Desertmartin are the intermediate championship winners in Derry for the first time ever following their victory over Greenlough at Find Insurance Celtic Park yesterday.
Desertmartin, who hadn’t contested the final since 2003, burst out of the traps with the first five scores of the day, including one from Derry star Lachlan Murray.
Luke Grant finally got Greenlough, chasing their first title since 2020, off the mark but it did little to halt Desertmartin’s scoring spree as they extended their advantage to six with another two points on the bounce.
Greenlough were offered a huge lifeline before the break, however, Brian McCallion netted the game’s only goal and that left the scoreboard reading 0-7 to 1-1 at the interval.
Both sides raised white flags at either end of the field once the second half commenced, before a two-point free from Murray extended the gap to five again.
Silky corner-forward Seoirse Lagan kept Greenlough in touch, while an excellent score from Jude Moore made it a three-point game heading into the final quarter.
Rory O’Hagan fired off a two-pointer at the other end to keep Sean Brady’s Desertmartin on top, while Niall Loughlin pointed for Greenlough.
Derry team-mates Murray and Loughlin exchanged pointed efforts in the final few moments, while Cathair Kearney narrowed the margin to just two.
With time almost up, Loughlin, facing into a stiff breeze, took on the responsibility to kick what would have been an equalising two-pointer, but his shot just fell short.
Desertmartin held on to win the game and they now advance to the quarter-finals of the Ulster intermediate championship, where they will face Monaghan winners Donaghmoyne in two weeks’ time.