Fourteen Declan Coulter points help super Setanta to Ulster JHC final

Super Setanta are back in their first Ulster JHC final since 2017 after a thrilling and fully deserved victory over Na Magha in a real feisty physical affair in Healy Park Omagh.

Setanta 2-20
Na Magha 1-16

Two well executed second half goals from the speedy Ruairí Campbell and Sean Ward sealed this hard-fought affair. Setanta can also thank a superb exhibition of marksmanship from Declan Coulter who finished with a whopping 0-14 - 13 of those coming from placed balls.

Na Magha showed very poor discipline and Coulter punished them mercilessly with his elegant striking, especially in the first half. They suffered another blow when former Derry hurler Brendan Quigley was forced to drop back to centre back after their No6 Fergal McAnaneny had to go off injured.

But credit to Setanta, as their big young men stood tall for the battle with full-back Steven McBride and centre and full forwards Oisin Marley and Josh Cronnolly winnin a lot of dirty ball. And Sean Ward has given them even more of a physical edge.

Coulter opened the scoring with a well struck point from 50 metres and that set the pattern for a shoot-out between the former Armagh star and Na Magha’s Declan Foley.

Setanta eased into a 0-6 to 0-3 lead by the 13th minute thanks to Couletr and Oisin Marley with Foley replying for Na Magha. The Derry city men then got a very lucky goal when a lobbed effort from Aidan Cutliffe was fumbled by Setanta keeper Mark Kane and corner forward Michael Lynch scrambled the loose ball to the net.

And Na Magha went ahead for the first and only time when Foley nudged them in front from a free as they led by 1-4 to 0-6. But they could only manage two more points in the half from Lynch and Foley as their discipline fell.

In contrast, Coulter, Marley and a fairly quiet Davin Flynn put Setanta into a 0-14 to 1-6 half-time lead. Coulter increased the lead with a mammoth effort into the breeze from the sideline.

But Na Magha hit back through Foley and Quigley and there were only three points between the sides as Setanta led by 0-16 to 1-10 after 43 minutes. The momentum was with Na Magha, but some stout defending from Steven McBride stemmed the rising tide.

Setanta were leading by 0-18 to 1-15 when they struck for the first of two crucial scores in the 45th minute. Coulter landed a long lob into the Na Magha square and Ruairí Campbell pounced to slam the sliotar to the net.

This was a huge psychological score and even though Foley and Ryan McAdams shaved the lead back-Setanta still led by 1-19 to 1-14 just 10 minutes from time.

Na Magha was mounting a series of attacks, but Flynn made it 1-20 to 1-14 before Setanta hit the final killer goal. Josh Cronnolly McGee made the initial play, and the ball broke to Ward who found the net.

And despite Na Magha’s further forays Setanta hung on to set up an Ulster final date with Shane O’Neill’s of Glenarm in Antrim in a fortnight.

Setanta scorers: Declan Coulter 0-14,13f; Sean Ward and Ruairí Campbell 1-0; Oisin Marley and Josh Cronnolly McGee 0-2; Davin Flynn 0-1.
Na Magha scorers: Declan Foley 0-11, 11f; Michael Lynch 1-1; Brendan Quigley 0-2; Padraig Nelis and Ryan McAdams 0-1.

Setanta: Mark Kane; Mark Callaghan, Steven McBride, Denim Rowan; Conor McGettigan Tiarnan McConnell, Niall Cleary; Declan Coulter, Danny Cullen; Gerard Gilmore, Oisin Marley, Ruairi Campbell; Bernard Lafferty, Josh Cronnolly McGee, Davin Flynn. Subs: Bernard Lafferty for Conor McGettigan (52), Dean Harvey for Sean Ward (54), Justin McBride for Steven McBride (56), Richie Kee for Davin Flynn (58), Ryan Callaghan for Denim Rowan (60)
Na Magha: Barry Robinson; Oisin Glass, Diarmad Shiels, Tom´ås Lally; Mark McCloskey, Fergal McAnaney, Mark McShane; Padraig Nelis,Bliadhain Glass; Tommy Gallagher, Declan Foley, Aidan Cutliffe; Michael Lynch (29) Brendan Quigley,Timothy Rankin. Subs; Keelan Doherty for Fergal MacAnaney (15) Ryan McAdams for Aidan Cutliffe (40).
Referee: Peter Owens (Down)