Westville Hotel Senior Football League Div One

Belcoo 0-6  Irvinestown  3-19

IRVINESTOWN heaped early season pressure on Belcoo with a thumping 22 point victory at MacNean Park last Friday evening.

The visitors led this game throughout and by half-time they had already built up a commanding 1-11 to 0-4 lead and kept their foot down after the interval.

In contrast Belcoo managed only two points in the second half and just a two pointer in the first half from open play in the entire game.

It won’t get any easier for Clarke’s side this Friday when they travel to Erne Gaels, while Irvinestown host Enniskillen Gaels.

Caolan Ward and Josh Largo Elis eased the away side two clear in the opening five minutes before Eoin Corrigan pointed from a free two minutes later.

The experienced Gary Maguire knocked over a two pointer while Michael Burns pointed from a free on 11 minutes.

Irvinestown were certainly on top and Mattie McDermott showed his class to move in on a pass from Caolan Ward before angling the ball over the bar to make it a three point game.

Belcoo though to their credit were staying in touch and a fine Lawrence McKeown two pointer reduced the deficit to a single score. However, Irvinestown would then up the ante to leave Belcoo trailing still further behind.

Gary Maguire, Odhran McGovern and Caolan Ward all pointed , while Ronan Ormsby would make it a five point game, 0-9 to 0-4.

Odhran McGovern and Mattie McDermott both pointed again for Irvinestown before the opening goal of the game arrived just before the break. Gary Maguire planted a long ball in that was missed by the Belcoo defence and ended up in the net, making it 1-11 to 0-4 at the half-time break.

Ronan Ormsby and Mattie McDermott pointed inside the opening three minutes of the restart to show Irvinestown meant real business, though a Michael Burns free on 35 minutes gave Belcoo the slightest glimmer.

Josh Largo Elis went on a weaving run and crashed to the net for a terrific goal before further points arrived from Caolan Ward and a ‘45’ from goalkeeper Shea Mulligan.

Caolan Ward and Michael Burns exchanged scores before Rory Cassidy pointed after great work from Mattie McDermott, leaving it 2-17 to 0-6.

Sean Clear moved in for a third goal for his side on 58 minutes before late scores from Mattie McDermott and Ronan Ormsby left a huge 22 points between the sides at the end.

Referee – Noel McDonagh (Brookeborough)