Galbally outclass Corduff to claim Ulster IFC glory 

SEALED: Galbally had too much firepower and defensive nous for their Monaghan counterparts.

Ulster Club IFC final

Galbally 1-9 Corduff 0-5 

Galbally found the perfect blend of defensive security, creativity and attacking thrust to claim the Ulster Club IFC title as they out-played Corduff on Wednesday night.

The Tyrone men had the craft to engineer a convincing seven points success against the Monaghan’s side’s strangely defensive approach at the Athletic Grounds.

Barry Carberry scored the only goal of the game eight minutes into the second half, giving the Pearses the breathing space to push for home.

The champions of Monaghan and Tyrone finally faced off following three postponements due to frozen pitches in Newry and Armagh, and when former inter-county managers Paddy Crozier and Seamus ‘Banty’ McEnaney renewed acquaintances, it was the wily Derry man who came out on top.

An early black card for defender Sean McEnaney failed to distract Corduff, although they did fall three points behind, with Daniel Kerr hitting the target twice.

Sean McEnaney’s driving runs from deep had the Tyrone men backpedalling, and two magnificent Feargal Hanratty scores closed the gap, before Conor McEnaney pressed forward to shoot the leveller.

A Conor Donaghy free sent Galbally in with a narrow 0-5 to 0-4 advantage, and they made a major breakthrough on 38 minutes, a defensive turnover the platform for midfielder Enda McGarrity’s searing run from inside his own half, and the final pass was perfectly timed for Barry Carberry to crash the ball to the net.

Inevitably, it came to route one for the Monaghan men, but goalkeeper Ronan McGeary showed a safe pair of hands, and the frustration began to show, with target man Keith McEnaney sent off on a straight red card on 54 minutes.

Galbally scorers: B Carberry 1-0, D Kerr 0-4 (2f, 1m), C Donaghy 0-2 (2f), C Morris, M Lennon, C Quinn 0-1 each.

Corduff scorers: F Hanratty 0-2, G McEnaney, C McEnaney, J Hand 0-1 each.

Galbally: R McGeary; S Wylie, C Quinn, Connor Donnelly; M Lennon, C Morris, J Hetherington; E McGarrity, Cormac Donnelly; D Kerr, L Rafferty, R Nugent; B Carberry, C Donaghy, S Murphy.

Subs: A Carberry for B Carberry, Fearghal McGarrity for Lennon, S Og Mulgrew for Wylie Corduff: B Woods; J McEnaney, S McEnaney, D McEnaney; P Keenan, C McEnaney, C Marron; M McEnaney, C Marron; D Finnegan, G McEnaney, J McGarrell; M Keenan, K McEnaney, F Hanratty.

Subs: D Marron for Keenan, S Hand for C McEnaney, M Mills for M McEnaney, J Hand for J McEnaney, K Hand for S McEnaney 

Referee: S Laverty (Antrim).