Danske Bank Noone Cup final
St Benedict’s, Randalstown 2-16 St Malachy’s, Castlewellan 1-9
ST Benedict’s, Randalstown collected the Danske Bank Noone Cup for the first time ever in Corrigan Park Belfast yesterday, leading from pillar to post in an entertaining final against
St Malachy’s, Castlewellan.
Despite carrying an injury into the game, Conor Loughran turned in a player-of-the-match performance, scoring 10 points over the hour. He was well supported by Dylan McLarnon, Tiarnán Bonnes and Patrick McCloskey.
Lewis McCrickard was Castlewellan’s top player, with top-scorer Conor Connolly always a scoring threat until a second yellow card ended his day midway through the second half. Caoimhín Doran and Liam King were others to dowell for St Malachy’s.
Ewan McGrath scored the opening goal for St Benedict’s towards the end of the first quarter, but Connolly hit back with a three-pointer for St Malachy’s soon after and scored four of their five first half points.
St Benedict’s were in front at the break, 1-9 to 1-5, with Loughran causing a lot of bother. Playing now with the breeze behind them, they went further ahead with a cracking goal from Tiarnán Bonnes. St Malachy’s were struggling to keep pace with them at this stage, but the loss of Conor Connolly really blunted their ability to get scores. They went down battling away, but Randalstown probably had the result in the bag before the red card was issued.
St Benedict’s: C Loughran (0-10, 0-5 frees), T Bonnes (1-2), E McGrath (1-1), S McCann (0-2), C McCamphill (0-1)
St Malachy’s: C Connolly (1-7, 0-4 frees), E Daly (0-1), L McCrickard (0-1).
