Burren 2-11 v 0-07 Newtownbutler
The 2024 Paul McGirr got underway on Saturday in a glorious Gardrum Park with Down champions Burren defeating Newtownbutler in the preliminary round to secure a quarter-final place.
The Fermanagh champions who featured quite a lot of players who are still eligible next year defied the odds to put up a stern test for Burren and it wasn’t until a black card midway through the second half that the favourites put a bit of daylight between the sides.
Burren midfielder Dylan Kelly, who went on to have a great sixty minutes, opened the scoring by slotting over the bar after a forward foray from cornerback Cillian McCarthy.
Points from Aidan McCaffrey and a free from full forward Conor King were cancelled out by another fine effort from 35 yards by McCarthy as he led the way for Burren.
It was midway through the first half when the MFC Sports man of the match Jay Murdock started showing his class, hitting five points in a row, three of which were superbly converted free kicks, to give Burren a lead they were never to relinquish.
The First Fermanagh’s were winning plenty of possession but struggled to put it on the scoreboard, their half-backs Jack Crudden and the pocket rocket Daithi Swift were particularly impressive.
Conor Casey converted a free after Crudden was upended following a penetrating run to give his side some hope, however, they suffered a hammer blow on the brink of half-time when Murdock delivered a sublime defence-splitting pass to find Kelly who coolly found the back of the net.
Trailing 1-07 to 0-03 all was not lost for Newtownbutler as they faced into the second half with the wind at their backs but it was Burren who got off to the better start when Murdock converted another free after he was impeded.
Newtownbutler star man Casey had an increasing influence around the middle and the Moune men were struggling to limit his influence.
After missing a few chances, Newtownbutler finally got their second-half account going with two frees from Conor King, one of which he curled over from forty yards out on the left wing.
A highlight of the game was the battle between the towering Jay Cunningham at full forward for Burren and a superb Ryan Casey, who at just fourteen years old gave a performance of power and poise that belied his years.
Murdock once again showed his class pointing after throwing a mesmerizing dummy and this was followed by a Paidi Fitzpatrick point, converting after a last-ditch textbook tackle from Conor Casey denied Burren a goal.
The loss of Luke Cunningham to a black card at this stage all but ended the hopes of a gallant Newtownbutler side with Burren using the extra man to expose some space and create overlaps.
The lively Fitzpatrick got his second score but Newtownbutler were not going to lie down and Conor Casey took off on a driving run, rounding three defenders to notch a superb and much-deserved score.
That was as good as it got for the Ernemen when Burren’s fiery and tenacious centre-back Shay Trainor forced a turnover high up the field and finished to the net soccer style with the Newtownbutler goalkeeper Jack McLoughlin getting caught off his line.
A further Murdock free and a similar effort from the returning Ryan Crudden completed the scoring as Burren set up a mouth-watering quarter-final with Armagh neighbours and current Ulster U16 champions Dromintee.
Burren manager Kevin knew his team had come through a battle.
“It is great to be back to Gardrum Park today for the preliminary round of the Paul McGirr U16 Ulster Championship against a good Newtonbutler team.
“In a very tough first half, it took a while for both teams to settle but, midway through the half, we got a well-worked goal by Dylan Kelly and Sam Murdock weighed in with five points.
“Defensively, we got to grips with their dangerous forward line and midfield.
“Second half we knew Newtonbutler were going to come at us and get a spell which we matched them score for score, then we got a second goal from Shay Trainor to give us a cushion and Paidi Fitzpatrick weighed in with 2 pts.
" Pleased with our performance having not played for 4 weeks and we now look forward to a quarterfinal against Dromintee the holders of this great championship.”
Burren: Jack McLoughlin, Cillian McCarthy, Keegan Woods, Niall Begley, Daire Trainor, Shay Trainor (1-0), Danny McFerran, Dylan Kelly (1-2), Joe McGovern, Paidi Fitzpatrick (0-2), Luke Cunningham, Matthew Blair, Sam Murdock (0-7, 4f), Jay Cunningham, Pearse Cunningham
Subs: Michael Trainor for P Cunningham, Johnny Denner for J Cunningham, James McPolin for D Trainor, Daithi Fitzpatrick for C McCarthy
Newtownbutler: Dara Leonard, James McManus, Ryan Casey, Cormac Crudden, Daithi Swift, Jack Crudden, Tom Caughey, Conor Casey (0-2, 1f), Ben Caughey, Joseph Martin, Ryan Crudden (0-1, 1f), Oran Mulligan, Aidan McCaffrey (0-1), Conor King (0-3, 3f), Oisin Carson
Subs: Caolan Donegan for J Martin, Euan Forde for Cormac Crudden (inj)
Referee: Sean Devenney (Tyrone)