Danske Bank Faul Cup final:
De La Salle, Downpatrick 1-6 St Killian’s, Garron Tower 0-5
DESPITE hitting 14 first-half wides, De La Salle, Downpatrick battled their way through this final at the Dub to collect the Faul Cup for the first time.
Overall, they were the better team, with players such as Curtis Ward, Andrew McCoubrey Corey Mahon and Daniel McMenamin composed in possession, but they found it hard to shake off a very determined St Killian's outfit, who were dangerous right until the end.
The Antrim side held firm in defence, with Declan McAuley, Aidan McKenna and Ed McQuillan prominent. McKay was as big a threat as McMenamin for the opposition, but he had to come too deep to gather possession.
In many ways, the opening half was forgettable for both sides. St Killian's failed to score at all, although they created three good openings on goal, but finished weakly. At the other end, De La Salle dominated after they opened with two points inside 90 seconds. But they built up a wide count of 14 with some wasteful shooting.
Despite that, Ben Curran picked up a short free out from St Killian's in the 14th minute and hit a speculative high ball that dipped under the bar for a Downpatrick goal. Their only other score of the half was a late free from the very dangerous Daniel McMenamin to leave it 1-3 to 0-0 at the turnover and St Killian's getting the benefit of the breeze.
They made use of it immediately with a point from Sean McKay inside 15 seconds, but crucially they didn't add to it, with Sean Paul McKenna bringing a brilliant save from Odhran O'Connor in the 44th minute.
McMenamin raised the seige a minute later with a point for De La Salle and, during the last quarter, they managed to respond with a score each time St Killian's hit a point.
Kian Tierney punched a point with his first touch after James Morgan had given the Tower a lift, then Jack Hazard hit a brilliant point from a free in the left corner after Sean McKay had pointed twice.
In the 57th minute, McKay narrowed the gap to four once more, but De La Salle saw the game out in their opponents' half for the remaining five minutes.
MATCH STATS
De La Salle: O O’Connor, C Kearney, M Shearer, C McMullan, C Curran capt, A McCoubrey, C Ward, N McShane, C Mahon (0-1 free), B Curran (1-0), J Hazard (0-1 free), C McCoubrey, C Curran, D McMenamin (0-3, 0-2 frees), O Deegan; Subs: D Burns for C Curran (37), K Tierney (0-1) for O Deegan (47), J Maguire for C McMullan (50).
St Killian’s: C Morgan, D McAuley, P McLoughlin, F McCurry, M McDonnell, A McKenna, E McQuillan, C O’Loan, J Morgan (0-1), SP McKenna capt., F Walker, E Hynds, K Mulvenna, R Donnelly, S McKay (0-4, 0-2 frees).
