By Kevin Herron
Rossa Pairc played host to the South Antrim U-13 Nipper Quinn hurling finals on Sunday afternoon.
The Plate, Shield and Cup finals were ran off on a fine day weather wise, with a healthy crowed in attendance to cheer on the six competitors in their respective show piece deciders.
Nipper Quinn Plate Final:
Two late goals from Michael Campbell held off a Lámh Dhearg fightback as Gort na Mona claimed the Nipper Quinn Plate with a 4-06-1-07 win over the Hannahstown side.
Playing with the first half breeze, Gort forged ahead through an early Conall Fegan point, but fell behind for the only time after eight minutes when Eoghan Herron dropped his 45’ metre free into the net.
Gort hit back immediately with Oisin Rea firing low to the net after Lámhs keeper Oliver Kelly had done well to repel the initial effort.
Michael Campbell opened his afternoon account from a converted free and it was the first of five unanswered scores for his side.
Campbell claimed all of them, landing four placed balls in and in-between he burst forward and fired low to the net to move Gort na Mona 2-05-1-00 ahead.
A Ronan Downey point before the break narrowed the deficit slightly for Lámh Dhearg, but the Hannahstown outfit were up against it at the break.
The Lámhs began the second period on the front foot with Dylan Quinn opening their account from a free.
Quinn dropped over another two placed balls and a further effort from Odhran Agnew had a goal separating the sides (2-05-1-05).
Momentum was very much with the red hands and a Quinn point from play had the margin at two with less than ten to play.
Kalen Irvine and Dylan Quinn (free) traded scores to ensure that a grandstand finish was on the cards.
Gort na Mona would seal the deal in the dying embers as Michael Campbell added to his first half strike with two goals late on to ensure that Gort would run out 4-06-1-07 winners at the end of a fascinating Nipper Quinn Plate Final.
Nipper Quinn Shield Final:
Braces from Anthony McCann and Caolan Cosgrove helped Davitt’s clinch the Nipper Quinn Shield after a 4-03-2-05 win over St Johns in Sundays decider.
McCann rifled into the top corner to give his side a dream start, but Dylan Hand converted a free to get the Johnnies up and running and the Corrigan outfit kicked on in the minutes that followed.
St Johns nudged ahead when Jack Monaghan’s free squirmed to the net. Oran McCann dropped over a point from play and a second free from Hand was followed by a goal that gave his side a 2-03-1-00 advantage midway through the half.
Caolan Cosgrove and Hand traded scores from the placed ball and Cosgrove would have the final say of the half- firing low to the net to ensure his side trailed three at the interval (2-04-2-01).
Davitt’s restored parity within a minute of the restart and the half began at the previous one ended with Caolan Cosgrove finding the net, this time from a 45’ that dropped from the sky and over the St Johns keeper to make it 3-01-2-04.
Cosgrove added to his tally with a second converted free and their lead was doubled when Anthony Corr slipped the ball through to Odhran McGrattan for a super point.
The Beechmount outfit strengthened their grip on proceedings when Anthony Corr’s low shot was briefly repelled with Anthony McCann on hand to fire the rebound home and give his side a 4-03-2-04 lead.
Try as they might, St Johns were unable to breach a solid Davitt’s back line in the closing stages and Harry Connolly’s point was mere consolation with the final puck as Davitt’s lifted the Nipper Quinn Shield at the game’s conclusion.
Nipper Quinn Cup Final:
St Pauls sealed a league and championship double, defeating their nearest league challengers Rossa 3-12-0-11 in the final of the Nipper Quinn Cup on Sunday afternoon.
The visitors started brightly with points from Jude Burns and Tomas McCaughey in the early stages, though Cillian Carabine converted a free in response.
Aidan Johnston converted back-to-back frees for St Pauls, with Gerard Delaney landing a splendid point between times and subsequent Codhran O’Rourke free ensured that just a point separated the sides with almost ten minutes gone.
The opening goal arrived on the 10th minute Aidan Holbrook did well to deny Tomas McCaughey in the first instance before Jude Burns applied the finish from the rebound to give St Pauls a 1-04-0-03 lead.
O’Roukre replied with a point from play for Rossa, but St Pauls sent over three unanswered points before the interval.
Jude Gamble swung over successive points with free-taker Johnston adding another to his personal tally to give their side a 1-07-0-04 lead at the break.
An early Jude Gamble goal within 60-seconds of the restart gave his side some breathing space.
Free-takers O’Rourke and Johnston traded placed balls in the aftermath and despite Gabriel Stitt narrowing the margins ever so slightly, a converted Matthew O’Neill point was then followed by a point from play as St Pauls were 2-11-0-06 to the good.
Rossa rallied briefly and hit three unanswered points, all of which came of Cillan Carabine. The midfielder dropped over two placed ball and pointed from play in between times.
Talisman Aidan Johnston completed his afternoon’s exploits with a further two frees bringing his personal tally to 0-06.
St Paul’s made things safe with a third goal five minutes from time, Daire Gault finding time and space to shoot low to the net and make it 3-12-0-09.
Jacob Bell and Gerard Delaney were only able to steer over late points in response as St Pauls ran out winners of the Nipper Quinn Cup and in the process completed a league and championship double.
