Canavan guides St Ciarán’s over the line in Arthurs

Danske Bank Arthurs Cup Final

From Kevin kelly in An Lúb

St Ciaran’s Ballygawley 0-9 St Colm’s Draperstown 0-7

St Ciaran’s Ballygawley won the Danske Bank Arthurs Cup at the Loup last night when in a thrilling finish they came from behind to edge past St Colm’s Draperstown in a low scoring affair.

With the contest in injury time the Derry school led by a point but a brace of frees from Ruairí Canavan either side of an effort from play from Eoin Neill gave the Tyrone lads the silverware.

As anticipated it was a keenly contested game from start to finish and while scores were at a premium thanks to two well matched defences both sides gave it their all in difficult, slippy playing conditions.

Barry Carberry opened the scoring in the 2nd minute for the winners and moments later they created a goal chance but Canavan was denied by St Colm’s keeper Finn McGuigan.

Ryan McCullagh levelled matters but that was the only other score in the opening quarter. Canavan and Joe McKenna traded points from play before the former gave his side a 0-3 to 0-2 interval advantage after converting a free. St Ciaran’s though had keeper Darragh Kelly to thank for a double save just before the break.

Aodhan McCallion had the sides level in the early moments of the second half before James Donnelly and Ryan McCullagh exchanged points. In the 38th minute St Colm’s created two goal chances from Fergal Bradley and Ciaran Hasson but on both occasions they were thwarted by keeper Kelly.
A McCullagh free then edged St.Colm’s Draperstown in front for the first time and when Bradley split the posts from play they held a two point advantage going into the final quarter.

A Canavan brace from play had the sides level before a McCullagh free left it 0-7 to 0-6 in favour of St Colm’s in the 53rd minute. Both sides missed chances before Canavan landed the equaliser from a placed ball in the 61st minute.

At that stage it looked set for extra time but St Ciaran’s had other ideas. Neill put them in front and then dangerman Canavan was fouled by Conor Shields who was sent off.

Canavan knocked over the resulting free himself with what proved to be the last kick of the game as the Tyrone school took the title.

St Ciaran’s Ballygawley scorers: R Canavan 0-6 (3F), B Carberry 0-1, J Donnelly 0-1, E Neill 0-1

St Colm’s Draperstown scorers: R McCullagh 0-4 (3F), J McKenna 0-1, A McCallion 0-1, F Bradley 0-1