St Mary’s Limavady take first Senior title

Danske Bank O’Doherty Cup final

St Mary’s Limavady 1-8 St Mary’s Clady 0-7

This all-Derry Danske Bank O’Doherty Cup final in Owenbeg was ultimately settled on the outcome of two goal chances in the opening half.

St Mary’s Clady broke against the breeze in the first couple of minutes and Paul Cassidy managed to turn goalie Liam Wilson, but mishit his shot and Wilson got back to flick the ball to safety.

Ruairi Henry, Fintan Bradley and Damon Gallagher did convert chances and Clady looked good at 0-3 to 0-1 ahead, but 15 minutes in Manus Quigley mishit from 35 metres only for the ball to fall kindly for Callum Brown to poke home.

Limavady then added five unanswered points before the break with three coming from dead-ball specialist Sean Butcher, including two 45s.

Although behind by 1-6 to 0-3 for the second half, Aidan Taggart and Paddy Bradley would still have been confident enough that their charges could have used the elements to battle back.

However, despite two early frees from Damon Gallagher, Limavady’s defensive line dug in. Martin McGonigle was superb during this period, with Anthony McGuinness dropping back as a shield and Callum Brown and Patrick O’Kane lending their weight with the quick ball for the counter-attack.

O’Kane raised Limavady hopes with a response to Gallagher’s two frees and they held out for 14 minutes before Paul Cassidy eventually made it 1-7 to 0-6 with nine minutes to go.

Although Gallagher added a free, Clady could not open up Limavady for any kind of goal chance and eventually O’Kane and Brown engineered a late free that Butcher converted for the insurance score.

The winners will be back in action this weekend when they face Edenderry CS from Offaly in the All-Ireland semi-final, leaving little time to savour a first Ulster senior title.

St Mary’s Limavady : L Wilson, L McGuiness, H McLaughlin, S Butcher 0-4, 0-2 45, 0-2 frees, F Curley, M McGonigle, S McPoyle, C Brown 1-2, M Creane, M Quigley, A McGuinness, B O’Brien, T Woods, P O’Kane 0-2, O Fleming.

Subs: B Deery for F Curley (48), A Duddy for O Fleming (54).

St Mary’s Clady: K Mullan, J McPeake, P McErlean, O McGuckin, B McLafferty, Z Lynn, M McDonnell, C Lynn, R Convery, P Cassidy 0-1, D Gallagher 0-4 frees, F Bradley 0-1, R Henry 0-1, C Mullan, D Lee.

Subs : R. Lee F Bradley (ht), J McLarnon for R Henry (44), F Bradley for D Lee (54).

Referee : A Campbell (Magherafelt)

@ulsterschools O'Doherty Cup Winners @stmaryslim #GAA pic.twitter.com/splaYyrEdb

— County Derry Post (@derrypost) February 28, 2017