South Antrim U-14 Stout McDonald Hurling Final
Rossa 3-10-2-09 St Paul’s
Kevin Herron reports from Pairc Rossa
St Pauls were pushed all the way by Rossa, though the league Champions had four-points to spare in their 3-10-2-09 win in the Stout McDonald Cup Final at Pairc Rossa on Sunday afternoon.
The final started at a frantic pace with two goals inside the first two minutes. Rossa drew first blood when Jacob Bell lashed home before 60-seconds had elapsed, but at the other end St Pauls captain Jude Gamble struck a low shot into the far corner to restore parity.
It was Rossa who had settled the brighter and they chalked up four unanswered points in the aftermath of the early goal action.
Cillian Carabine converted a free and Conor Stewart then dropped an angled shot over the bar.
Carabine doubled his account from the placed ball and then shot over from play to open up a 1-04-1-00 lead.
Points were exchanged as Aidan Johnston converted a free and Carabine did likewise at the other end after being chopped down.
Successive frees from Johnston cut the deficit to two with 10-minutes to the break and despite Cillian Carabine popping over his second point from play, parity was soon restored in the decider.
Pre-game favourites St Pauls came from behind for the second time when Jude Gamble flighted a high ball into the path of Sian McMullan to slam home and make 2-03-1-06.
A fourth converted Aidan Johnston free would edge his side in front for the first time with goal scorer McMillan swinging a shot over to ensure St Pauls were 2-05-1-06 ahead at the interval.
Rossa talisman Cillian Carabine halved the deficit with a free a minute after the restart, however back-to-back placed balls from Matthew O’Neill saw St Pauls stretch their advantage.
Carabine (free) and O’Neill traded scores and a third O’Neill free and fourth score since the break had his side a further point clear.
The hosts closed in with their second goal of the game on the 34th minute. Cillian Carabine floated in a high free and Conor Stewart flicked the sliother to the net to make it a one-point game with little over a quarter of an hour remaining (2-09-2-08).
There was a stroke of fortune about St Pauls restoring their four-point advantage on the 38th minute.
Aidan Johnston saw his free blocked short, Johnston had a second bite that appeared to have been superbly kept out by Rossa keeper Aidan Holbrook- turning the ball onto the post, but it trickled over the line despite Holbrook’s best attempts.
Carabine clipped over his sixth free and eighth score overall, but they couldn’t close in any further in the remaining ten minutes and a fifth Johnston placed ball was the last score as St Pauls ran out 3-10-2-09 winners at the end of a fantastic final.
