Portglenone 3-16 St Enda’s 4-8

South West Antrim Minor Football Championship Laverty Cup final at Dunsilly

Portglenone survived a determined second-half comeback from St Enda’s to claim the Laverty Cup with a five-point victory in an entertaining final at Dunsilly.

St Enda’s made the perfect start when Colm Kane produced a superb individual finish to find the net after four and a half minutes. Kane followed with a well-worked point two minutes later to give the Hightown side early control.

Portglenone quickly settled, however, with Odhran Doherty leading their response. The number eight opened their account with a fine point before breaking through for an excellent individual goal moments later.

Doherty added another point in the tenth minute and Oisin Conway followed with a two-pointer to move Portglenone ahead. Kane briefly interrupted their momentum with a pointed free, but Portglenone were now beginning to take control.

A sweeping team move was finished to the net by Conor McKeever after 15 minutes, while Tomas Douhart fisted over before McKeever added another point from play.

Cillian McKenna and James McAleer also got their names on the scoresheet as Portglenone continued to press forward.

St Enda’s were handed a lifeline in the 21st minute when Darragh Rooney took advantage of a mix-up in the Portglenone defence to scramble the ball into the net.

Portglenone responded positively, with McKeever adding another point before Eoghan McArdle finished a superb end-to-end move with their third goal.

St Enda’s closed the half with points from Cathair McKenna and Ryan Donaldson, but Portglenone still held a commanding 3-10 to 2-5 lead at the interval.

Doherty stretched the winners’ advantage with two early second-half scores, one from play and another from a free. St Enda’s refused to give up, however, and Kane completed an impressive personal contribution when he struck his second goal in the 41st minute.

Doherty converted further frees in the 44th and 51st minutes, but the Portglenone defence was coming under increasing pressure. Ruairi O’Connell Scullion scored after an initial effort had been tipped over by the goalkeeper, and Thomas Mooney then fired home a scrambled goal to leave the final delicately balanced.

Another St Enda’s point in the 58th minute kept their hopes alive, while McKenna converted a free as the game moved into injury time.

Portglenone remained composed under pressure and sealed the victory with a late two-pointer, securing the Laverty Cup on a final score of 3-16 to 4-8.

Portglenone: 1 Joe Duffin, 2 Ronan McAleer, 3 Christy McDonnell, 4 Cillian McDonnell, 5 Cillian McKenna, 6 Thomas Douhart, 7 Tom Duffin, 8 Odhran Doherty, 9 Tom Conway, 10 James McVeigh, 11 Eoghan McArdle, 12 Oisin Conway, 13 Phelim McCloskey Jnr, 14 Dara Campbell, 15 Conor McKeever.

St Enda’s: 1 Jack Morris, 2 Ryan Donaldson, 3 Niall Lennon, 4 Aaron Connolly, 5 Charlie Joe O’Kane, 6 Thomas Mooney, 7 Ruairi McKearney, 8 Layden O’Neill, 9 Ruairi O’Connell Scullion, 10 Christopher Roberts, 11 Harry Feeney, 12 Oscar O’Connor, 13 Colm Kane, 14 Darragh Rooney, 15 Cathair McKenna.

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