Hughes penalty fires Cookstown to glory

THE recent history of Tyrone-Kerry clashes in Croke Park have swung in the direction of the northerners, and Cookstown maintained that with a hard fought win over Spa in yesterday’s All-Ireland Club IFC final.

In a tight, tough battle, where scores were rationed, it took a 52nd minute goal, when Cookstown centre-back Barry Hughes brilliantly despatched a penalty, to separate the teams.

There was a hint of controversy to the awarding of the spot kick as Devane’s foul on Raymond Mulgrew looked innocuous.

Spa had chances to rescue the game. Substitute Cormac Cronin watched his two free attempts tail wide and, apart from a super point from Niall O’Mahony in the 58th minute, Cookstown’s well-organised defence kept Spa out.

Cookstown sealed their win in injury-time when Owen Mulligan popped over a free from distance.

Spa were bright and busy in the early stages. Michael O’Donoghue signalled his potential with an opening two-point blast and, after Cian Tobin tacked on another, the East Kerry side were full value for a 0-3 to 0-0 advantage after nine minutes. Spa had terrific displays from Eoin Cronin and Andrew Garnett, but gradually Cookstown’s strength began to tell.

Their deployment of Martin Murray as a spare body back in defence choked the supply to the Spa attack and their star turns, Raymond Mulgrew and Owen Mulligan, began to dictate the play. A flurry of points from Conor Mullan, Brian Mulligan and Christopher Eastwood edged them 0-4 to 0-3 in front. However, an outstanding score by Fergus Clifford and an O’Donoghue free left Spa 0-5 to 0-4 ahead.

The Kerry side displayed battling instincts to preserve that lead for much of the second-half as Cookstown gained a monopoly on possession. The Tyrone side’s shooting was awry once more though and even when they smashed through the Spa rearguard, goalkeeper James Devane made his presence felt. His 37th minute block of Barry Mulligan’s goalbound drive looked a critical intervention.

A tidy Owen Mulligan point in the 40th minute was the solitary flag that Cookstown raised and despite Spa’s gifted double-act of O’Donoghue and O’Mahony having to forage deep for possession, both players bagged a point apiece to leave their side with a 0-7 to 0-5 lead after 48 minutes.

They looked to have the momentum but the scales were tipped in Cookstown’s favour with the penalty award. From there the side coached by former Tyrone senior Chris Lawn performed an expert operation in closing out the game and the sizeable influences of Mulgrew and Mulligan meant they were crowned champions .

Scorers for Cookstown: B Hughes 1-0 (1-0 pen), O Mulligan (0-1f), C Mullan 0-2 each, C Eastwood (0-1f), M Murray (0-1f), Brian Mulligan 0-1 each.

Spa: M O’Donoghue 0-4 (0-3f), N O’Mahony 0-2, C Tobin, F Clifford 0-1 each.

COOKSTOWN: M Rea; P Kelly, S Monaghan, P McGurk; S McGarrity, B Hughes, C O’Hare; G Fitzpatrick, C Mullan; R Mulgrew, Barry Mulligan, Brian Mulligan; C Eastwood, O Mulligan, M Murray.

Subs: J Gilmore for Eastwood (42), R Pickering for McGarrity (inj) (47), B O’Neill for Fitzpatrick (59), J Quinn for Brian Mulligan (59).

SPA: J Devane; B Gleeson, A Cahill, F Clifford; D O’Sullivan, H O’Donoghue, E Cronin; K Healy, A Garnett; C Tobin, N O’Mahony, P Murphy; T Lynch, M O’Donoghue, C Gleeson. Subs: C Cronin for Murphy (55).

Referee: T Quigley (Dublin)