Ulster Club League Winners 2017

Coleraine Eoghan Rua and Gortin St Patrick’s are the Ulster Club Senior and Intermediate League Winners respectively for 2017.

The Senior League final was an all Derry affair with Eoghan Rua facing Dungiven on a sun-splashed day in Glenullin.

Both sides had emerged from Group A of the competition, with Eoghan Rua topping the group unbeaten courtesy of a Round 2 victory at home to Dungiven some six weeks previous. That gave them a home semi-final tie against last year’s beaten Tyrone finalists, Coalisland and in a keenly fought contest the Derry side edged home thanks to a well taken goal midway through the first half.  Dungiven had to travel to county rivals Claudy in the semis, and it was a goal early in the second half which proved vital as they ran out three point winners to reach the decider.

Eoghan Rua got off to the perfect start when a well worked move was finished to the net by Ciaran McGoldrick to give them the early lead.  But to their credit Dungiven rolled up their sleeves and got back into the game, Ryan McElhinney scoring three first half points to put his side ahead by one at the break, 0-7 to 1-3. However it was the start of the second half where Eoghan Rua gained the upper hand and a lead they would never lose, four unanswered points giving them a cushion which Dungiven found difficult to overcome.  In the end Colm McGoldrick kicked seven points, four from placed balls, to give Eoghan Rua their first Ulster Senior League title.

Coleraine Eoghan Rua 1-12 Dungiven St Canice’s 0-10

Referee – Colm McDonald (Antrim)

The Intermediate League proved to be an equally competitive competition with five Tyrone clubs making it through to the final six.  Gortin had eight points to spare over Derrytresk in a high scoring quarter final before the elements turned a week later when they edged out Owen Roes by two points on a rain sodden morning.  Last year’s winners Loughmacrory overcame Foreglen by the minimum in the other quarter final, but they came unstuck seven days later when Moortown made home advantage count, running out winners by four points.

That brought Gortin and Moortown to Pomeroy on Sunday afternoon to battle it out for the Intermediate League title and it proved to be another close encounter.  Moortown led by 0-5 to 0-2 after playing with the wind in the first half.  Moortown added a goal shortly after the restart to edge into a seven point lead.

However, a Shane Clarke goal with ten minutes to go coupled with some great scores from Gortin proved crucial as they claimed the Intermediate title by a two point margin.  Gortin became the fifth successive Tyrone club to win this grade as they follow in the footsteps of Loughmacrory, Galbally, Dungannon and Strabane.

Gortin St Patrick’s 1-10 Moortown St Malachy’s 1-08

Referee – Steven Campbell (Tyrone)