Loughgiel retain Feile title and book their place in Cork

Antrim Feile na nGael A final

Loughgiel 3-5 St Paul’s 2-4

Loughgiel retained their county Feile title on Saturday when they beat St Paul’s in the final at Hannahstown to book their place in the All Ireland Feile in Cork in June. Trailing by a goal inside the first minute the Shamrocks hit back to lead by 2-4 to 1-2 at half time. St Paul’s fought back to within two points in the second half but a brilliant goal by Jack McCloskey five minutes from time sealed the win.

**Shea Burns gets St Paul’s off to a great start with a goal in the opening minute.**

Shea Burns got St Paul’s off to a flying start when he fired a ground shot to the Loughgiel net in the opening minute but Loughgiel hit back right away when Tiago McGarry crashed a 20 metre free to the back of the St Paul’s net.

Darragh Patterson put Loughgiel ahead in the fifth minute when he pointed from close range following a 65 and he gave his team a major boost soon afterwards when a long range free went all the way to the net. St Paul’s responded well and two excellent points from Lorcan Phillips brought them back to within two points, but two Tiago McGarry points before the break had the Shamrocks 2-4 to 1-2 ahead at half time.

**Jack McCloskey (15) manages to fire the ball high into the St Paul’s net as he falls to the ground in the latter stages of the Feile final.**

When Tiago McGarry finished a good Loughgiel move with a point early in the second half the Shamrocks were in control but Lorcan Phillips dragged St Paul’s back into the game with a great long range point from a free, followed by a goal from a 20 metre free soon afterwards. Suddenly the game was up for grabs again until Jack McCloskey worked his magic by cutting in along the endline and scoring his team’s third goal to seal the win.

LOUGHGIEL: Mark Christie, Preston McGarry, Pearse Patterson, Ronan McLaughlin, Charley O’Hagan, Ben McGarry, Eoin McGarry, Liam Glackin, Darragh Patterson, Ronan Fitzpatrick, Tiago McGarry, Ronan Casey, Conn McCormick, Ciaran McCarry, Jack McCloskey.

ST PAUL’S: D Brown, T Munce, D Maguire, C McAlea, P Crawford, C McCann, P McDonnell, T Enright, R McCoy, B Burns, O Casey, C Hackett, D O’Sullivan, L McPhillips, S Burns.

Subs: C Devlin, G Cowan, A Ravel, P McKevitt, L Murray, N Morgan, J Conlon, E Brown.

Referee – Colm McDonnell.