Danske Bank Corn Cúchulainn final

St Patrick’s Lisburn 5-8 Sperrin Integrated Magherafelt 3-11

ST PATRICK’S Lisburn are first time winners of the Danske Bank Corn Cúchulainn after an intriguing final in Dunsilly with Sperrin Intergrated College who also featured players from clubs in south west Antrim.

All eight goals came in the opening half at the end of which Lisburn led Sperrin by 5-3 to 3-6. The heat and both teams tightening up defensively slowed the flow of scores during the second half, but the game remained exciting for the sizeable crowd of supporters attending.

It was an explosive opening 11 minutes from Lisburn and in particular from Owen Mahoney. The full-forward banged home a hat-trick of goals during that period to put Sperrin on the back foot.

The Magherafelt school recovered during the second quarter with a goal from Jacob Painter and two from star man Matthew McCrellis. Despite two further Lisburn goals from Eoin Morris, there were just three points between the sides at the break.

While the scoring eased a little in the second half, the pace of the game was maintained with play quickly switching from end to end.

Although Sperrin lost a player to a black card after 40 minutes, McCrellis, Luca O’Neill and Tiernan Floyd kept the pressure on Lisburn and it took a couple of frees from Morris and Dara Campbell to keep them in front going into the final few minutes when the south Derry side created a couple of clear goal chances.

In the end time ran out on Sperrin and Lisburn were celebrating a famous first win with Luke Delaney, Owen Mahoney, Christopher McGarr and Eoin Morris contributing most to the success.

St Patrick’s: Owen Mahoney 3-0, Eoin Morris 2-5 (0-4 frees), Dara Campbell 0-2 (frees), Dominic Doherty 0-1

Sperrin: Matthew McCrellis 2-3, Luca O’Neil 0-4, Tiernan Floyd 0-3, Fintan Kelly 0-1 

St Patrick’s: Sean Prabucki, Sean O’Toole, Dominik Burawa, Gavin McAuley,Joseph McMahon, Tom Kearney, Callum Dean, Luke Delaney, Dominic Doherty, Dara Campbell, Christopher McGarry, Cormac Morris, Callum McKillion, Owen Mahoney, Eoin Morris

Subs: Caleb Turley for Gavin McAuley, Charlie McGrandles for Callum McKillion, James Barrett for Tom Kearney

Sperrin: David Skelly, Joseph Murray, Joey Mullan, Daniel McCrellis, Dylan McIlroy, Fintan Kelly, Jacob Ennis-McManus, Daragh Shannon, Thomas Mulholland, Cayden Cummings, Tiernan Floyd, Arden Goldridge, Jacob Painter, Luca O’Neil, Matthew McCrellis

Sub: Luke Bayne for Jacob Painter