Nipper Quinn Shield – A Final

St Paul’s 3-11 St John’s 4-6

St Paul’s won the Nipper Quinn Shield when they held off a late rally by St John’s in Saturday’s final at Rossa Park. Played in difficult conditions on a sanded pitch, and in heavy rain, the St Paul’s boys were pushed to the pin of their collar to hold off a late rally by the boys from Corrigan, but both teams deserve the highest of credit for the display they produced.

St Paul’s right half forward Bradley McDonnell proved the difference between two well matched sides, giving a man of the match performance as he scored an incredible 2-07 for the Shaws Road side, but it was far from a one man show as centre back Ben Gamble corner forward Fiontann Burns and goalkeeper Lorcan Douglas also contributed to the victory. Dylan Hand was the stand out player for St John’s while Odhran O’Prey and Connor McGibbon also starred.

St John’s took an early lead with a Dylan Hand point, but despite playing against the strong breeze St Paul’s came back strongly and a goal and two points from Bradley McDonnell had them four ahead after ten minutes. Dylan Hand and Conor McGibbon came back with points for the Johnnies to level matters, and they could have been ahead but for a couple of great saves by Burns in the St Paul’s goal. St Pauls had moved ahead just before half time but the Johnnies got the break they needed when Hand drove a ground ball through a packed goalmouth to send them in at half time with a 1-04 to 1-03 lead.

The Corrigan Park side made a great start to the second half when Hand pointed to put them two ahead and then followed it up a minute later with a great goal to put five between the sides. McDonnell responded for St Paul’s with a great point on the run to cut the gap back to four, but St John’s appeared to be in the driving seat when midfielder Odhran O’Prey broke through and batted the ball down into the St Paul’s net to put his side seven ahead.

The frantic pace of the game continued as St Paul’s hit back with a goal and a point from McDonnell, plus points from Ben Gamble and Darragh Loughran to leave just a point between the sides, and when corner forward Fiontan Burns drilled a low shot through a packed goalmouth St Paul’s were two ahead.

Eoin Rice pointed to increase their lead to two, but Dylan Hand got the Johnnies back in front when he fired a close range free to the St Paul’s net and corner forward Fraser McGivern added a point from play. St Paul’s again responded to the challenge the Bradley McDonnell swung the game back in their favour with three points in a row, one from a 65 and two from play to put his side back ahead.

Those scores sealed the win for St Paul’s but they had to withstand a late charge by St John’s who threw everything they had at it in the dying minutes. The Corrigan Park boys came within a whisker of saving the game but were denied again by goalkeeper Douglas and a great high catch by substitute Ethan Ervine who was back helping out his defence

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