Limavady Wolfhounds through to Ulster Junior semi-final

Ulster Junior Football Championship Quarter-Final
Derry champions Limavady Wolfhounds are through to the Ulster Junior semi-final after defeating Teconnaught on Owenbeg on Saturday.Derry champions Limavady Wolfhounds are through to the Ulster Junior semi-final after defeating Teconnaught on Owenbeg on Saturday.
Derry champions Limavady Wolfhounds are through to the Ulster Junior semi-final after defeating Teconnaught on Owenbeg on Saturday.

Limavady 2-09, Teconnaught 0-11

Superb goals in either half from Cormac Quigley and substitute Brandon O'Brien sent Limavady Wolfhounds into an Ulster Junior Championship semi-final against Fermanagh's Aghadrumsee after they saw off Down champions, Teconnaught at Owenbeg on Saturday.

The Wolfhounds were the better side throughout against a curiously cautious Teconnaught side but it wasn't until O'Brien's brilliant strike three minutes before the end that the Limavady support could relax.

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Two weeks on from the Derry county Champions, Limavady looked ring rusty at times but this game will have done Dominic Woods men the power of good as they move into unchartered territory for the club.

With two teams renowned for scoring goals - Teconnaught hit 41 in the Down Junior league season - this game was billed as the classic score-fest which invariably meant a tight, tense opening half the the sides felt each other out.

Limavady dominated with Kieran McGlinchey and Aaron McGregor excellent but they were unable to translate their superiority to the scoreboard.

Cormac Quigley was the Wolfhounds ace in the hole. Playing inside against Teconnaught's John Johnston, Quigley had the beating of his man every time he got possession . He scored one breathtaking goal and watched another effort stopped on the line, ironically by Johnston who had dropped back to guard the goal.

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Teconnaught started in disjointed fashion but improved as the half wore on, a late burst of three points without reply meaning Limavady's lead at half-time was only 1-04 to 0-6 when the Derry champions should have been further clear.

Limavady's first score arrived courtesy of a Ruairi Hassan free after Johnston had fouled Quigley and that was a pattern to continue throughout the opening 20 minutes and one which brought Johnston a deserved yellow card on 12 minutes for what was at that stage his third foul on the Limavady forward.

Limavady should have added to the point with a goal on four minutes when a short free saw a ball dropped in brilliantly fetched by Sheagh McLaughlin who turned superbly and shot but Teconnaught keeper Justin Kelly produced a first class save.

Oran Hartin then showed he wasn't to be upstaged in the keeping stakes with a smart save of his own from Patrick Grant before the Down side levelled through an Andrew McCartan free.

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A second Ruairi Hassan free had Limavady ahead once more before Quigley's goal gave them some daylight. The ball was fed in by McGregor. Quigley was out in front once more, shook off Johnston before turning striding forward and unleashing a fierce drive from 20 yards that flew past Kelly and into the roof of the net.

That should have been the cue for to press home their advantage but Teconnaught rallied, David McGreevey and Ciaran Carville pointing for 1-02 to 0-3 with 21 minutes on the clock.

Oisin Hassan split the posts off his left foot for the Wolfhounds and when a superb Callum Brown high catch sent McGlinchey away to point, it looked like Limavady had a measure of control.

Not so.

The final minutes of the half belonged to Teconnaught as two points from Grant and one from Tony Davis left only one between the at the interval.

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Limavady looked to assert their superiority upon the restart as McGlinchey and McGregor pointed but but Teconnaught answered with points from Davis and Grant, the latter the Down side's stand-put performer on the day.

Richard King and Teconnaught captain David then swapped scores as the game remained in the melting pot, Limavady's hard working back line deserving the plaudits for keeping the Down men goalless.

Eugen O'Kane grabbed a lovely score which was added to Ruairi O'Kane but even at 1-09 to 0-10, Limavady were never comfortable.

That changed on 57 minutes with the move of the match, started inside his own half by Callum Brown who swapped passes with Sheagh McLaughlin before finding Quigley. Quigley had the awareness to spot the run inside of O'Brien who still had plenty to do after gathering possession. he did it with aplomb though, firing a lovely shot across Kelly and into the far corner of the net to secure a famous win.

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Limavady scorers: Cormac Quigley (1-0), Brandon O'Brien (1-0), Ruairi Hassan (0-3, 2f), Oisin Hassan (0-1); Kieran McGlinchey (0-2), Aaron McGregor (0-1), Richard King (0-1), Eugene O'Kane (0-1),

Teconnaught scorers: Andrew McCartan (0-1, 1f), Ciaran Carville (0-2), Patrick Grant (0-5, 1f, 1 forty-five), Tony Davis (0-2, 1f), David Kelly (0-1, 1f)

Limavady Wolfhounds: Oran Hartin; Jamie McLaughlin, Manus Quigley, Harry McLaughlin; Kieran McGlinchey, Conor Boyd, Aaron McGregor; Shaeagh McLaughlin, Callum Brown; Eugene O'Kane, Richard King, Ruairi O'Kane; Oisin Hassan, Cormac Quigley, Ruairi Hassan.

(Subs) Brandon O'Brien for K McGlinchey, 48mins; Eighan Rogers for R O'Kane, 51mins; Conor Forrest for O Hassan, 54mins;

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Yellow Cards: Ruairi O'Kane 15mins; Richard King 17mins; Manus Quigley 46mins; Cormac Quigley, 54mins; Conor Boyd 59mins;

Teconnaught: Justin Kelly, Andrew McCartan, John Johnston, Kevin Johnston; Jack Bell, James Greene, Shane Brennan; Tony David, Jack Larkin; David Kelly, David McGreevey, Connor Degan; Patrick Grant, Ciaran Carville, Conor Greene.

(Subs) Daniel Flanagan for Kevin Johnston (inj), 9mins; Rory McDonnell for C Degan , 51mins.

Yellow Cards: John Johnston , 12mins;

Black Card: Ciaran Carville, 61mins

Referee: Kieran Eannetta (Tyrone)

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