A stirring comeback in a stunning finale fired Red Hughs into the Ulster Junior final as they came from five points down to win by four.
Red Hughs 1-13 Emyvale 0-12
By Chris McNulty at Healy Park
A couple of times during the hour, the goose looked cooked Red Hughs, but each time the Killygordon men pulled the embers from the fire, with Calvin Bradley scoring an inspirational 1-5 for Seosamh MacCeallabui’s men. Red Hughs will now look to emulate Naomh Colmcille – who won this title last year – when they run out for the final in two weeks’ time.
They were five down ten minutes into the second half after David McAlister, Garreth McQuaid and Karl McQuaid scored points for Emyvale.
Declan Loughman’s side had one foot in the final at that point, but Red Hughs hit ten of the last 11 points of the game – nine of those coming in a deadly 12-minute spell until the 53rd minute.
McAlister’s seventh point of the day, after a surging run from deep from Monaghan senior ace Ryan McAnespie, stemmed the flow and restored a three-point buffer.
The tide turned firmly when Damien Browne’s angled ball in found Bradley and he spun over for a score that kick-started the men in red and black.
Bradley put them in front and when Gerard Melaugh added another after Red Hughs won the subsequent kick-out, they began to pinch themselves.
McAnespie saw a goal chance fly wide of the target as Emyvale launched a desperate attempt to claw their way back, but the game had gone from them with Bradley adding to his tally.
Bradley was black carded and left to a standing ovation from the Red Hughs followers.
David McAlister has been tipped for a Monaghan senior call-up and he posted an excellent seven points – all from play – but he was send off deep in added time at the end for collecting a second yellow card. His brother, Robbie, was also send off in a melee, along with Red Hughs’ Gary Kelly.
Emyvale would finish with 12 men on the field as Karl McQuaid also saw red in the ninth minute of added time.
Emyvale roared out from the blocks and were three points up in the opening four minutes. Their second point might well have had an even greater dividend, but McAlister’s powerful effort was superbly turned over the crossbar by Ciaran Kelly. It seemed for all the world as if McAlister was set to rattle the net, but Kelly’s save would prove more crucial as the game wore on.
Robbie McAlister made it 0-3 to 0-0 but, just when the game was threatening to run away from them in the early stages, Red Hughs shook the heads clear.
Browne settled the nerves with a free and Red Hughs got just the tonic in the form of a goal after just nine minutes.
Red Hughs rattled against the crossbar before Melaugh cannoned a shot off an upright. In the chaos that ensued, Bradley seized possession and blasted past Gerard McCaffrey.
Bradley scored 2-3 as Red Hughs defeated Con Magees from Glenravel, Antrim in last weekend’s quarter-final and the bustling full-forward slammed home here to give his men real hope.
A free from Browne had Red Hughs ahead for the first time, but McAlister scored twice, the first a beauty off the outside of the right boot, either end of a Daniel McMahon free, and Emyvale were in command again.
Browne sold Sean McMeel a dummy before slicing over to reduce the arrears, but Garreth McQuaid converted a free to send the Monaghan men in 0-8 to 1-3 at the break.
It had been a stop-start opening period and seven minutes were added at the end, with Emyvale seeing Gavin McKernan black carded for a foul on James Carlin.
Three points at the start of the second half moved Emyvale a handful ahead. From then until the finish – including over nine additional minutes – they added just one further point and it’s Red Hughs – having scored the game’s final seven points – who’ll have their tickets punched for the final.
Red Hughs: Ciaran Kelly; Ryan Kelly, Shane McGlinchey, Eugene Browne; Gary Kelly, Thomas McMenamin, Cathal Doherty; Peadar McGlinchey (0-2, 1 ’45), Stephen McMenamin; Damien Browne (0-4, 2f), Pauric McMenamin, Gerard Melaugh (0-1); Shane Gallagher, Calvin Bradley (1-5), James Carlin. Subs: Jonny Carlin (0-1) for R.Kelly (half-time), Colm Melaugh for James Carlin (38), Odhrán Doherty for D.Browne (60), Sean Sweeney for Bradley (black card, 60+5), PJ Gallagher for P.McMenamin (60 +9).
Emyvale: Gerard McCaffrey; Sean McMeel, Aaron Loughran, Ciaran Connolly; Gregory Devlin, Ryan McAnespie, Ryan Kelly; Colin Hughes, Stephen Askin; David McAlister (0-7), Robbie McAlister (0-1), Gareth McQuaid (0-2); Karl McQuaid (0-1), Gavin McKernan, Daniel McMahon (0-1f). Subs: Johnathon McCarron for McKernan (black card, 29), James O’Neill for Connolly (41), Michael Flannery for G.McQuaid (51).
Referee: Ciaran Mooney (Down).
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