Lavey power into Ulster semi-final

A super-fit Lavey team powered their way into the Ulster Club semi-final when they pulled out all the stops in the final 10 minutes at Brewster Park in Enniskillen on Sunday, to record a famous two-point victory over Fermanagh champions Kinawley. In a free flowing game of entertaining football, the exchanges ebbed and flowed with amazing rapidity and the teams were level on no fewer than nine occasions. Over the hour a disciplined and well drilled Lavey outfit won a total of 56 per cent of the possession, and Kinawley were left to scrap for the remaining 44 per cent. Once the talented Kevin Smith levelled with a brilliant point from play in the 20th minute of the second half, to make it 0-13 apiece, we had the feeling that Lavey possessed the greater composure and guile to surge for victory. Two minutes later Declan Murphy launched over a wonderful lead point and the Lavey supporters in the stand were in fine voice. Lavey were now playing controlled football and ensuring they didn't concede any easy scores. In the 24th minute Damien Smith fired over a great point to make it a two-point game. The last six minutes were filled with dramatic goalmouth incidents and Lavey could afford the luxury of shooting a bad wide before thwarting great runs from Sean Doherty. Joey Jordan forced a superb turnover near the end when Doherty was bearing down on goal, with players free to the left and right of him. Jordan proved to be priceless when he got in there, disposed Doherty and averted the danger conclusively. Doherty was about to let fly moments later when the Lavey defence converged and Kevin Donohoe got in a great block. The 45 sailed in towards the crossbar; another 45 resulted and again Tomas Corrigan's effort into the danger zone was mopped up by the Lavey men and Sean Maguire and Joey Jordan ensured there was no way through. As the ball was cleared downfield, referee Branagan sounded the final whistle. Lavey, powered on by the brilliant work of Sean Maguire and Stephen Jordan in the midfield zone, also took great heart from the superb work ethic and support play from the half-back line and the half forwards. With lots of possession going their way, players like Martin Cusack and Darren Jordan made life difficult for the Kinawley defence. Darren Smith was the essence of soundness at full back and his heroics near the end, together with Joey Jordan showed this team is growing in self belief. The entire full-back line showed they're not afraid to confront anything that is thrown at them in the heat of battle. Thankfully the rain let up for most of the game and the superb Prunty pitch ensured that the players could get on with playing the ball and not worry about slipping all over the place. Kinawley did a lot of their most potent work from a scoring point of view in the first half and went in leading at the break by 0-10 to 0-9. Lavey were out of the blocks early and had three points on the board, courtesy of Kevin Brady, Declan Murphy with two, before Kinawley registered a point from play by Tomas Corrigan. Martin Cusack showing his ball-winning ability in the full forward line fired over a superb point to put Lavey three up by the sixth minute. Kinawley hit a good spell over the next three minutes and tacked on three points in a row from Sean Crudden and Tomas Corrigan to level at four points each. Shane Tierney pointed from play from Lavey and in a matter of moments Tomas Corrigan had converted a free to level again, after strong running from Sean Crudden. Lavey instinctively knew that they had to endeavour to keep the ball away from Doherty and McCabe. In the second quarter of the game, both teams played some great football and the scores flowed with admirable fluency. It was point for point right up to the 29th minute when they were locked on nine points each. Kinawley surged two points ahead by the 20th minute after Tomas Corrigan put over a free and Matthew Drumm fisted over a point, after good approach work. But back came Lavey with a free from Kevin Brady, who was playing well, and Darren Jordan, who made a surging run to split the uprights and level at 0-8 each by the 23rd minute. Kinawley added two further points from Sean Doherty and full-back Mark Monaghan, with a Kevin Brady point sliced in between. Lavey won nine out of their 12 kickouts in that first half while Kinawley won six out of their nine. Lavey had 10 shots on goal and scored nine. Kinawley had 12 and notched 10 scores. Second half Lavey had to withstand fierce Kinawley pressure at the start of the second half when goalkeeper Conor Martin made two brilliant stops and after great approach work involving Sean Crudden, Sean Doherty and Tomas Corrigan, the ball came back off the woodwork and was cleared. Kinawley had five shots during a hectic nine-minute spell - and missed all of them. A number of other shots came off the woodwork and the Lavey defence held its nerve. Martin also deflected away a dangerous shot in the 10th minute but Lavey lifted the siege and Stephen Jordan raced at the Kinawley defence and was fouled in transit and Darren Jordan put over the free to level at 0-10 each. Kinawley would not relent and went ahead again in the 12th minute when Tomas Corrigan shot a point from an acute angle. Declan Murphy levelled again for the winners and a quick sideline ball was dispatched by Damien Smith to Darren Jordan, who put Lavey one up again. Mark Monaghan came up from the defence for a second time for Kinawley and his point had them on parity soon afterwards. Lavey had two wides from Kevin Brady before Sean Doherty put over a great point from play and Kinawley had gone one up again, but alas that was to be their last score. Lavey - led by the panache of Brady, Murphy and Smith - showed they had the killer instinct to seal victory. This was a most encouraging victory for the Lavey club, who are not afraid of hard work. They took the best Kinawley could throw at them and held their nerve when it mattered most. Their support play was admirable and they can now look forward to the semi-final with renewed confidence. Lavey: Conor Martin, Fergal Smith, Darren Smith (captain), Declan Conroy, Kevin Donohoe, Joey Jordan, Aaron Smith, Sean Maguire, Stephen Jordan, Kevin Brady (0-4) play, Declan Murphy (0-3) play, Damien Smith (0-2) play, Martin Cusack (0-2) play , Darren Jordan (0-3) 1 free, Shane Tierney (0-1). Subs: Karl Duke for Fergal Smith and Christopher Conroy for Shane Tierney. Kinawley: Darren Boyle, Barry McManus, Mark Monaghan (0-2 play) , Conor McBarron, Mark Comyn, Niall Bogue, Brendan McHugh, Sean Leonard Dubh, Sean Leonard Rua, Matthew Drumm (0-1 play) , Kevin Martin, Sean Crudden (0-1 free) , Tomas Corrigan (0-6) 4 frees, Sean Hussey, Sean Doherty (0-3) 2 frees. Subs: Ciaran Melanaphy for Kevin Martin, Gareth Owens for Ciaran Melanaphy, Patrick McGovern for Sean Hussey. Referee - Ciaran Branagan, Down.