Kilcoo 0-9
Burren 0-7
KILCOO SCORED THREE points in injury-time to snatch victory and retain their Down SFC title in Newry.
Darragh O’Hanlon converted a monster free from 50m to draw the defending champions level in the first minute of stoppage time, before Paul Devlin landed the all-important free in the fourth minute of added on time.
Devlin then tagged on the insurance point from play with the last kick of what was a very poor game in Pairc Esler.
Burren captain Dan McCartan was sent-off for a second yellow card offence when the sides were level at 0-7 apiece.
It was a third county title in five years for Kilcoo, who won despite not scoring for 16 minutes in the second-half.
Kilcoo edged a really mediocre first half by 0-4 to 0-3.
Burren led 0-3 to 0-1 after 16 minutes with points from Jamie McGovern, a Donal O’Hare free and a James McGovern point.
Having played an open, running brand of football in the earlier rounds, Burren played with a lot of men behind the ball to mirror how Kilcoo were set up.
Kilcoo only had a free from Paul Devlin to show for their efforts until they finished with a flurry of three points in the last four minutes of the opening half.
Wing-back Darragh O’Hanlon burst through the wall of bodies and hit a low shot across the goalkeeper but the ball crashed off the upright.
Ryan Johnston scooped up the rebound to score their first point from play in the 26th minute.
Conor Laverty’s point drew the sides level before Paul Devlin added a free just before the interval.
Burren didn’t score for 25 minutes either side of half-time. They did lead by a point twice in the second-half, before Kilcoo’s strong finish saw them through to face the Armagh champions in the Ulster club quarter-final on November 3.
Kilcoo: S Kane, N Branagan, N McEvoy, D Branagan, D O’Hanlon (0-1 f), S O’Hanlon, Gerard McEvoy, P Greenan, Aidan Branagan, P Devlin (0-5, 3f and 1 ‘45’), A Devlin, R Johnston (0-1), J Johnston, C Laverty (0-2), Gary McEvoySubs: F McGreevy for Gary McEvoy (52`), Aaron Branagan for R Johnston (60)
Burren: C Murdock, D McCartan, R McGovern, G McCartan, Jamie McGovern (0-2), K McKernan (0-1), James McGovern (0-1), C Toner, A McArdle, S Murdock, C McGovern (0-1), E Toner, D O’Hare (0-2, 2f), E McCartan, S McArdle
Subs: Gerard McGovern for E McCartan (59)
Referee: Gavin Corrigan
