Kilcoo complete Down three-in-a-row by beating Burren

Kilcoo secured a fourth Ulster title in six years

Kilcoo completed a three-in-a-row of Down SFC titles with an emphatic victory over Burren in Newry.

Goals in each half by Ryan Johnston and late ones from Conor Laverty and Donal Kane helped Kilcoo ease to an easy win.

Donal O'Hare got Burren's first-half goal but they still trailed by 1-6 to 1-5 at the break.

Kilcoo hit 1-4 without reply at the start of the second half to take control of the game and clinch a fourth county title in six years.

Their manager Jim McCorry will be in charge of the Down team next year.

Burren looked in all kinds of trouble in the opening 10 minutes as Kilcoo raced into a three-point lead.

O'Hare got Burren's first score with an 11th-minute free and a well-worked move resulted in O'Hare burying the ball into the net after 19 minutes.

Ciaran McGovern picked out the run of O'Hare and the Down forward drilled the ball low beyond the outstretched right arm of the Kilcoo goalkeeper into the corner of the net.

That put Burren ahead for the first time in the game at 1-2 to 0-4.

Kilcoo celebrated another triumph in the Down County Football Championship

Conaill McGovern tagged on another Burren point and it was looking good for Paddy Carr's side, until the momentum shifted again when Kilcoo bagged a lucky goal in the 21st minute.

Cathal Murdock made a great save with his feet from Aidan Branagan and when Kilcoo recycled the ball out to Johnston, his attempt at a point from 30 metres out dropped into the top corner of the net.

Jerome Johnston kicked two sharp scores from play to help Kilcoo keep their noses in front at the break.

Kilcoo did the biggest damage in an eight minute spell after half-time when they scored an unanswered goal and four points, Johnston netting his second goal in the 37th minute.

There was no touch of good fortune about his second strike as he gathered the ball and slotted it underneath the 'keeper in a cool finish.

Niall Branagan was sent off for a black card offence for dragging down O'Hare and Burren briefly got themselves back into the game with Eamon Toner's 43rd minute goal.

However Kilcoo were not rattled and finished strongly with man of the match Laverty showing great composure before hitting their third goal in the 49th minute.

Sub Kane scored the fourth seven minutes from the end to put them through to an Ulster club preliminary round tie against the Monaghan champions on 19 October.

Kilcoo: S Kane; N Branagan, N McEvoy, D Branagan (0-1); D O'Hanlon, A Branagan, Gerard McEvoy (0-1); P Greenan, R Johnston (2-0); A Morgan, M Devlin (0-1), P Devlin (0-4, 2f); J Johnston (0-3), F McGreevy, C Laverty (1-1)

Subs: J McClean (0-1) for N Branagan (BC, 42), D Kane (1-0) for McGreevy (48), Gary McEvoy for D Branagan (53), S O'Hanlon for M Devlin (58), D McEvoy for Greenan (58), A Devlin for J Johnston (60)

Burren: C Murdock; J McGovern, G McGovern, B Murphy; D Rooney, K McKernan, Ciaran McGovern; C Toner, Conaill McGovern (0-1); P Murdock, C Foy, S McArdle (0-1); S Murdock, E Toner (1-1), D O'Hare (1-3, 3f)

Subs: D McEntee (0-1) for Foy (38), B McKernan for P Murdock (47), R McGovern for Murphy (51)

WEEKEND CLUB GAA RESULTS

Saturday

Antrim SFC semi-final

Creggan 0-10 1-10 St Gall's

Sunday

Down SFC Final

Kilcoo 4-12 2-7 Burren

Fermanagh SFC Final

Roslea 3-4 1-5 Teemore

Monaghan SFC Final

Clontibret 1-10 1-9 Scotstown

Derry SFC semi-final replay

Slaughtneil 1-12 0-6 Dungiven

Armagh SFC semi-finals

Armagh Harps 2-12 1-9 Maghery

Crossmaglen 0-18 0-12 St Patrick's Cullyhanna