Gaelcholáiste Dhoire take another Ulster hurling title after defeating St Mary's Magherafelt

Danske Bank Kirk Cup final

Gaelcholáiste Dhoire 2-13 St Mary's Magherafelt 1-7

It isn’t often that a team scores just two points in the first half and within five minutes of the re-start are totally in command of the score-board.

Well that is exactly what happened to Gaelcholáiste Dhoire in this Danske Bank Kirk Cup final in Ballinascreen. But then again the Dungiven Castle boys have been battling against the grain and coming out on top all season – perhaps more specifically since late January.

Three months ago they battled hard to retain the Danske Bank Leopold Cup. A month later many of this Kirk Cup team were on the senior side that collected the Casement Shield and represented Ulster for the first time in an All-Ireland semi-final.

Monday evening’s Kirk Cup success makes it three Ulster schools’ titles inside a short space of time and less than a year since their maiden provincial triumph.

However they were outplayed by holders St Mary’s Magherafelt over the course of the first half, but only trailed by two points at the break. That had as much to do with the Convent’s poor shooting as with Gaelcholáiste’s defence – although Cathal Ó Mianáin, Emmet óg Mac Íomhair and Declan Ó Ceallaigh were superb throughout.

The game opened promisingly when Finbar Ó Muirí took a pass from Peadar Pia Ó Duibhne to split the post. But it was to be another 29 minutes before Gaelcholáiste added a second score with a couple of frees missed as well as a 24th minute penalty that Ó Mianáin struck well, but not well enough to beat Ryan O’Kane.

At the other end Lorcán McDonnell hit two frees over around the 10th minute, but then went for goal from a third and was denied by a couple of sticks on the line. James Sargent and Patrick Birt, both of whom were threats, tagged on late points with a free from Ger Ó Diolúin completing the first half scoring.

Magherafelt hit seven wides, four of them from frees, during that period and Gaelcholáiste three from fewer chances.

The game was to change significantly within five minutes of the re-start with Ó Diolúin instrumental in putting Gaelcholáiste out of the Convent’s reach.

He landed an early free. Then a long ball out of defence beat everyone leaving Jude Ó Conaire unmarked in front of the nets. He buried his shot. Ó Diolúin then landed another free before cutting in from the right corner to hit the roof of the net.

The Gaeilgeoirí moved to 2-6 to 0-4 before Birt and Sargent got in a reply - a point each from frees. But Cathal Ó Mianáin then started a run of five points in four minutes to make it 2-11 to 0-6. The other scores came from Ó Diolúin (two frees), Déaglán Mac Con Midhe and Daire Ó Lochlainn.

There was a consolation goal for the Convent when Ó hÉireamhóinn batted down a high centre from Charlie Mulholland into the path of Lorcán McDonnell who fired home in the 50th minute.

However there was to be no dramatic comeback from the Convent and Ger Ó Diolúin pointed twice in added time to bring his personal tally to 1-8 and complete a remarkable three months for the school in hurling.

Cé go raibh a fhios ag lucht spórt go raibh lúthchleasaithe den chéad scoith fríd an scoil, is cinnte nár shíl said go mbeadh trí chorn iománaíochta buaite acu taobh istigh de thamall gairid. Is toradh é sin ar chuid mhaith oibre sa scoil agus san clubanna a chuireann scoláirí chucu.

Derry hurling will quite clearly benefit from having two schools compete for titles at this age-group. Apart from the three titles for Gaelcholáiste this term, there was a first ever Casement Cup and All-Ireland final appearance for St Mary’s while St Patrick’s Maghera collected two under-age cups back in November as well as a Dé Danann Cup success a few weeks ago for St Patrick’s Dungiven.

Yes, Derry under-age hurling is certainly in good health at the moment.

Gaelcholáiste: G Ó Diolúin (1-8, 0-5 frees), J Ó Conaire (1-0), D Mac Con Midhe (0-2), C Ó Mianáin (0-1 free), F Ó Muirí (0-1), D Ó Lochlainn (0-1)

St Mary's: L McDonnell (1-2, 0-2 frees), J Sargent (0-3, 2 frees), P Birt (0-2, 1 free)

Gaelcholáiste: Caoimhin Ó hEireamhóin, Séamus Mac Con Midhe, Declan Ó Ceallaigh, Ciaran Ó Muirí-Mac Uilliam, Cian Ó Cinneide-Ó Dúill, Cathal Ó Mianáin, Emmet óg Mac Íomhair, Lorcan Ó Muirí, Deaglan Mac Con Midhe capt, Dáire Ó Lochlann, Finbar Ó Muirí, Oran Ó Donnghaile, Jude Ó Conaire, Ger Ó Diolúin, Peadar Pio Ó Duibhne. 

Subs: Dylan Ó hEireamhóin for O Ó Donnghaile (43), Cormac Mac an tSionnaigh for C Ó Cinnéide-Ó Dúill (50), Dom Mac Flionn for J Ó Conaire (54), Cillian MacOscair for PP Ó Duibhne (57)

St Mary’s: Ryan O’Kane, Senan Lagan, Odhrán Mulligan, Conn McAllister, Oliver Lupari, James Sargent capt, Eoin Young, Michael Walls, Patrick Birt, Shea Devlin, Lorcán McDonnell, Sean Burns, Shea Murray, Charlie Mulholland, Shane Corrigan.

Referee: Sean McGuigan (Slaughtneil)