Brilliant Banagher ease past Greenlough to make Intermediate final

Banagher 1-15, Greenlough 2-05

Banagher are back in the Derry Intermediate Championship final after a commanding seven point victory over Greenlough in a one sided semi-final at Owenbeg on Sunday.

The 2018 champions had far too much for their 2020 counterparts and could have won more convincingly after a display that will probably see St. Mary's installed as slight favourites for a mouth watering final encounter against an in-form Glenullin team. That game's set for two weeks time in Celtic Park and on the basis of each club's semi-final display, it's one you will not want to miss!

Banagher impressed from the off on Sunday, physically dominating the game’s key areas with players cleverly rotating positions against a Greenlough side set up to defend their '45', win turnover ball and break at pace. Jude Donnelly's men left a lone forward inside, one of Matthew Bradley, Cillian Moore or Niall Loughlin, and looked to get runners up to him on the counter.

They did have some joy early on with three turnovers but failed to capitalise on the chances and the longer the half progressed the deeper they became as Banagher took over.

With Greenlough not pressing the St. Mary's kick-out, Callum Armstong was finding players at will and Greenlough were struggling to contain an attacking unit whose movement was creating plenty of space within the 'scoring zone'. Mark Lynch started in the sweeper position but spent as long on the edge of the square in the opening half and created the 16th minute goal for Peter Hagan which put Banagher in the driving seat at the break on a scoreline of 1-07 to 0-03.

It was little more than Paul Bradley's men deserved. Their first five points saw a spread of five different scorers with all but one of their seven first half points coming from play.

Indeed there wasn't even a minute on the clock with Ciaran Lynch got the St. Mary’s off and running. A Tiarnan Moore free then doubled the advantage before 90 seconds was up and Banagher were off and running. Despite Niall Loughlin reducing the deficit from a free, Ruairi Quirk soon re-established the two point lead.

Another Loughlin free brought it back to the minimum once again but the Greenlough forwards were living off scraps and they would score only one more point in the remaining 20 minutes of the opening half.

Banagher meanwhile were creating chances and, more importantly, taking them. Niall Moore teed up Hagan for a point before Gavin O'Neill then sent one over off his left foot for 0-5 to 0-2 by the end of the opening quarter.

The three point lead was doubled by the best move of the match on 16 minutes when at least five Banagher players got involved in a passing move that ended with Mark Lynch releasing Peter Hagan inside to step round Brian Henry and fire a superb goal low into the Greelough net.

Tiarnan Moore tagged on a point and while Patrick Feeney scored a lovely effort for Greenlough, Banagher's lead was a commanding 1-06 to 0-03 by the 20th minute. The impressive Moore grabbed the final score of the half shortly after for a fully deserved seven point interval advantage.

Greelough responded with a triple half-time substitution, Christopher Dempsey coming on in nets to replace Brian Henry with Michael McDonnell and Jack McCann also introduced in a bid to upset the Banagher momentum. It didn't work, despite Patrick Feeney grabbing the opening score.

Peter Hagan responded with a free and from there normal service was resumed. Greenlough did eventually try to press the Banagher kick-out but with little joy.

Indeed Banagher had stretched their lead to 1-10 to 0-05 by the midway point of the half but Ruairi Henry's deflected goal with 10 minuets left offered the briefest glimmer of hope for Greenlough; but it didn't last.

Gavin O'Neill stormed through to reply with with a point which settled Banagher once again and Eamon Og Feeney would have hit the net seconds later but for a great recovery save from Christopher Maguire when a goal looked certain.

It was all academic though as Tiarnan Moore, enjoying a brilliant individual performance, kept the scoreboard ticking over. Another goal chance came and went with Moore this time the guilty party with the goal at his mercy but even when Henry grabbed his second goal of the game at the other end, there was never a suggestion it was anything other than a consolation for Greenlough.

Banagher had long since secured their place in the decider and they had done it in some style.

Banagher scorers: Peter Hagan (1-2, 1f), Tiarnan Moore, (0-8, 4f, 1 '45'), Ruairi Quirk (0-1), Gavin O'Neill (0-3), Ciaran Lynch (0-1),

Greenlough scorers: Ruairi Henry (2-0), Niall Loughlin (0-3, 2f), Patrick Feeney (0-2),

Banagher: Callum Armstrong, Darragh McCloskey, Keelan O'Kane, Cathair McGilligan, Eoin Devine, Gavin O'Neill, Eamon Og Feeney, Brian Og McGilligan, Callum O'Kane, Ciaran Lynch, Mark Lynch, Ruairi Quirk, Peter Hagan, Niall Moore, Tiarnan Moore. (Subs) Bryan O'Kane for R Quirk, 49mins; Liam Eoin Campbell for C Lynch, 52mins; Gabriel Farren for K O'Kane, 53mins;

Greenlough: Brian Henry. Christopher Kearney, Paul Quinn, Conall McErlean, Shea Birt, Patrick Feeney, Matthew Bradley, Brian Og McCallion, Enda McNally, Caolan Tohill, Stefan Lynn, Ruairi Henry, Conor Mullan, Niall Loughlin, Cillian Moore. (Subs) Christopher Lynn for M Bradley, 24mins; Christopher Maguire or B Henry, HT; Michael McDonnell for C Kearney, HT; Jack McCann for C Tohill, HT;

Referee: Cathal Doherty