Horgan calls tune as Dillons squeak through

Brian Dillons 0-14 Grenagh 0-13

Thomas Lawrence’s 46th minute point had increased Dillons’ lead to five, 0-14 to 0-9, but four unanswered points from Grenagh brought the deficit down to one. Crucially, they failed to level matters and Dillons held on.

And who was central to it? John Horgan. He performed magnificently scoring 0-10 and has now tallied 1-22 of Dillons’ 1-30 in their quarter- and semi-final clashes.

Grenagh raced into a 0-3 to 0-0 lead inside six minutes with points from Tom Kenny (two) and Niall O’Doherty. However, Horgan (three) and Cian McCarthy edged Dillons in front.

It was nip and tuck for much of the half but three from Horgan left Grenagh trailing 0-8 to 0-6 at the break.

Three more Horgan scores stretched Dillons lead to 0-11 to 0-7 after half-time but the introduction of John Russell helped Grenagh and he had two points. O’Doherty and O’Neill added a brace which made for a tense finale but it wasn’t to be.

Scorers for Brian Dillons: J Horgan 0-10 (7fs, 0-1 65), T Lawrence 0-2, C McCarthy, C Brosnan 0-1 each.

Scorers for Grenagh: N O’Doherty 0-4 (0-1f), T Kenny 0-3, C O’Neill, J Russell 0-2 each, K Cummins, C Fitzgerald 0-1 each.

BRIAN DILLONS: T Triggs (capt); M Carey, D Murphy, M Noonan; D McCormack, M White, D Brosnan; T Lawrence, C McCarthy; K McCormack, J Horgan, B Barrett; J Noonan, C Brosnan, P O’Brien.

Subs: K Coughlan for Noonan (28), M Corbett for K McCormack (57).

GRENAGH: M Kenny (capt); L Walsh, R Dorgan, P McCarthy; D Dorgan, G Russell, K Cummins; N O’Doherty, D Dalton; C O’Neill, T Kenny, K O’Neill; C Fitzgerald, S Coleman, T Walsh.

Subs: P Sexton for Dalton (22), J Russell for Walsh (45), M Barry for Fitzgerald (53).

Referee: Conor Lane (Banteer/Lyre).