AIB Ulster Club Junior Football Championship Final
Clogher (Tyrone) 1-12
Emyvale (Monaghan) 0-14
Clogher claimed their first ever AIB Ulster Club JFC title in dramatic fashion as a superb stoppage-time point from Conor Shields sealed a one-point victory over Emyvale in Roslea.
In a gripping contest that swung repeatedly, the Tyrone champions showed immense resilience to overturn a sizeable first-half deficit and deny the Monaghan men a third provincial crown.
Emyvale burst from the blocks with power and intent, opening a six-point advantage through sharp, direct play. Goalkeeper Conor Forde twice struck two-point long-range frees, while Dylan Sherry and Karl Gallagher added to the tally as turnovers and breaking ball consistently fell their way. At 0-7 to 0-1, Clogher looked in trouble.
But the final ten minutes of the half brought a tide of momentum for the Éire Ógs. Rory McElroy, who would finish with four crucial saves and three points from dead balls, landed a valuable two-pointer, with Conor Shields, Ciaran Bogue and Jamie Callaghan all raising white flags. Thanks to McElroy’s shot-stopping heroics, Clogher reached the interval just a point behind at 0-8 to 0-7.
Within two minutes of the restart, Clogher hit the front for the first time. Bogue cut in from an angle to drill home the game’s only goal, sparking a spell of end-to-end drama. McElroy denied Matthew Finn to keep his side ahead, but Forde’s remarkable accuracy from distance restored the Emyvale lead with two further two-point frees.
Clogher were forced to navigate ten tense minutes without captain Shields after a black card, yet they conceded only once during his absence and edged back in front through a late Bogue free.
The final looked destined for extra-time when Niall McKenna levelled in the 65th minute, but Shields returned to deliver the decisive moment, splitting the posts deep into stoppage time to secure a historic provincial triumph for Clogher.
