Ulster Club SFC: Kilcoo continue recent dominance over Derrygonnelly with easy win in opener

Kilcoo continued their recent Ulster Club SFC dominance over Derrygonnelly with a 2-13 to 1-7 preliminary round victory at Brewster Park.

The Down champions totally controlled the first half, with a Paul Devlin goal from a penalty helping them to a commanding 1-9 to 0-1 interval lead.

A Gary McKenna goal on 43 minutes, while Kilcoo were down to 14 players, reduced the deficit to seven points.

However, Sean Og McCusker netted as Kilcoo ran out comfortable winners.

The nine-point win means the Magpies move through to the quarter-final stages of the Ulster Senior Football Club Championship, where they will play Scotstown at Pairc Esler next Sunday.

It was their third consecutive win over The Harps in the competition in recent years, with Kilcoo having edged a 1-8 to 0-9 victory in the 2019 semi-final before hammering them in the provincial decider 22 months ago.

Kilcoo, who landed the All-Ireland title in February 2022, went into Sunday's encounter as strong favourites and did not let the rainy conditions impede them as they recorded an easy win.

They were far more decisive and dynamic against a Derrygonnelly side that, in the first half especially, looked laboured in possession and not fully focused in defence.

Kilcoo recorded a third successive Ulster Club win over Derrygonnelly

Both sides struck the woodwork before Kilcoo's Eugene Branagan made a long break through the middle to slot over the opening point in the sixth minute.

Ryan Johnston doubled their lead two minutes later before Conall Jones quickly got Derrygonnelly off the mark, though a Ceilum Doherty score immediately restored Kilcoo's two-point lead.

That was soon a five-point lead - Johsnton with his second, Paul Devlin hitting a free and a 45 from goalkeeper Niall Kane - before Aaron Morgan delivered the best point of the game on 18 minutes, firing over a delicious shot with the outside of his foot.

The opening goal of the game arrived in the 20th minute when Paul Devlin made no mistake with a penalty after Jack Devlin had been fouled by Michael Jones.

Shane McGullion hit the post with a scuffed shot before the sides went in at the break with Kilcoo leading 1-9 to 0-1.

There was hope for Derrygonnelly early in the second half when, after a Gary McKenna free for them, the Down champions were reduced to 14 men as Ryan Johnston was shown a black card for pulling Michael Jones' shirt.

The Harps got their goal during that spell, when McKenna collected an offload from Jones to fire a fine shot into the net to bring them to within seven points of their opponents.

Derrygonnelly again reduced the deficit to seven points with just over 10 minutes remaining but any outside chances of a comeback were ended when McCusker delicately palmed in his side's second goal to help send them through to the last eight.

Derrygonnelly: Jack Kelly; Aaron Jones, Oisin Smyth, Michael Jones (Daniel Ward 56); Shane McGullion, Rian McGovern (Declan Cassidy 44), Niall Maguire (Ronan McGovern 36); Ryan Jones (0-01) Conor McGovern; Stephen Gilroy Ronan McHugh 44), Garvan Jones (0-4,2f) Eamon McHugh (Bryan McKenna 54); Leigh Jones, Conall Jones (0-01,f) Gary McKenna (1-01f)

Kilcoo: Niall Kane (0-01); Niall Branagan, Ryan McEvoy (0-01), Aaron Branagan (Callum Rogers 60); Miceal Rooney, Darryl Branagan (0-01), Eugene Brannigan (0-02); Aaron Morgan (0-01), Ryan Johnston (0-02) (Tiarnan Fettes 52); Shealan Johnston, Jack Devlin (Conor Laverty 49), Anthony Morgan (0-01); Paul Devlin (1-02,pen), Christopher Rooney (Sean Og McCusker (1-01) 36), Ceilum Doherty (0-01)