Four Masters put experience of disappointment behind them to lift Ulster title

FonaCAB Ulster Minor Football Tournament Final

Four Masters 1-10-2-04 Cavan Gaels

Kevin Herron reports from Shaws Road

365-days after having to watch in disappointment as Dungiven lifted the Jimmy McConville Cup, Four Masters returned to the Shaws Road and delivered the goods at the second time of asking with a 1-10-2-04 win over Cavan Gaels in Monday afternoons decider.

The Donegal champions went into the final as slight favourites having blitzed Castleblaney in the opening semi-final pre-Christmas, but faced a Cavan Gaels side that showed great resolve to see off Mayobridge in their semi-final on St Stephens Day.

Cavan Gaels centre forward Joshua Shehu, who was one of the stars of the tournament, has his shot blocked down as Four Masters players closed down the space during Monday’s final. Pic by Bert Trowlen.

In their opening game against O’Donavan Rossa, Magherafelt they trailed the Derry champions by 0-0 to 0-8 in a one sided opening half. Any punter wanting to put a bet on them winning the overall title at that stage could probabably have named their own odds but they battled their way back against the odds to squeeze their way through to the semi finals. Blaney were swept aside in the semis and they probably went into to today’s game as slight favourites. Cavan Gaels made it tough for them all the way but in the end they had that little bit extra and deservedly took the title.

**Four Masters goalkeeper McCaughan sees the ball hit the net as Cavan Gaels Joshua Shehu loops a shot over him early in the game. Pic by Bert Trowlen**

Four Masters were first off the mark after Tomas Carr swung over after a patient build-up seven minutes in. The opening goal would arrive on the 11^th minute when the ball was played into the path of Joshua Shehu and he looped a shot over Lewis McCaughan and it clipped the bar on its way in to give Cavan Gaels a 1-00-0-01 lead.

Parity was soon restored however as Kevin Muldoon landed back-to-back frees, the second of which was an impressive strike off the ground that dropped over the posts.

Muldoon made it three without reply and edged his side back in front, kicking a 45’ and less than 60-seconds later things got even better for the Donegal champions.

Turlough Carr blocked down Conor Doyle’s attempted fist pass out of defence and then found Conor McCahill and the four-goal hero from the semi-final took off towards the target and sent a low bullet of a shot into the bottom corner past Emiliano Vennetilli to give Four Masters a 1-04-0-04 lead.

***Conor McCahill celebrates after scoring Four Masters goal in the first half***

A converted Ben Tully free lifted the Gaels and was their first score in a quarter of an hour. The Breffni outfit would draw level two minutes before the break when Cormac Crotty let fly with a shot that floated over McCaughan and in almost a carbon copy of the opener- it bounced off the underside of the bar on its way to make it 1-04-2-01 at the midway point in proceedings.

It took eight minutes for the first score of the second period, and it was Cavan Gaels who nipped in front for the second time. Finn McNamara found the run of Finn Crowe to fist over the bar.

Kevin Muldoon would level matters for a third time with his second converted ’45’ of the afternoon and Four Masters were ahead again by the 42^nd minute as Cian Gavigan reacted quickest to a shot coming off the large post and popped the loose ball over.

They extended their lead through Oisin Doherty after Tomas Carr’s angled effort dropped short, though Ben Tully halved the deficit after his side opted to go short with a free and worked into the captain’s path to drop a shot over.

Four Masters sealed victory with three points on the spin in a six-minute period heading for the home straight.

Callum McCrea steered over a 53^rd minute point and a converted free from Oisin Doherty two minutes later gave his side a 1-09-2-03 lead.

Goal scorer McCahill then guided a shot over the bar despite a foul in the build-up- effectively the insurance score with a minute plus injury time to play.

Cavan Gaels responded through a close-range Ben Tully free, but they needed a goal if they were going to force extra time.

The Breffni outfit tried to vein, though Four Masters stood firm in injury time and saw the game out of lift the trophy for first time in the club’s history.

**Four Masters celebrate at the final whistle. Pic by Bert Trowlen**

Four Masters: L McCaughan, E O’Neill, D McGinty, T McGovern, C Gavigan (0-01), C McCrea (0-01), A Quinn, T McBride, T Colhoun, T Carr (0-01), K Muldoon (0-04, 0-02f, 0-02 45’), P McGonagle, C McCahill (1-01), O Dhoerty (0-02, 0-01f), T Carr. Subs: A McHugh for P McGonagle (42).

Cavan Gaels: E Vennettilli, D Sommers, C Doyle, E Griksas, C Galligan, B Hanly, M Anthony McDonagh, B Tully (0-03, 0-02f), M Monaghan, C Crotty (1-00), J Shehu (1-00), F McNamara, J Jaskiewicz, F Crowe (0-01), J Dunne. Subs: S Kolimar for C Galligan (39), S Clarke for J Jaskiewicz (49-54 blood sub),M Holko for J Dunne (54), J Dunne for M Monaghan (60).

Referee: Brendan Toland (Lámh Dhearg)