DERRY GAA: Doire Trasna secure top seeding with victory over Magilligan

Doire Trasna 0-20, Magillign 0-10

Doire Trasna wrapped up one of the four seeded spots for the Premier Electrics Junior Football Championship quarter-final draw thanks to a comfortable victory over Magilligan at Corrody Road on Friday night.

The Pearses were in charge from the throw-in, scoring inside 10 seconds through Dylan Deery, and should have won more convincingly against a St. Aidan's side who showed glimpses but never quite found their top gear after turning around seven points adrift at 0-11 to 0-4.

Both clubs went into the game safe in the knowledge they would be in the hat for the knockout stages after defeating Ardmore, but it was Collie's Mac Eoin's home team who were sharper throughout, dominating both kick-outs and possessing greater pace through the lines.

A large part of that pace belongs to flying half-back Caelan O'Connell who continued his superb season with another brilliant display. The Trasna No. 7 hit two sublime two pointers on his way to a first half tally of 0-5 from play but it was the energy he gives his team that was even more crucial. Driving forward, O'Connell is a defender's nightmare and one of Trasna's main attacking trigger points. But he wasn't alone.

Conor O'Donnell enhanced his own growing reputation and was almost magnetic to the breaking ball, many of which were broken down by his teenager team-mate, midfielder Oran Donnelly. That trio provide much of Trasna's attacking pace and Magilligan struggled to match their running power and intensity.

Another Trasna teen, Cathan Duffy also impressed, matching O'Donnell's work on the breaking ball, linking play and consistently taking up clever positions to get his team up the pitch.

For Magilligan, Colly Mullan was his usual excellent self and did his bit to balance the books on the visitors' kick-outs while Brian Canning kept Eoghan Quigg scoreless from play but after turning around seven points down at half-time, the St. Aidan's never got closer than five and were indebted to a breathtaking Barry Mullan save from Tom Casey's late penalty to ensure Trasna's win wasn't more emphatic.

Playing with the wind, Trasna served early notice of their intentions when Deery stormed through from an O'Connell pass to split the posts before 10 seconds had elapsed, the same player then doubling the home advantage inside two minutes.

It wasn't all plain sailing however as the Trasna net escaped on four minutes when Tomas McCrossan somehow got back to block Jamie Brolly's goalbound shot with an unbelievable goal-line clearance, Quigg's free then compounding the visitors’ frustrations in a four point swing.

Mullan got Magilligan up and running with a lovely two point free on eight minutes to bring it back the minimum at 0-3 to 0-2 but that would be the visitors' last score for 17 minutes as Trasna – and especially O'Connell - went through the gears.

John McKivergan won a Magilligan kick-out to set up Casey for a point before O'Connell got his first score of the day and Quigg tagged on a free for 0-6 to 0-2..

O'Connell's first two-pointer arrived on 21 minutes with his second just four minutes later and the other side of another Quigg free to put Trasna nine clear at 0-11 to 0-2 with 25 minutes on the clock.

However, Magilligan regrouped to finish the half stronger as two Eoin Kelly frees cut the deficit and with the breeze to come second half, the St Aidan's looked still well in the game.

And they started to second period intent on eating into the home lead as another Kelly free and one from play from Jamie Brolly made it 0-11 to 0-6 with the suggestions of more to come; but it never materialised.

With captain Caolan Doyle controlling tempo in midfield, Trasna substitute Colm Conneely halted the Magilligan's surge with another Quigg then reinstating their seven point lead. From there Pearses had regained the initiative.

Colly Mullan's '45' was followed by Pearses points from Eoghan Devlin and Quigg (f) and while Ryan Barr's lovely two-pointer highlighted Magilligan's weren’t about to lie down, they never quite manged to close the gap to a point were Trasna were looking over their shoulders.

Further scores from Somhairle McFadden, O'Donnell (2), Casey and Thomas Dobbins meant Casey's penalty miss was academic, Ethan McLaughlin's late point merely a consolation for Magilligan.

An impressive win then which will give Trasna confidence but there was nothing definitive for either club on the night. That comes as the championship now reaches it's knock-out stages and it remains to be seen whether top seeding will be a blessing or a curse. Both will take something from this game and both will be better for it.

Doire Trasna scorers: Caelan O'Connell 0-5 (2tp), Eoghan Quigg 0-5 (5f), Dylan Deery 0-2, Tom Casey 0-2, Conor O'Donnell 0-2, Colm Conneely 0-1, Eoghan Devlin 0-1, Somhairle McFadden 0-1, Thomas Dobbins 0-1.

Magilligan scorers: Colly Mullan 0-3 (1tpf, 1 '45'), Eoin Kelly 0-3 (3f), Ryan Barr 0-2 (1tp), Jamie Brolly 0-1, Ethan McLaughlin 0-1.

Doire Trasna: Flynn Doherty, David Og Officer, Tomas McCrossan, Sean Fleming, Cathan Duffy, Conor O'Donnell, Caelan O'Connell, Caolan Doyle, Oran Donnelly, Dylan Deery, Tom Casey, Eoghan Devlin, Somhairle McFadden, Eoghan Quigg, John McKivergan. (Subs) Colm Connelly for D Deery, 37mins; Jack McCarron for E Quigg, 50mins; Ryan Lindsay for E Devlin, 52mins; Cathal McKane for S Fleming, 52mins; Thomas Dobbins for S McFadden, 52mins.

Magilligan: Barry Mullan, Anthony Doherty, Brian Canning, Conor Kelly, Ethan McLaughlin, Eoin Kelly, Ryan Barr, James Payne, Paraic Quinn, Sean McLaughlin, Colly Mullan, Kevin Moran, Jamie Brolly, Cathal McCrudden, Daniel Connolly. (Subs) Eoin Roddy for K Moran, 37mins.

Referee: Damien Harkin