Danske Bank Bearnageeha Cup final
St John’s, Dromore 2-6 Dominican, Portstewart 0-10
A GOAL five minutes from the end by Aaron McDonnell proved the winner for St John’s, Dromore at Celtic Park yesterday.
The Derry side were out of the block with a score in a first attack, Patrick McGinley curling over the bar. Two points from Conor Love increased their lead before Dromore settled.
They needed a brilliant Shea McDonnell save to deny Dominican a certain goal with Love put into the clear.
Harry McMenamin and Aaron McDonnell got Dromore off the mark but points from Love and Fergal Murray had the Portstewart scholars 0-6to 0-3 ahead at half-time.
It was score for score in an even third quarter with midfielder Dara Hughes covering the ground to help Dominican steer the game.
Points from Darragh McCann – one a cracking score from play – twice peeled the lead back to two points.
Dominican always had a response with McCann hitting a score before the game took a significant turn.
Oisin Colton had been the Dromore talisman on the way to the final and their direct game played him in on goal. Composure was the key and he slotted to the net to level matters, 1-5 to 0-8, after 43 minutes.
Dominican broke up the next attack to stabilise the game and they eventually pushed two points ahead with Murray frees.
The pattern of the second half was how the Derry side always had a response. It would take a Dromore goal to turn the tables.
And so, it came. After a turnover in midfield, the pulled the piece together on a neat move before McDonnell slid the ball to the net for the winning goal.
Trailing for the first time, Dominican came with a series of attacks but Dromore repelled them all to take the title.
St John’s A McDonnell 1-1; D McCann 0-3 (0-2f); O Colton 1-0; H McMenamin 0-2f
Dominican C Love 0-4 (0-3f); F Murray 0-3f; Dara Hughes, T Andrews-Fryer & Patrick McGinley 0-1 each
Danske Bank Mulholland Cup final
Lismore College v St Patrick’s, Lisburn (Wednesday, Coláiste Feirste, 10.30am)
LISMORE College are attempting to become the first team to successfully defend the Danske Bank Mulholland Cup they won with victory over St Mary’s, Limavady this time last year. Standing in their way are St Patricks, Lisburn.
The teams met in the group stages of the competition and the game finished in a draw. However as it would decide the top two places, the teams agreed to play extra-time and St Patrick’s came out winners by two points.
Whether that game will have an impact today with a trophy at stake remains to be seen.
Lismore have had close battles in both their knock-out games – beating St Joseph’s, Enniskillen by 3-6 to 2-6 in a quarter-final, and then Lumen Christi, Derry by 3-9 to 0-16 at the semi-final stage.
In those games, goalkeeper Liam Connolly was the hero with several brilliant saves, while the driving forces in midfield and going forward were Odhran McCann, Benas Petronis and Patrick McKeown, who play for Lurgan area clubs Sarsfields, Clann na Gael and Wolfe Tones respectively.
This group of players from St Patrick’s won Corn Cuchullain last May and probably surprised themselves by moving up a grade and remaining unbeaten.
After topping the qualification group they overcame two Donegal teams in the knock-out stages – Gairmscoil Cú Uladh and Coláiste Ailigh, Letterkenny – with Aldergrove clubmen Dara Campbell, the team captain, and Eoin Morris prominent alongside Christopher McGarry from Glenavy and Joseph McMahon from the local St Patrick’s in Lisburn.
Both teams have deserved to reach the final and both have a huge incentive to win, one team going for back-to-back titles and the other for a first title at this level. Which has the greater momentum? That will become clear this morning.
