Danske Bank Loch An Iúir Cup final
Lecale Trinity, Downpatrick 2-10 Sacred Heart, Omagh 2-6
A STRONG finish from Lecale Trinity saw them lift the Loch An Iúir title at the expense of a gallant Sacred Heart, Omagh side at the Dub yesterday afternoon.
It was a well contested final throughout, with the Tyrone school recovering from a dreadful start to get back on level terms early in the second half having trailed by seven points at one stage.
Downpatrick then grabbed their second goal, but again Sacred Heart responded with a major of their own to leave it level pegging with less than 10 minutes left to play.
It was anybody’s game at that stage, but crucially Lecale Trinity moved up through the gears to land the last four points of the contest to take the silverware.
It was Conor Murray who opened the scoring for Sacred Heart in the third minute, but amazingly that proved to be the only time that they would have their noses in front.
Full-forward Jamie O’Toole sent over the equaliser for the winners, who went on to dominate the rest of the opening quarter.
Michael Johnston, Ethan Smyth (2) and Oisin McComiskey all tagged on points before a fine finish from Ryan Madine left Downpatrick 1-5 to 0-1 in front with only a dozen minutes played.
They failed to score, though, for the remainder of the opening period as Sacred Heart fought back. Charlie Byrne, Oran McMenamin, Carson McGrath and Daire O’Kane all registered as Sacred Heart reduced the deficit to a single score by half-time. 1-5 to 0-5.
Sacred Heart had gone in at halftime with a pep in their step and they picked up were they had left off on the restart with a 33rd-minute goal from McGrath to level matters.
The momentum looked to be with the Omagh lads at this stage but almost immediately McComiskey pointed at the other end of the field and that was quickly followed by a goal from impressive half-back Johnston.
Both sides then missed chances as the game went almost a quarter of an hour without a score, before Garbhan O’Donnell pointed for Sacred Heart.
With nine minutes to go, centre half-forward McMenamin raised a green flag for Sacred Heart to set up a tense finish.
Downpatrick, though, found that little bit extra when it mattered most with McComiskey, O’Toole and midfield duo Charlie Swail and Jake Shankeleon all landing points.
Sacred Heart threw caution to the wind as they went in search of a goal, with McMenamin going close, but the Downpatrick defence held out to take the title.
Lecale M Johnston 1-1; O McComiskey 0-3; R Madine 1-0;E Smyth & J O’Toole 0-2 each; C Swail & J Shankeleon 0-1 each
Sacred Heart O McMenamin & C McGrath 1-1 each; C Murray, C Byrne, D O’Kane & G O’Donnell 0-1 each
