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Taken from
Mourne Observer
ST CIARAN’S,
BALLYGAWLEY 2-9
ST MALACHY’S,
CASTLEWELLAN 2-3
ST Malachy’s
failed in their brave bid to win a second Ulster
title when their U-14 team went under to a talented
St Ciaran’s in the McDevitt Cup final at Clontibret
last Wednesday.
St Malachy’s supporters were understandably
confident when their boys got off to a flying start.
Cillian Laverty was fouled in the very first minute,
Ciaran McClean took the free and the ball travelled
via Vincent Rice to Ollie McClean who scored the
first point.
Within minutes Laverty started a move between
Patrick Boyle and Sean Kane. The ball came to
Vincent Rice and he lost no time in firing to the
net.
The St Malachy’s boys grabbed their second goal
following a brilliant delivery from Shea O’Hanlon
which Sean Kane collected and shot to the
Ballygawley net.
At this stage Castlewellan were in front by 2-1 to
0-1 and their prospects looked bright. However, St
Ciaran’s Eddie Molloy, Ray McElroy and Thomas
Canavan began to win a lot of ball around the middle
of the park.
Canavan’s goal five minutes from the break was a
severe blow to St Malachy’s although Ciaran McClean
and Cillian Laverty combined with great
determination to secure a point, leaving the
half-time score St Malachy’s 2-2 St Ciaran’s 1-4.
The second half proved testing for the hard-pressed
Castlewellan defence as Ballygawley surged forward
on a series of attacks and Darragh and Shea
O’Hanlon, Ciaran McClean and Benny Morgan performed
heroics trying to keep their opponents at bay.
St Ciaran’s second goal from McAnenly was a killer
blow. Darragh O’Hanlon threw caution to the wind and
drove forward to try to engineer a goal. The Kilcoo
boy nearly succeeded but Connolly in the Ballygawley
goal managed to parry Darragh’s shot.
St Malachy’s battled on as substitutes Darren Savage
and Colm Maginn got into the thick of the action but
in the end they had to concede defeat to an
exceptionally skilful St Ciaran’s team.
Darragh O’Hanlon, Shea O’Hanlon, Ciaran McClean and
Cillian Laverty played their hearts out but it
wasn’t enough to win the day.
St Malachy’s: Ruairi Laverty, Finbar Toner, Darragh
O’Hanlon, Benny Morgan, Shea O’Hanlon, Ciaran
McClean 0-1, Paul McVeigh, Conor McCusker, Ruairi
Laughlin, Vincent Rice 1-0, Patrick Boyle, Cillian
Laverty, Ollie McClean 0-1, Sean Kane 1-0, Martin
Kelly. Substitutes Darren Savage 0-1, Colm Maginn.
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