De La Salle win Nagle Cup in exciting finish

Danske Bank Nagle Cup final
St Patrick’s Dungannon 5-10 De La Salle Downpatrick 4-11
LATE points from Daithí Ennis and James McConkey took De La Salle Downpatrick to their first ever Danske Bank Nagle Cup success in a thrilling final with St Patrick’s Dungannon in St Genevive’s Belfast yesterday.
The strong finish from Downpatrick owed a little to the aid of the stiff breeze during the second half as much as big performances from captain Kyle Broggy, Rian Burns, Ennis and Adam O’Dwyer. But it was a goal direct from a 40m free from James Crangle five minutes from the end that put the Lecale side in the lead for the first time since midway through the first half and ultimately took them over the line.
Against the breeze goals in the 12th and 13th minutes from Daithí Ennis and Eoin Kelly put De La Salle into a 2-1 to 0-1 lead, but they then failed to score until the third minute of the second half as Dungannon stepped up a level.
Goals from Ryan McIntosh and Bonamor Nammy, coupled with a brilliant save by Dinaras Zairys from a Harry O’Bank penalty, put Dungannon in charge at the break on a 2-7 to 2-1 score-line with Jose Pereira, Jake Dillon and McIntosh in excellent form.
Despite playing against the breeze during the second half, the Tyrone side were able to hit back in turn after goals for Rian Burns and James Crangle with strikes from Anderson Lobato and Bonamor Nammy to keep Downpatrick at arm’s length until that fortunate late Crangle goal that edged the winners a point ahead.
Jake Dillon hit back to equalise, but Ennis and then McConkey fired over in an exciting finish.
De La Salle : A McAvoy, A O’ Dwyer, K Broggy capt., N Kelly, C Cullen, B McKenna, R Burns 1-2, J Crangle 2-3, 1-3 frees, J McConkey 0-1, H O’Bank, L Ward, P Shearer, E Kelly 1-1, D Ennis 1-2, D O’Shea 0-1.
Sub : C Vaughan for C Cullen.
St Patrick’s : D Zairys, J Field, P McGuinness, C McGahan, J Pereira, A Lobato 1-0, K Ximenes 0-1, C Hughes, R McIntosh 1-2, S Boyle 0-3, P Purvis 0-1, D McCann, R McAshea, B Nammy 2-0, J Dillon 0-4, 0-3 frees.
Referee : B Toland (Antrim)