DOOHAMLET PERFECT WINNING HABIT TO RECLAIM INTERMEDIATE CHAMPIONSHIP CROWN

BY COLM SHALVEY

Two out of three ain’t bad for Doohamlet, who repeated their 2010 McGuigan Builders Intermediate Football Championship Final over Tyholland in Clontibret last Sunday. Doohamlet certainly got it tougher than two years ago, in the second half at least, although they deserved to just shade it overall. The mid-Monaghan men were in total control in the first half and were well worth their five-point interval lead, which should have been more as they also had six wides and an early goal chance saved. Tyholland were a different proposition in the second half, as they upped their intensity and quickly set about eating into Doohamlet’s lead. It took them until the 43rd minute to get their first point from play through Peadar Farrelly, but it was well and truly game on when Raymond Ronaghan buried a rebound to the net 12 minutes from time and they could easily have taken the game to a replay. Man-of-the-Match Paul McArdle made a huge contribution to Doohamlet’s win, converting eight frees and getting on a lot of ball, although he was undoubtedly lucky to last beyond the 29th minute, when he caught Gary McQuaid with a high challenge just five minutes after he had been booked. Niall Connolly, who had yet to score in the championship going into the final, hit two important points, including the winner in the final minute of normal time, while both midfielders worked hard and the defence was solid as usual. Despite not operating at 100% due to a shoulder injury, McQuaid’s class still shone through for Tyholland, but they didn’t get enough out of their forwards, including recently-returned county man Karl O’Connell.
Winning is a habit and it’s one Doohamlet have perfected, with 18 wins from their 22 games to date this year. Doohamlet reached the final in their last Ulster IFC campaign, where they were edged out by eventual All-Ireland champions Lisnaskea, so they will be determined to give it another good lash this year, although it looks set to be a minefield of a competition, featuring …