Ballygawley Take Markey Cup

St.Ciaran’s Ballygawley bridged a twenty year gap at Owenbeg on Thursday afternoon to win the Markey Cup when they edged out Carndonagh in a hugely entertaining encounter played in windy conditions.

The Donegal lads at the wind at their backs in the first half and they raced into a 0-3 to 0-0 lead with a score from outside the arc from midfielder Joe Doherty. St.Ciaran’s though hit back to get on level terms as Darren McAnespie (2) and Shea McDermott found the range. Carndonagh then had two pointers from Patrick Doherty and Danny Og Cooney but St.Ciaran’s kept in touch when a McDermott effort for a point found the net.

Carndonagh though then got on top with the help of a late goal from the impressive Cooney but St.Ciaran’s had the final say of the half with a superb major from McDermott to leave it 1-9 to 2-3.

McAnespie landed a two pointer on the restart before St.Ciaran’s hit the front for the first time when a Jude Curran goal was followed by a Matthew Hughes point. Efforts from Callum Kelly and Donnacha O’Callaghan kept Carndonagh in the hunt but Marcus McLaughlin added three points including a fine score from outside the arc for St.Ciaran’s.

There was still plenty of drama to come however as a Dylan Doherty goal coupled with a Billy Hume point saw the lead change hands. With the came in injury time substitute Conan Canavan bagged a well taken goal before a Jack Kelly point sealed it for the Tyrone lads.

St.Ciaran’s scorers: S McDermott 2-2, D McAnespie 0-4 (2 x 2pt), M McLaughlin 0-3 (1 x 2pt), J Curran, C Canavan 1-0 each, M Hughes, E Kerr and J Kelly 0-1 each

Carndonagh scorers: D Og Cooney 1-2 (2pt), J Doherty 0-4 (1 x 2pt, 1f), C Kelly 0-3, D Doherty 1-0, P Doherty 0-2 (2pt), T Diver, H McGinn, B Hume and D O’Callaghan (f) 0-1 each