Milford United will play Keadue Rovers in the Brian McCormick Cup Final after a win over First Division Convoy Arsenal.
Convoy Arsenal 0 Milford United 3
By Stuart Connolly at The Diamond Park
Rory O’Donnell opened the scoring late in the first half with the Premier Division sides second half goals coming courtesy of Gary Merritt and Kyle Black.
James Kee had a stoppage time penalty saved by Caolan McGettigan.
It was the First Division side who had the better of the opening quarter of an hour, Gary Wilson striking the crossbar from a free on 13 shortly after Kyle Black saw a near post effort saved.
Very few chances followed approaching the half hour and beyond but, seven minutes shy of the interval, Milford took the lead.
Gary Merritt saw a close range effort deflected well over, he took the resulting corner on the right side and Rory O’Donnell met it at the near post, finishing low with his right foot.
Milford took that lead into the break.
Convoy were on the offensive after the restart, Emmet Patterson had their first opportunity, after receiving a pass from Anthony Bogle, he fired at goal but it fizzed past the left hand post.
Wilson was next to test his luck, on the hour from inside the box but his shot was snuffed out by the Milford defence.
Less than a minute later Joe McGill, who excellently found space outside the area, fired a strong shot at goal but Caolon McGettigan was equal to it.
Perhaps there best chance followed shortly after, a cross in from Wilson was poorly cleared, it fell right at the feet of Bogle who was loitering just inside the area but he sent his dipping effort narrowly wide.
With a little over twenty minutes to go, Milford made the most of Convoy’s missed chances as they doubled their lead.
Kyle Black provided the assist, running at goal before laying off a short pass for Gary Merritt to coolly slot past Matthew Gallagher and into the bottom left corner.
The Premier Division side made sure of their spot in the final with just over ten minutes to go as Kyle Black made it 3-0.
A long ball forward by Caolon McGettigan fell kindly for the attacker after a fortunate bounce and he slotted it past the keeper and into the same corner as Merritt before him.
Convoy had a late chance for a consolation goal after James Kee was upended in the box by Damien Casey.
Kee stepped up for the spot kick but fired right down the middle as Caolon McGettigan kept his clean sheet intact.
Milford United will now meet Keadue Rovers in the final.
Convoy Arsenal: Matthew Gallagher; Sean Rodgers, Paul O’Leary, Gary Brolly, John A Kee; James Kee, Gary Wilson, Joe McGill, Emmet Patterson; Anthony Bogle, Declan M Mullen. Subs: Ryan Carlin for Mullen (67), Jason Elliott for McGill (78), Darron Gibson for Bogle (83), Lee Boyd for O’Leary (84), Fergus Carson for Wilson (86)
Milford United: Caolan McGettigan; Gavin Grier, Dan O’Donnell, Mark Flood, Rory O’Donnell; Johnny Logue, Conor McHugh, Adam Serrinha, Kyle Black; Gary Merritt, Darragh Black. Subs: Cathal McGettigan for Darragh Black (67), Anthony Hegarty for Logue, TJ Evesson for Dan O’Donnell (both 80), Damien Casey for McHugh (83), Brendan Murray for Merritt (88)
Referee: Mick Lagan
