IN a highly competitive contest, it was the superior scoring of St. Kevin’s which proved to be the decisive factor in this semi final.
Some of their points were simply outstanding, top scorer Lucas McCaughery particularly catching the eye, as did half back, Ben Warnock.
Essentially though, it was a solid all round team effort which secured the Lisnaskea college its second Mulholland Cup final appearance in succession, albeit the past two year’s have been void of a final due to Covid.
This victory was all the more impressive given that St. Kevin’s were missing a key player in centre half back, Niall Tierney who was ruled out through ligament injury he sustained while playing for the county minors, which leaves him doubtful for the final too.
Under cold, bright, dry conditions at Threemilehouse, it was Inver who cut out the early running, opening the scoring with a 2nd minute Brian Duffy point.
But once a well taken 4th minute Oisin Toye goal got St. Kevin’s off the mark, they proceeded to dominate the opening half.
A second goal from Nathan Beattie in the 11th minute helped open up a commanding 2-11 to 0-5 half time lead. Three quick points strengthened their position but their pacy Monaghan opponents didn’t throw in the towel.
Instead, the Carrickmacross boys launched a determined second half effort posting a respectable tally without seriously threatening St. Kevin’s.
The early St. Kevin’s goals, either side of a Warnock point, arrived in contrasting fashion, Toye working his way in from the right to fire to the roof of the net, Beatie on hand to drill home the loose ball from a goalkeeping block.
St. Kevin’s then hit four points in-a-row from Beattie, Ethan McCormack, Warnock, McCaughery and Toye to lead 2-6 to 0-2 by the 16th minute.
Following a couple of points exchanges, McCaughery, twice on target for St. Kevin’s as Duffy and Conor McHugh responded for Inver, before McCaughery (2) and Warnock found the target to widen their lead at the break.
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