Hollymount/Carramore point their way to final

Hollymount/Carramore ....0-15

Loughinisland, Down .......0-10

REPORT: AIDEN HENRY 

HOLLYMOUNT/CARRAMORE produced a magnificent all round team performance to beat Down and Ulster intermediate champions, Loughinisland, and qualify for the All-Ireland club final which will be played in Croke Park on Saturday, February 6.

In what was a very tough encounter throughout, Hollymount/Carramore, who took the lead as early as the third minute and never lost it, called on all their great experience to see off the determined bid by Loughinisland.

While it was a game that was for most parts on a knife edge, there was no denying Hollymount/Carramore fully deserved their five-point victory.

The Mayo side had the better of the exchanges in the opening half and went in at the break leading by 0-7 to 0-4. The brilliant Darren Coen scored five of them, three frees, one from a sideline kick, and two delightful efforts from play. The other two, both brilliant frees, came from Kevin Feerick.

On the resumption, Hollymount/Carramore after withstanding some early pressure from their opponents, raised the first flag of the half, a brilliant point from Conor Keane.

It was end to end stuff for most of the half, but the Mayo side always kept their noses well in front.

They picked off seven more great points, three from Darren Coen, and one each from Stephen Coen, Ian Costello, Kevin Feerick and Keelan McNamara, to leave them the worthy winners and a place in the All-Ireland final.

Hollymount/Carramore: N. Campbell, R. Connelly, D. McHugh, D. Feerick, P.  Feerick, B. Sheridan, R. Molloy, K. McNamara (0-1), S. Coen (0-1), K. Feerick (0-3), I. Costello (0-1), K. Costello, C. Keane (0-1), D. Coen (0-8), D. Costello.

Subs used: C. Heneghan, L. Macken, B. Maloney.

Loughinisland: K. Gordon, R. Nixon, P. McGoran, M. Cochrane, P. Digney, C. O'Toole, R. Mason (0-5), D. O'Toole, D. Gordon, J. McCarthy (0-1), R. Stranney, J. Flynn, A. McClements (0-1), C. McGoran (0-1), S. O'Hare.

Subs used: S. Mason (0-1), P. McKenny (0-1), S. Cochrane, G. Johnson, C. Killen.

Ref: N.Ward (Meath).