Gaelfast Year 10 Football Cup – Sponsored by Antrim Business Forum

St Malachy’s College 4-10 St Louis Grammar 3-5

St Malachy’s College became the first winners of the Gaelfast Year 10 Football Cup when they beat St Louis Ballymena in the final under the Dunsilly floodlights on Wednesday evening. After falling behind in the opening minute St Malachy’s bounced back to dominate the first half, at the end of which they led by 3-6 to 1-2. St Louis fought back brilliantly at the start of the second period, and within seven minutes they closed to within four points. However the Belfast boys regained their composure and pushed on to win by eight in the end.

Things looked very promising for St Louis when a good move in the opening minute saw Jack McQuillan go through to fire the ball to the St Malachy’s net. St Malachy’s fought back and were level less than a minute later when centre forward Cahir McKenna fired to the net, following an attack up the left wing, and they hit the front on three minutes when left half forward Daire Keenan grabbed his team’s second. Excellent midfielder Aodhan Pierce pointed a 45 to extend the St Malachy’s lead in the sixth minute, and though Conor Burns pulled one back for St Louis St Malachy’s went on to dominate the remainder of the half.

Cahir McKenna pointed from a free in the ninth minute and six minutes later Dylan Rodgers got his team’s third goal. Further points followed from Connolly Keenan and McKenna to stretch the lead to eleven points, but just before the break St Louis Tomas Convery rattled a shot off the crossbar which few over for a point to leave ten between the sides at the short whistle.

If St Louis were to make a game of it they needed a strong start to the second half and that is what they got. With the diminutive left half-forward Conor Burns pulling the strings the dominate the first seven minutes with Burns opening the scoring with a pointed free before setting up Duffin for a goal a minute later. Burns added another point, and when a brilliant move the length of the field was palmed to the net by full forward Ciaran Scullion, the comeback appeared to be well and truly on.

However St Malachy’s regained their composure and two points from centre forward Cahir McKenna steadied the ship. Full-forward Darragh Rooney stretched the St Malachy’s lead to five, but Conor Burns kept St Louis well in touch with another pointed free, before being involved in the move that put Conal McFerran through on goal, but the corner forwards didn’t connect properly and the chance was gone.

Five minutes from time St Malachy’s got their fourth goal when Rodgers palmed to the net, and when Aodhan Pierce added a point there was no way back for the Ballymena side.

St Malachy’s College

Calum Bradley, Barra Bellew, Connaire Smyth, Ciaran Lopes, Daire Donnelly, Aaron Connolly, Darragh Graham, Ruairi O’Connell, Scullion, Aodhan Pierce, Dylan Rodgers, Cathair McKenna, Daire Keenan, Michael Jennings, Darragh Rooney, Daniel Doran.

St Louis Ballymena

Alex Crawford, Alex Dunlop, Eunan Currie, Damien Mulholland, Sean Brolly, Domhnall McKay, Darra Dickson, Dylan Teague, Odhran Duffin, Jack McQuillan, Thomas Convery, Conor Burns, Ciaran Scullion, Conal McFerran.