This Clubman Shirts semi-final had to be taken to penalty kicks where Greencastle came out on top against Aileach.
Greencastle FC 3 Aileach FC 3 AET ( Greencastle win 3 – 1 on pens)
Dylan Doherty emerged the hero saving three penalties to send Greencastle to the final.
The home side started this game well and Nigel McMonagle had an early attempt blocked before seeing a snapshot brilliantly saved by David McGeady.
They took the lead after eight minutes after a great move that saw Eamon Donnelly find Matthew Henry, whose precision ball over the visitors’ defence allowed Jamie McCormick to race clear and he sidestepped McGeady before sliding the ball home.
Minutes later they doubled their lead with Gavin Harkin feeding McMonagle to outpace the defence and drive a powerful effort past McGeady.
Matthew Henry then headed over the bar when well placed before Aileach replied.
Darren McMonagle saw his dangerous cross superbly gathered by Dylan Doherty but minutes later another superb run by McMonagle saw his cross superbly flicked home by Dermot Doherty.
Greencastle replied with a James Henry effort tipped over before Mark Henry had an effort blocked by Keith McColgan and McGeady again denied McCormick.
On the stroke of half-time the home side had big penalty claims waved aside. Darren McMonagle had also saw his effort sail over the bar before a Matthew Henry’s cross evaded all.
Aileach then got back on terms when substitute Sean Mullan headed home a Keith McColgan corner on 54 minutes.
Greencastle responded positively but spurned numerous chances with McMonagle and Matthew Henry both denied twice by McGeady while McCormick and Christy Hegarty were off target.
Against the run of play, Aileach took the lead when a Dermot Doherty shot crashed off the bar and fell to Killian O’Rourke, who drilled a superb first-time effort from 20-yards to the bottom corner.
Within minutes after a corner at the other end, DJ Canavan saw his effort take a deflection on its way past McGeady.
Greencastle kept the pressure firmly on Greencastle and Hegarty headed over before McMonagle was again denied by McGeady and Cathal McElhinney made a tremendous block on a McCormick effort.
The final chance fell to Aileach with Mullan firing narrowly wide.
In extra time McGeady denied McMonagle while at the other end Dylan Doherty saved well from McMonagle.
An almighty scramble in the Aileach box saw successive efforts blocked before McCormick’s effort came off the post.
In the shootout home keeper, Dylan Doherty proved indomitable saving three penalties to send Greencastle to the final.
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