By Kevin Herron
The South Antrim U-13 O’Donnell Cup football finals took place on Sunday. An Sportlann at Colaiste Feirste played host to three of the finals with Pairc Rossa hosting the O’Donnell Plate 1 final between St Pat’s Lisburn and Laochra Loch Lao.
O’Donnell Cup Final
St Brigid’s 4-15-0-06 St Johns
St Brigid’s completed a League and Championship double, running out 4-15-0-06 winners over St Johns in the Final of the O’Donnell Cup.
They asserted their authority from the outset and drew first blood when Aidan Holmes went on a mazy run and shot low to the net.
Zak Kerr-Woodrow almost doubled their lead, but St Johns keeper Brooklyn Fox made the first of a string of impressive saves over the course of the game and St Brigid’s instead had to settle for a point from Garrett Finnegan.
Holmes extended his sides lead courtesy of a free before Dylan Hand-McCallin got the Johnnies up and running from the same scenario.
St Johns were starting to find some joy and Brendan Herdman dropped over their first from play.
Garrett Finnegan doubled his personal tally in response and St Brigid’s found their second goal of the half through a superb Rudy Doyle effort that gave his side a 2-03-0-02 lead.
Points from Eoin Hamill and Brendan Herdman cut the deficit at the interval, but St Johns had work to do to try and turn things around.
It was one-way traffic after the break as St Brigid’s hit 2-06 without reply to effectively seal victory.
They opened up with three quickfire points through Dan McAuley, Alex Jackson, and Rory Magee.
Magee doubled his account from a free and Oliver Lloyd then dropped over his first point of the afternoon.
Substitute Dara McMullan would make and immediate impact with two goals in a matter of minutes, twice palming the ball to the net and in-between times Aidan Holmes and Lloyd added points to move their side 4-10-0-04 ahead.
St Johns probed for scores and Eoin Hamill converted a free to briefly halt St Brigid’s
momentum. Points were then traded between Patrick McAteer and Frazer McGivern (free).
Brigid’s would further strengthen their dominance with four unanswered points before the conclusion.
Rory Magee swung over his third point, Brooklyn Fox somehow turned over Rudy Doyle’s shot that looked destined for the net and further scores from Oliver Lloyd and Zak Kerr-Woodrow finished the scoring as St Brigid’s completed a League and Championship double.
O’Donnell Shield Final
Ardoyne 6-12-2-10 St Brigid’s B
Ardoyne claimed the O’Donnell Shield with a 6-12-2-10 win over St Brigid’s B in a high scoring and entertaining decider.
The North Belfast outfit made a dream start when Eoghan Maguire slipped a ball across to Thomas Flanngan to palm home inside of two minutes, though Harry Creen swung over an instant reply.
Points from Ryan Donnelly, Flannagan and Donnachadh Fennell extended Ardoyne’s lead, with Eamonn McKeever finding range to keep St Brigid’s in touch.
Flannagan doubled his goal tally for the half at the fourth time of asking, Eamonn Fennell hoisted a high ball on the top of the corner-forward whose effort was fisted onto the bar, the rebound was blocked before Braedan Finnegan’s shot was helped in by Flannagan to make it 2-03-0-02.
In the aftermath, Eoghan Maguire and Harry Creen (free) traded points before Thomas Flannagan claimed a first half hat-trick, palming to the net once again.
A further point followed from Maguire after Ryan Donnelly charged out of defence and picked out his intelligent run.
Oliver Clarke and Braedan Finnegan would trade points before the break and at the midway point Ardoyne were in control, leading 3-06-0-04.
Ardoyne started the second half in the ascendancy and extended their lead with back-to-back points from Eoghan Maguire and a fine Donnelly effort that dropped over.
Maguire added to his four points, rifling low to the net to move his side 4-09-0-04 ahead.
St Brigid’s briefly halted Ardoyne’s momentum when Harry Creen and Oliver Clarke hit successive scores, though Braedan Finnegan (free) and Donnachadh Fennell repeated that feat at the other end.
Dermot Logan floated over his first score of the contest prior to Eoghan Maguire drilling in his second goal of the half.
That would begin a spate of goals, St Brigid’s reply was rapid through Finn McMullan at the other end and McMullan would play his part in a second goal that would arrive a few minutes later.
Charging forward and seeing his near-post effort blocked and a subsequent backheel attempt that followed, Se Wall was denied for the third time before Dermot Logan eventually bundled in to make it 5-11-2-07.
Despite their spirited response, it was a case of too little, too late for St Brigid’s with time running out.
John Paul McCoolgan popped over a point to get Ardoyne back on the front foot and Kalium Murphy finished the scoring for the North Belfast natives.
St Brigid’s finished with a flurry of points from Eamonn McKeever and a pair of frees from Se Wall and Dermot Logan, it was little more than consolation though as Ardoyne had long secured victory and lifted the O’Donnell Shield at the game’s conclusion.
O’Donnell Plate 2 Final
St Paul’s B 5-04-3-07 St Brigid’s C
St Brigid’s fell short in their late rally as St Paul’s ran out 5-04-3-07 winners in the O’Donnell Plate 2 decider.
Jake O’Hare’s attempted point dropped over St Brigid’s keeper Ruairi O’Shea and into the net to give St Paul’s the early advantage and Cuan Carmichael was denied a second goal moments later- with O’Shea pushing his effort over the bar.
The Musgrave Park outfit hit back when a free was dropped short and Conor Taylor scrambled the ball to the net at the near post.
Their joy was short-lived though as a quickfire double extended St Pauls lead. Shane Dyer saw his shot parried by O’Shea, only for Lewis Hardy to hook home.
Hardy rifled home a second within 60-seconds and a further angled point from Dyer before the break ensured that their side held a 3-02-1-00 lead at the interval.
Stephen McKenna converted an early free for St Brigid’s after the restart, but they found themselves further behind when Riley Bailey fisted the ball across to Bradley McDonnell to net St Paul’s fourth goal of the contest.
A scramble in the St Paul’s goal mouth looked to be in vain until Ethan Cox guided a shot between the posts and Matthew McMullan swung over a further score to reduce arrears.
Goal scorer McDonnell added to his personal. Though Stephen McKenna responded with back-to-back points, the first from play and the other from a free.
St Paul’s looked to have sealed victory when Cuan Carmichael’s shot struck the woodwork and Lewis Hardy dispatched at the second time of asking to move his side 5-03-1-05 ahead.
Points were traded between Thomas Sheenan and Ruairi Holmes before St Brigid’s rallied. Stephen McKenna added to his three points with a what appeared to be a goal that prove scant consolation, though he doubled his goal tally with a bullet of a shot that left four-points the difference with 60-seconds remaining.
He would later add his third free of the afternoon to set up a nervy finish, though they were unable to force a further goal that would have ensured extra time and St Paul’s ran out winners.
O’Donnell Plate 1 Final
St Pat’s Lisburn ran out 5-09-2-08 winners over Laochra Loch Lao at Paric Rossa. James Brownlee was clinical for the Lisburn outfit throughout with Hugo Tween amongst others that contributed to their win; whilst Lorcan Connolly and Fionn McMahon impressing for Laochra- who battled admiringly throughout.
