Coa 0-02 Newtownbutler 1-15

Newtownbutler sailed through to the Junior Championship final on Saturday evening with a comprehensive victory over Coa in Lisnaskea.

A commanding first-half performance saw the Firsts build up a lead that was never in doubt as Coa hit just a point in either half.

Diarmaid King hit 1-04 in the opening 30 minutes as his side took a 14-point lead in at halftime.

Midfielder Dylan Martin kicked the opening score after five minutes at Emmet Park and just three minutes later, Newtownbutler had a first sight of goal when Kealan Fitzpatrick played a ball inside to Ger O’Keefe who got in behind but his shot cannoned back off the crossbar.

The O’Dwyers responded a moment after as Gary Lynch sliced over a beauty of a score from range to tie the game.

Newtownbutler took control from there on out as again they found a way in behind, this time it was Conor Courtney and his shot was pawed away by goalkeeper Aaron Farry, only for King to follow up and palm into the net.

Martin tagged on another point as King then converted a free with the 2022 champions growing in confidence in front of goal.

Courtney hit two points in a row as he fisted over the first from an angle after claiming a long ball in.

James Maguire and Sean Carson did well in defence to nullify any Coa attacking threat.

Newtownbutler kept the scores coming with two left-footed efforts via Fitzpatrick and Courtney as King also sent over a mark.

Martin hit back-to-back points to bring his tally up to four as Coa struggled to make good use of the ball at the other end of the park.

King found space to land another point on 30 minutes and Conor Quinn hit the final score of the half to make it 1-12 to 0-01 at the break.

It was a rather subdued second half, compared to the first, with just four scores between the teams.

Courtney landed an early point but it would take almost 20 minutes for the next one as both sides squandered chances.

Substitute Conor Beggan pointed on the turn and two minutes after, Newtownbutler went close to a second goal when Courtney was fed through but he was denied by a good save from Farry in goal.

After dropping a free short moments beforehand, Darragh Murphy then planted one over the bar for Coa’s second score.

King kicked the final score of the game from a free in the final minute to conclude a game that, in truth, was over long before.

Coa will have to dust themselves down quickly as they have a second bite at the cherry with a second semi-final fixture to come against Aghadrumsee, back in Lisnaskea this Sunday.