Gaelfast Year 8 Antrim Cup Final
St. Mary’s 4-2-2-12 St Louis’ Ballymena
Kevin Herron reports from Woodlands
Wednesday afternoon’s Year 8 Antrim Cup Final was a repeat of the 2025 decider and the outcome was the same as St Louis’ Ballymena got the better of St. Mary’s CBGS in a fantastic game at Woodlands- running out 2-12-4-2 winners.
It was the locals from the Glen Road who started the game brightly as Patrick O’Reilly picked out Aaron Patrick Walsh to swing a shot over the bar.
A few minutes later St. Mary’s had the opening goal of the contest. Liam Rea slipped the ball across the area to Adam Walsh, he was unable to get his shot away and Luis Holmes was on hand to blast home from close range.
Ballymena got up and running when Charlie Herald switched the play to Conn Og McErlaine to clip the ball over.
They then restored parity after Fiontann McCoy floated a free into the small square and Charlie Herald palmed the ball to the net to make it 1-1 apiece.
St Louis’ then forged ahead when Oscar Bradley’s shot dipped and Alex Leith was on hand to turn the ball into the net.
They would add three further points before the interval, Liam O’Neill picked off a fine score, and back-to-back scores followed from McCoy- the first he squeezed over and the second coming from a converted free to ensure his side held a 2-4-1-1 advantage at the break.
St. Mary’s halved the deficit upon the games resumption, Flynn Johnston dropped in a high ball to the back post and Liam Rea palmed home.
In response Tiernan Mulholland shot over and a second converted free of the game from Fiontann McCoy saw St Louis’ begin to pull clear again.
It was end to end stuff and St. Mary’s had another lifeline when substitute Cody Agnew steered the ball home following a scramble in the area to make it 2-6-3-1.
The second half pattern continued as four-points without reply saw St Louis’ restore the healthy lead they enjoyed at the interval.
McCoy notched his third free, Tiernan Mulholland and Liam O’Neill added to their personal tallys and goal scorer Charlie Herald added a point to his first half goal,
In reply, a sustained period of pressure in and around the Ballymena goal ended with Caleb McGuinness poking home his sides fourth – and halving the deficit in the process.
Points were traded between Charlie Herald and Luis Holmes and the final score of the afternoon came through a Fiontann McCoy free, this despite St. Mary’s laying siege to the St Louis’ goal in the closing stages but they were unable to further close the gap as the Louis’ players celebrated retaining the trophy and following in the steps of their predecessors.
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