Aghadrumsee 2-13 Coa 1-06

Aghadrumsee will make their return to the Junior Championship final after cruising to a semi-final win over Coa in Lisnaskea on Sunday.

Jason O’Connor’s side were hit with an early setback after the O’Dwyers fortuitously found the net on five minutes, however, they bounced back to take control and book their spot against Newtownbutler.

Speaking after the game, O’Connor said: “I thought we played OK and just OK, we wasted a lot of chances, especially in the second half but to beat Coa by 10 points and for me saying us not playing well is good I suppose.

"They should have knocked us out in the semi-final last year as we absolutely robbed them to be fair and they beat us at the start of the year in the Club Players' league.

"On making the final now, I genuinely feel we can win it. Look, it definitely won't be easy as Newtown are an excellent team but if the lads play to what I know they can then there is every chance we can make a mighty shock.”

Aiden Bannon’s free gave the Magpies the lead after two minutes before Coa's player/manager Gary Lynch then sent a shot into the clouds from range and it looked to be dropping straight into the hands of goalkeeper Gerard Grew but slipped through and into the net.

Aghadrumsee added another point and Coa’s Calum Green then got in behind the opposition defence but he selected to clip the ball over the bar.

Bannon had another free, tipped over the bar this time, with Aodhan Durnian then tying the game, 0-04 to 1-01 after 20 minutes.

Both teams went close to adding to their tallies as Niall Quinn watched his free, from off the ground, come back off the post, and at the other end, a high ball in was fisted just wide by Eddie Courtney.

Durnian then placed his free over with an accurate kick off the grass and Bannon and Courtney added frees before halftime to leave it 0-07 to 1-01.

Two early second-half points from last year’s finalists saw them take control including another free from Courtney before Coa hit their first point in 25 minutes through Caoilte Farry on the turn.

Caolan Adair punished a giveaway from a Coa goal kick by splitting the posts and after going agonisingly close to a goal, just two minutes before, Martin O’Hara netted for Aghadrumsee when he punched a high ball past goalkeeper Aaron Farry to leave it 1-10 to 1-02.

Peter Dolan pointed for the O’Dwyers but that was met with a hasty 1-01 from substitute Dale Crudden when he got in behind from the kick-out following his point and drove the ball low to the net.

Durnian and Crudden pointed again in between scores from Jason Farry, Caoilte Farry and a final point via Ryan Green.

Aghadrumsee will be hoping for a different outcome when they face Newtownbutler in this year’s showdown, in a repeat of the 2022 final.