Club Football Finals Round-Up
AIB Ulster GAA Football Club Senior Final:
St Gall’s (Antrim) 0-16 Loup (Derry) 0-05
Antrim champions St Gall’s ran out easy winners over Derry’s Loup in a one-sided game at Páirc Esler on Sunday afternoon.
Gall’s led 0-8 to 0-4 at the interval and completely dominated the second half to win the game by a margin of 11 points.
It was a clinical attacking display by Gall’s, who had their two midfielders and all their forward line except for Kevin McGourty on the score sheet.
In contrast, the Loup attack misfired badly, failing to score during a harrowing 32 minute spell midway through the encounter. They also failed to score from play, while Ciaran Devlin’s point was their solitary score of the second half.
CJ McGourty was Galls’ top scorer, finishing with 0-6 in total after a fine display.
Indeed, the Antrim’s side margin of victory might have been greater had Kevin Niblock not been awarded what looked like a clear penalty when he was taken down by Shane McGuckin, the Loup netminder.
Loup managed to stay in the game throughout the first quarter, but a CJ McGourty score in the 24th was the first of four Gall’s points in succession. Rory Gallagher, CJ McGourty again and Séan Burke were all on target, as St Gall’s led by four points at the interval.
The second half was something of a non-event as the Antrim kingpins eased through the gears and met little resistance – Devlin’s solitary point aside – to claim the Ulster title and an All-Ireland semi-final spot.
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AIB Ulster GAA Football Club Intermediate Final:
Cookstown (Tyrone) 0-09 Lavey (Cavan) 1-04
The Patrick McCully Cup will remain in Tyrone for another year after Cookstown Fr Rock’s secured their first ever Ulster Intermediate title in Enniskillen on Sunday afternoon. Cookstown claimed their first ever provincial success and will now follow in the footsteps of both Pomeroy and Trillick as they aim to win a first ever All Ireland Intermediate club football title for Tyrone.
The Tyrone men defeated Cavan champions Lavey by two points after a hard fought game. Cookstown started the brighter in the early stages and were three points ahead when Lavey were awarded a penalty. This brought the side level going into the break, Cookstown 0-05 Lavey 1-02.
The second half continued to be a nip and tuck affair. With the sides level with ten minutes remaining, points from Christopher Eastwood and Raymond Mulgrew sealed the win for Cookstown.
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AIB Ulster GAA Football Club Junior Final:
St Teresa’s (Antrim) 1-09 Emyvale (Monaghan) 2-06
Daniel McMahon’s point in the first minute of injury time made sure that St Teresa’s and Emyvale will have to do it all over again this Sunday.
The draw was probably the fair result but Emyvale manager Gerry McCarville will be left to rue his side’s 11 wides over the 60 minutes.
Playing against the strong breeze in the first half, the Monaghan champions got off to the perfect start as midfielder PJ McKenna scored a major after only 4 minutes. However, they were not to score again for another 16 minutes as St Teresa’s piled on the pressure. The Antrim champions really should’ve opened up a gap between the sides but a combination of shots dropped short and a penalty save by Gerard McCaffrey kept Emyvale in touch.
With half time approaching the sides were level before Robbie McHugh hit the net for Emyvale’s second goal. St Teresa’s responded with a point to send the sides in at 2-02 to 0-05.
In the second half both sides were reduced to 14 men as first Emyvale’s half back Brendan Askin then St Teresa’s full forward Patrick Duggan picked up double yellows.
Entering the final quarter Emyvale held a 3 point lead before St Teresa’s got a goal through a combination of Stephen McIlvenny and an Emyvale defender.
The momentum was now with the Belfast side and Robert Gallagher’s point looked like it would be enough to clinch the title, before McMahon popped up with the injury time equalizer.
The replay will take place in Pairc Esler at 2.00pm this Sunday 6th December.
