Kilcoo 3-10 Castlewellan 0-11
Kilcoo secured a three-in-a-row of Down SFC titles, and a fourth championship in five years, after a one-sided county final in Newry.
Goals from Jerome Johnston and Paul Greenan inside a five minute spell in the first half gave the champions a commanding lead which they never looked like relinquishing.
Over-elaboration hurt Kilcoo who should have led by more than 2-2 to 0-4 at the break.
They wasted a lot of chances, with Paul Devlin having an off day with his free-taking, but Jerome Johnston and Conor Laverty were threatening up front.
A superb point from Daniel Morgan was brief respite for Castlewellan, appearing in their first final in 14 years, but they had no answer to Kilcoo’s superior movement and work-rate.
Down forward Ryan Johnston added a third goal in the 45th minute, himself and his brother Jerome scoring 1-2 apiece in a comfortable victory.
KILCOO: S Kane; N Branagan, Aidan Branagan, D Branagan; Aaron Branagan, D O'Hanlon, A Fulcher, P Greenan (1-0), D McEvoy; A Morgan (0-1), R Johnston (1-2), P Devlin (0-2); M Devlin, C Laverty (0-2), J Johnston (1-2, 1f). Subs: A Devlin for Laverty (12), C Laverty for A Devlin (BC, 16), D Ward (0-1) for M Devlin (40), F McGreevy for D McEvoy (44), Gary McEvoy for P Devlin (49), J McClean for Fulcher (50), Gerard McEvoy for Morgan (58).
CASTLEWELLAN: M Cunningham; A Brogan, R McArdle, B Travers; D Morgan (0-4, 3f), K Duffin, C Flanagan; R Burns (0-1), Conal Corrigan; L McKibben, D Gilmore, D McKibben (0-1); A Burns (0-4, 3f), S Dornan, Cahal Crilly. Subs: Caolan Corrigan for Brogan (44), F McGreevy (0-1) for R Burns (46), L Toner for Conal Corrigan (48), S Hardy for Flanagan (50), D McGrady for Gilmore (53), Conor Crilly for Dornan (57).
Referee: Ronan Barry.
