Football

McCabe the Cross hero

MICHAEL McCabe settled this Danske Bank herald Cup final in the third minute of added time with a 30 metre free to bring a close to an exciting, tense final at the QUB Arena.

The game swung in favour of one side, then the other on a couple of occasions before that dramatic ending.

St Joseph's, Crossmaglen started brightly and points from Luke Owens and Micheal McCabe put them three up inside the opening six minutes. Eamon Fyfe responded with a free for Ballymena and his side took the lead in the 13th minute when eoin Campbell goaled.

Twelve minutes later Ronan Graham was taken down and Michael O'Connell converted the spot-kick to put St Louis' in at the break 2-2 to 0-6 ahead, McCabe pulling Cross back into the picture with a point on the whistle.

Although Stephen Keenan pointed on the re-start, two points from eamon Fyfe sent St Louis' three up.

Crossmaglen then hit five points in a row, the last two from John Rafferty to go 0-12 to 2-4 ahead with the game entering injury-time.

Amazingly, there was still a twist with Fyfe and sub Conor McAuley putting St Louis' level once more - only for McCabe's late, late winner to kill them off once more.

MATCH STATS

St Joseph's, Crossmaglen: R O'Connor; R McKeever, F Burns, A Smylie;

D Mulholland, F Mackin, D Savage,

E McDonnell (0-1); S Morris, l Owens (0-1); J McKeever (0-2), S Keenan (0-1); O Martin, M McCabe (0-6), J Rafferty (0-2). St Louis', Ballymena: O Marquess;

P Graffin, S Duffin, M McIvor; C McAteer,

J Henry, F Kennedy; M O'Connell (1-1),

C lemon; C McAuley, E Fyfe (0-4),

R Graham; C Griffin, E Campbell (1-0),

C Dobbin. Subs: C McAuley (0-1) for

C Dobbin (57).