Danske Bank Ward Cup final: Tuesday, 12pm in All Saints, Ballymena
Lumen Christi, Derry v De La Salle, Downpatrick
Either Derry’s Lumen Christi or Downpatrick’s De La Salle will lift a first senior title this afternoon after they contest the Danske Bank Ward Cup final in Ballymena.
Both schools have recently collected Ulster Schools’ silverware; indeed most of the current De La Salle squad featured in last year’s Faul Cup success, while a number of the Lumen Christi team are hoping to build on their Corn Cúchulainn success earlier in the season.
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Ben McCarron, who is on the Derry minor squad, was the winning captain of the Corn Cúchulainn team, scoring three goals in the final from midfield.
He also will be a key player in this team, particularly in the probable continued absence of captain Eoghan Bradley from Steelstown who picked up a bad injury back in October. Bradley though will be fit for a place on the bench and possibly some action.
However the team has overcome his absence to reach the final with Diarmuid Baker strong at centre-half back, both Cathal Roarty and Eoin Matthewson using ball well at midfield while up front McCarron, David McGurk and Niall Moore have taken plenty of scores.
After topping their group, Lumen easily beat St Bricin`s from Cavan and then had a 12-point victory over St Mogue’s in the semi-final a fortnight ago.
Downpatrick however also have a lot of momentum, most of it generated by impressive midfielder and team captain Taylor Louden who was in the Down under 21 panel that lost to Armagh a couple of weeks ago.
Taylor hit 2-4 from midfield as they defeated Colaiste Oiriall from Monaghan 4-14 to 2-6 in the semi-final also a fortnight ago.
That was the team’s biggest winning margin, although they were double-scores winners over Dungannon SWC in the quarter-final.
Taylor’s main scoring assistance comes from Colin Lecky and James Mahoney, while Corey Mahon and Callum Smyth have been sound at the back. Indeed their defence had to hold out under plenty of pressure in the early rounds of the competition.
Lumen were unlucky in last year’s final, going down by a single point to Aquinas Grammar after a fine exhibition of football. Most of that squad are eligible this year and that seems to have given them extra drive. Lumen will be difficult to beat now that they are back in the decider.
Lumen Christi : R Downey, N Ó Mianáin, M Martin, T White, S McKeever, D Baker, M McColgan, C Roarty, E Matthewson, O Duffy, B McCarron, M Philson, L McCarron, D McGurk, N Moore
Subs: K Gillespie, O McLaughlin, E Bradley, A Rankin, J Nangle, C McGinley, T White, M Mullan, J Mullan, M Doherty, C Nelis, S O`Donnell, T Kerr, S Flynn, T Bradley, P O`Flaherty
De La Salle : C Logue, J Shields, C Mahon, C Curran, M Fitzpatrick, C Smith, A McCoubrey, C Hampton, T Louden, S McComiskey, C Lecky, C Magee, J Mahoney, C McCoubrey, N McShane
Subs: S McCrissican, D Burns, R McConvey, B Lennon, C Donnelly, J Finnegan
