Ballinderry 0-17 0-7 Cavan Gaels

Raymond Wilkinson got on the scoresheet for Ballinderry in Armagh

Ballinderry turned on the power in the second half to ease past Cavan Gaels in Sunday's AIB Ulster Club Football semi-final at the Athletic Grounds.

The Derry side struck the opening two points but Gaels fought back to lead - only to be hit by the crucial early departure of injured Seanie Johnston.

The sides were level at the break but Ballinderry dominated the second half.

Four Colin Devlin points helped Ballinderry move 0-12 to 0-6 ahead and the pattern continued thereafter.

A lively opening saw Raymond Wilkinson and Martin Harney hitting 1st-minute scores for Ballinderry but points from Enda King, Johnston and Michael Lyng saw Gaels take the lead.

However, the Gaels suffered a hammer blow in the 10th minute when key forward Johnston appeared to suffer a recurrence of his hamstring injury.

He tried to soldier on but had to depart the fray soon after.

Conleith Gilligan levelled the contest again only for Johnston's young replacement Conor McCleary to restore the Gaels lead thanks to a fine point.

The sides were level at 0-5 to 0-5 after 22 minutes and there were no further scores before the break although Ballinderry's Darren Conway did have a goal chance which was snuffed out by Gaels back Darren Rabbitte.

Niall Murray edged Cavan ahead after the restart but Colin Devlin quickly levelled, after Rabbitte foolishly conceded a free, and Ballinderry were never headed again in the contest.

Enda Muldoon's second point of the day nudged the Shamrocks ahead (0-7 to 0-6) and as the Cavan champions capitulated, the Derry side notched 10 of the remaining 11 scores.

Colin Devlin punished several silly Gaels indiscretions while James Conway and his colleagues took complete control in the crucial middle third of the field.

Subs James Bateson and Michael Bell got in the scoring act in the closing stages as Ballinderry put on something of a scoring exhibition.

After the game, the impressive James Conway said that manager Martin McKinless' half-time team talk had spurred Ballinderry to produce a great second-half display.

"Martin McKinless gave us a bit of an eating at half-time and we really stepped it up in the second half," said Conway.