Ulster Club semi-final: Kilcoo 4-13 Maghery 0-12

Kilcoo are attempting to win the Ulster Club Championship for the first time

Kilcoo powered their way into the Ulster Club Football final with a four-goal demolition job on Maghery.

Ryan Johnston blasted past keeper Johnny Montgomery for the only goal of the first half as the Down champions built up a 1-8 to 0-4 interval lead.

Maghery were dealt a huge blow when Aidan Forker got a straight red.

Ceilum Doherty netted twice after the break with sub JJ McLaughlin getting the other goal as Kilcoo booked their final clash against Slaughtneil.

Kilcoo were always in command in Newry as soon as they had cancelled out Conor Mackle's opennig point for the Armagh underdogs.

Paul Devlin (2), Eugene Branagan, Doherty and Ryan Johnston scored as Kilcoo rattled off five points withuot replay to take command.

Johnston got on the end of a long ball to score the first goal to put Kilcoo 1-8 to 0-3 up.

Aidan Forker was dismissed by referee Joe McQuillan after a linesman reported a striking incident.

That left Maghery with what proved to be an impossible task as Doherty added a second goal for Kilcoo.

Maghery did respond with four unanswered points but further goals by McLaughlin and wing half-forward Doherty put the issue emphatically beyond doubt.

What they said

Kilcoo manager Paul McIver: "Our boys put in a great first-half performance, playing with the intensity we wanted to.

"We were sloppy in the county final against Clonduff when we were winning by seven or eight points and we talked about that at half-time.

"We wanted to go out in the second half and put our stamp on the game and we did.

"Our boys will not think about Slaughtneil because they only focus on themselves.

"If we get our performance right we will take a hell of a game to Slaughtneil."