Four Masters blitz Castleblayney Faughs to return to Ulster Minor decider

Four Masters claimed their place in the final of the FonaCAB Ulster Minor Tournament for the second year in succession after they comprehensively breezed past Castleblayney Faughs in Sunday afternoons semi-final on the Shaws Road.

Four Masters 6-14 Castleblayney Faughs 1-1

Both sides edged their respective quarter final clashes by the bare minimum eight days previous and Four Masters picked up where they left off at the end of their dramatic comeback win over Magherafelt, netting within the opening three minutes through Conor McCahill.

The goal settled the Donegal champions down after they survived a prior scare at the other end.

It was very much one-way traffic thereafter with five points in succession. Tomas Carr notched up two of those in-between a fine Tiarnan McBride point.

Turlough Carr burst through and took a point before he steered a pass to goal scorer McCahill who landed a terrific point.

Four Masters had effectively sealed victory inside of 17 minutes with a further 3-01 in the space of four minutes.

McCahill doubled his goal tally after showing a burst to speed to power in at the by-line and then fire a low shot across the face of goal and into the bottom corner to make it 2-05 to 0-00.

Within 60-seoconds a third goal arrived, Kevin Muldoon watched on as his shot crashed off the bar, only for Oisin Doherty to palm home from close-range.

A fantastic curling shot from Turlough Carr doubled his account on the midway point before Doherty saw his low drive whistle past the post.

On the 17th minute the Donegal champions added their fourth when Kevin Muldoon picked out Conor McCahill and the corner-forward fired in his third goal of the half.

They further extended their lead with another four points to make it 4-10 without reply. Oisin Doherty added a point to his goal and McCahill dropped over his second point of the half.

Tiarnan McBride and Doherty would double their point tally also before Castleblayney eventually found a response on the 25th minute.

Max McGinnity popped the ball off to Tristan Nugent who bore down on goal but had to make do with a point.

It failed to shift the momentum and Four Masters added 1-01 before the break. Kevin Muldoon did well to keep a free from drifting out of play and Theo Colhoun pounced to fist home his sides fifth.

Oisin Doherty would convert a free before the break as a one-sided half came to its conclusion with Four Masters 5-11-0-01 ahead and on route to the New Year’s Day decider.

Castleblayney started the second half brightly and netted their second and final score of proceedings.

Tristan Nugent steered the ball into the path of Canice Murphy and he was able to scuff a low effort to the net.

It was mere consolation though as Oisin Doherty kicked his fourth point of the afternoon, bending a shot between the posts.

Turlough Carr looked as though he was going to double his tally after shaping up for a shot that came back off the large post, with Callum McCrea reacting quickest to register a point.

Four Masters' sixth arrived on the 48th minute, Oisin Doherty’s shot dropped in the small square and after a scramble ensued, Turlough Carr was on hand to bundle home and make it 6-13-1-01.

Masters keeper Lewis McCaughan did well to deny Canice Murphy a second goal inside the final ten minutes and it was the Donegal natives that ended the afternoons scoring via a point from substitute Calum Dunnion to seal a 6-14-1-01 victory for his side and ensure they will return to the Shaws Road in little over a fortnight time for a chance to avenge last year’s final defeat.

Four Masters scorers: C McCrea 0-1; T McBride 0-2; T Colhoun 1-0; T Carr 0-2; P McGonagle 1-0; C McCahill 3-2; O Doherty 1-4,1f; T Carr 0-2; C Dunnion 0-1.

Castleblayney Faughs scorers: C Murphy 1-0; S Broderick, T Nugent 0-1.

Four Masters: L McCaughan, E O’Neill, D McGinty, T McGovern, C Gavigan, C McCrea (0-01), A Quinn, T McBride, T Colhoun, T Carr, K Muldoon, P McGonagle, C McCahill, O Doherty, T Carr.

Subs: A McHugh for T Colhoun (45), L McNamee for K Muldoon (50), D Griffin for P McGonagle (50), C Dunnion for C McCahill (50), J Quinn for C Gavigan (50).

Castleblayney Faughs: J Flanagan, D Function, P Carville, A Higgins, H McQuillan, T Carey, T McGeough, S Hanratty, C Murphy, S Broderick, T Nugent, B Sherry, M McGinnity, L Mone, C Conlon.

Subs: S Miller for B Sherry (36), T McMahon for S Broderick (57), D Flanagan for A Higgins (57).

Referee: Colm McDonald (St Galls)