Mc Mullan Cup Final – St Brendans 4:04 St Enda’s 2:06
James Duffin netted five minutes from time to effectively win the McMullan Cup for St Brendans with subsequent points added in the remaining minutes.
Before James intervention a lot of hurling had been played and the match was finely balanced on a few occasions. It was played in gale force conditions with the 70 mph wind blowing diagonally across the Glenarriffe pitch taking away from the game for both spectators and players alike. St Brendans opted to play with the wind in the first half and got off to the perfect start when Declan Traynor’s first effort on goal was deflected into the net by the unlucky St Enda’s fullback. Ruairi Laverty added a point and it all seemed to be going to plan for St Brendans. However St Enda’s regrouped and with their supporters willing them on they responded with two well taken points from the caman’s of Cormack Ross and Niall McGivern. Then came the goal that woke the St Brendans team when Cormack Ross nailed the ball to the Benny net after soloing past three defenders. The tempo increased and the forwards started to run at the St Enda’s defence and with eight minutes of the first half remaining Donal O’Hara was the victim of a high tackle in the large rectangle. Conleth McNeill stepped up to fire high into the net and this seemed to settle the very nervous St Brendans team. Soon afterwards Declan went one better when he broke through the backline to raise the green flag for himself. James Duffin added a point as the halftime whistle blew.
The second half was all St Enda’s apart from the last five minutes. With Cormack Ross terrorising the backs each time he received the sliothar scoring 1:02 and Niall McGivern putting over a glorious free from about eighty yards our to tie the game. It looked ominous for St Brendans and like in most games this year the team dug deep and attacked with darting runs which either drew fouls or 65s. Five minutes of normal time remaining and still facing the gale Aidan Culbert fired in a 65s James Duffin raised his hurl and with the cutest flick passed the sliothar to the back of the St Enda’s net. Again the hearts were raised and determination was so evident as the forwards, midfield and backs tackled to ensure the ball did not go down the field. Conleth went on a solo that ended in a foul, he dusted himself off and Aidan duly fired over from the acute angle. Conleth then finished the game off with the final puc of the game raising the white flag. This win puts the U16s into the All County Final where they will play the winners of South Antrim or South West Antrim in September.
Team:- Michael McHugh, Andy McLarnon, Colm Nesson, Torr Kinney, Donn Whelan, Aidan Corbett, Peter Mulholland, , Mathew McCartan, Ruairi Laverty, Connor McNeill, Declan Traynor, James Duffin, Donal O’Hara , Conleth McNeill, Eoin Magee, Pearce Bannon, Daniel McConvery, Conor McKeown, Gareth McKeown, Jordan McNeill