Lumen take Ward Cup
Danske Bank Ward Cup final
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Lumen Christi Derry 3-10 De La Salle Downpatrick 1-8
Despite losing a player to a straight red card just before the break, Derry city’s Lumen Christi convincingly collected the Danske Bank Ward Cup at Ballymena yesterday afternoon.
Naoise Ó Mianáin picked up the red, but Lumen were ahead by 2-5 to 0-4 at the turnover and opened the second half scoring when Oran Duffy fired in their third goal in the 34th minute.
That score effectively closed the door on the Downpatrick challenge despite the best efforts of Colin Lecky, Taylor Louden and Player of the Match Conor Logue in goals who brought off a number of stunning saves particularly during the opening half.
Those first 30 minutes saw end to end attacking, with both sides creating good openings but the East Down side in particular most wsteful although Louden opened the scoring in the third minute.
By the end of the first quarter, Niall Moore’s goal and points from Ben McCarron, David McGurk and Moore had Lumen Christi 1-3 to 0-1 ahead.
Louden and Lecky closed the gap to a goal before the Derry side hit another purple patch with McCarron’s 27th minute goal sandwiched between two pointed frees from David McGurk.
After Duffy’s goal, Lumen tagged on a few points before a goal from substitute Declan Burns with his first touch sparked a mini revival from De La Salle, with Corey Mahon, Colin Lecky and James Mahoney all pointing in quick succession.
However 14 man Lumen never looked like losing their grip on proceedings and McGurk split the posts to complete the scoring with his fourth point.
The Derry side performed very well on the day with Dermot Baker and Luke McCarron shoring up defence. Cathal Roarty was on top in the middle, while Moore was always a threat up front with substitute Eoghan Bradley winning a lot of ball during the second half.
Lumen Christi : R Downey, N Ó Mianáin, M Martin, T White, S McKeever, D Baker, M McColgan, C Roarty, E Matthewson, O Duffy 1-0, B McCarron 1-2, 0-1 free, M Philson 0-2, L McCarron, D McGurk 0-4, 0-3 frees, N Moore 1-2
Subs: E Bradley for E Matthewson (ht), K Gillespie for D McGurk (58), P O`Flaherty for N Moore (58)
De La Salle : C Logue, J Shields, C Mahon 0-1, B Lennon, M Fitzpatrick, C Smith, A McCoubrey, C Hampton, N McShane 0-1, S McComiskey, C Lecky 0-2, C Magee 0-1, J Mahoney 0-1, C McCoubrey, T Louden 0-2.
Subs: C Curran for B Lennon (20), D Burns 1-0 for C Hampton (45).
Referee : Brendan Toland (Antrim)
