnelly, C Courtney 1-1, R Courtney 0-1, Stephen Courtney 0-1, C Woods 0-2 (1f), M Geehan. Subs: D Daly 0-1 (f) for E Byrne, P Finnegan for C Courtney, A Burns 0-1 ('45) for Stephen Courtney. Referee: N McKenna (Emyvale).

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