Leadon Timber Frames Ulster Minor Hurling Final
Dunloy 0-19 Bredagh 2-12
Sunday 7 January
By Brendan McTaggart
Dunloy added provincial honours to the county crown they won in October as the Cuchullains edged Bredagh by the minimum on Sunday afternoon. This was an exemplary game of hurling that saw the Down men push the Cuchullains to the pin of their collar for the full hour and but for an uncharacteristic missed free from the brilliant John Dougan three minutes into injury time, the sides would have been headed for extra time. Few would have begrudged the Bredagh men that chance given their efforts and contribution to a superb game of hurling.
Ryan Scott received the man of the match award, the Dunloy forward scored three points over the hour with his last of the trio a quite sumptuous score from wide on the left. An instinctive strike that would incredibly be the winning point despite their being another six minutes remaining. Others who caught the eye for Dunloy were captain Ben O’Kane – especially in the first half, Jack Martin and Sean Og Blaney while Sean McCollum, Pearse Loughrey and Patrick McGarry shone for the Down men.
When these sides played their final eight days earlier, the heavens had opened with torrential rain. On Sunday, the sun shone it’s brightest with a nip in the air but both sides did their best to warm the big crowd in attendance at Dean McGlinchey Park from the first whistle.
Dunloy started quickest with a brace of frees from ace marksman Paudraig Martin and a tidy score from diminutive forward Oisin McCallion had them three clear by the eighth minute. Bredagh struck back with a brace of their own, McCollum causing the Dunloy full back line plenty of problems but the opening 20 minutes of this final belonged to the Cuchullains. Further scores from Jack Martin, Ryan Scott and Paudraig Martin (free) had Dunloy four ahead before John Dougan and Martin exchanged frees in the 20th minute.
A strong run through the heart of the midfield from Finbarr Blaney yielded Bredagh’s fourth point of the final and while Aidan Richmond responded for the Cuchullains, it would be their last score for ten minutes as Bredagh hit a purple patch.
A huge pointed free from distance by Dougan preceded McCollum’s third point of the game to cut the Dunloy lead to two points. From the resulting puck out, Bredagh recycled with Luke Doran finding Dougan and as the Dunloy defence converged, he passed to McCollum and showing delightful footwork, the Bredagh man gave Caolan McFerran no chance in the Dunloy goals.
With the Cuchullains reeling, Bredagh had another sniff of a chance with Odhran Morgan-Lyttle firing wide but another free from Blaney saw the Down men two clear in the first minute of injury time. The Cuchullains responded with Conor Mort splitting the uprights with the last puck of the half.
In a half largely played on Dunloy’s terms, Bredagh had performed a smash and grab to have the lead at the short whistle. They did tighten their defence and seemed to have the number of the Dunloy forwards in second quarter with half time coming at the time the Dunloy management team needed it most.
They reorganised with Oisin McCamphill coming in to the attacking unit for Richmond but it was Bredagh who made a dream start to the second half. Shane O’Connell intercepting a stray pass in the Dunloy defence and while his initial shot was saved superbly by Caolan McFerran, O’Connell was first to the rebound that he squeezed over the line despite the best efforts of the Dunloy ‘keeper.
Like Dunloy in the first half, that was Bredagh’s last score for ten minutes however as Dunloy took control. A run of five points in as many minutes from Paudraig Martin (three frees), Luke McFerran and Scott restored the Cuchullains lead. Bredagh attempted to stem the Dunloy onslaught with a free from Blaney in the 40th minute but another super score from Luke McFerran followed by Jack Martin’s third of the match had Dunloy three clear.
The Down side looked like they had saw off the Dunloy storm when a run of three points in as many minutes saw them retake the lead, scores coming from Dougan (’65) and a brace from O’Connell by the 46th minute.
They would only manage another white flag in the final quarter of the game however and while Dunloy didn’t really put daylight between the sides, they played with a sense of control for long periods of the time that remained. A brace of points from McCallion followed a Luke Doran point to tie the sides yet again.
With three minutes left of the hour, the Dunloy attack saw the sliotar on the left hand side. Bredagh pressed but Ryan Scott’s third of the match turned out to be the match winning score. An instinctive strike wide on the left and off his left. A strike worthy of winning any game.
In the time that remained, Bredagh laid siege on the Dunloy goal. The Cuchullains stood strong however and when the Down men had a chance to extend the final, Blaney’s effort from a free went to the left of the uprights and wide when it looked like we were going to be treated to extra time. As it was, the Cuchullains claimed the silverware.
TEAMS
Dunloy: Caolan McFerran; Cahir McMullan, Sean Og Blaney, Charlie Cunning; Ryan McClements, Ben O’Kane, Jack McKeever; Jack Martin, Reece Cunning; Ryan Scott, Luke McFerran, Conor Mort; Oisin McCallion, Aidan Richmond, Paudraig Martin
Subs: Oisin McCamphill for A Richmond (HT); Damien Kinsella for C Mort (50)
Scorers: P Martin 0-7 (6fs); O McCallion 0-3; R Scott 0-3; J Martin 0-2; L McFerran 0-2; A Richmond 0-1; C Mort 0-1
Bredagh: Daniel Kinney; Eoin Browne, Conn Quilton, Frankie Ferguson; Mark Guest, Patrick McGarry, Sean Doyle; Pearse Loughrey, Daniel Cunningham; Finbarr Blaney, Luke Doran, John Dougan; Sean McCollum, Shane O’Connell, Odhran Morgan Lyttle
Scorers: S McCollum 1-3; S O’Connell 1-2; J Dougan 0-3 (2fs 1’65); F Blaney 0-3 (2fs); L Doran 0-1
Referee: Tarlach Conway (Ballinascreen)
