Derrynoose 4-10 Forkhill 0-9
Three first half goals saw Derrynoose comfortably defeat Forkhill with 13 points between the teams in the end.
The trio of three-points gave Derrynoose a strong foothold in the game and saw them nine up at half time.
That kept Forkhill at arm’s length in the second period and Derrynoose added another major late in the game.
Conor McNally was in unstoppable form up front for last years Junior Champions and finished with 1-9.
It was McNally’s sixth minute goal that put Derrynoose in the drivers seat and they never looked back.
The sides were tied on two points apiece during the opening exchanges. But a McNally goal shot them three ahead.
Derrynoose followed it up with another goal as Sean McGuigan rattled the net before McNally fire over a point.
Jemar Hall chipped in with a score, sending over a point from a free. But that was matched by McNally at the other end.
Halfway stage
Oisin McNally, younger cousin of Derrynoose’s sharpshooter, then fired home his sides third major.
Hall added another for the visitors before the break as Forkhill trailed by nine points at half time. 3-4 to 0-4.
Four more McNally points (three frees) were split by a Cormac Toner score at the start of the second period.
Eoghan Roe O’Neill and Hall both split the posts while McNally and Conal Davin both exchanged efforts.
McNally saw another of his cancelled out by O’Neill before Derrynoose claimed their fourth and final goal of the game.
Sean Lennon rattled the net for the home team to open up a 13-point gap at the full-time whistle.
The victory sees Derrynoose finish in second place of Group D, securing their spot in the playoff stages of the championship.
Forkhill unfortunately crash out of the competition while St Paul’s win over Carrickcruppen sees them finish first, with ‘Cruppen third.
