Claudy take Nagle Cup

St.Patrick’s & St. Brigid’s Claudy 1-13 St.Joseph’s Coalisland 1-11

A superb second half display from St.Joseph’s Coalisland unfortunately wasn’t enough as their efforts came up just short in the Ulster Schools Nagle Cup Final in Cookstown on Friday afternoon.

St.Patrick’s & St.Brigids Claudy were the better side in the opening period and should have been further in front than they were, 0-9 to 0-5. Darragh O’Connor, Sean Hargan, Cathal Peoples and Paddy Donaghy all had points for the Derry lads but a brace of two point frees from impressive midfielder Eoghan Colton as well as a point from play from Kylan Preece kept St.Joseph’s in touch. Claudy had two spot kicks in the first half but Hargan put his attempt over the bar while Coalisland keeper Eoghan Rua McShane made a brilliant save to deny O’Connor from the second one.

Coalisland were much better in the second half but while they had the opening score through Tommy O’Neill efforts from Donaghy and Hargan left it a five point game. That all changed though in the 39th minute when a surging run from Colton saw him first time the ball to the net after his initial shot had been blocked.

St.Joseph’s had their tails up and after frees from Colton and Cathal McErlean brought them level wing half back Shane O’Neill put them in front for the first time in the contest with a dozen minutes left to play. Hargan and O’Neill then swapped points before the crucial score of the game arrived in the 54th minute when Liam Gillespie this time cionverted a Claudy penalty after he had been fouled himself.

Colton and Cathal McErlean then tagged on points from frees to leave it all square going into the final quarter, 1-8 to 0-11. St.Joseph’s had their tails up and influential halfback Shane O’Neill edged them in front for the first time in the contest in the 48th minute. Gillespie and Fionn Rea exchanged points but the goal that St.Joseph’s needed to win the game never arrived.

St.Patrick’s & St. Brigid’s Claudy scorers: S Hargan 0-4 (2f), L Gillispie 1-1 (1-0 pen), D O’Connor, C Peoples & P Donaghy 0-2 each, A McKeever & C Murphy 0-1 each

St.Joseph’s Coalisland scorers: E Colton 1-5 (2 x tpf, 1f), S O’Neill 0-2, K Preece, T O’Neill, F Rea, C McErlean (f) 0-1 each

Referee: F Laverty, Armagh

Published on Team Talk Mag