Dungannon Lose Out In Ennis Cup Thriller

Friday 12.01.2018

Club

Danske Bank Ennis Cup Final

St.Patrick’s Dungiven 6-5 St.Patrick’s College Dungannon 3-11

St.Patrick’s Dungannon’s brave bid to win the Danske Bank Ennis Cup came up just short at MUSA on Friday afternoon when they lost out to their namesakes from Dungiven in a real thriller that showcased all that is good about Ulster Schools football.

The Derry lads couldn’t have wished for a better start to the game with full forward Caolan Hazlett bagging a goal in the first attack of the game. Dungannon though responded with points from  Kenny Ximenes, Riain McAshea and Jake Dillion and they should have been in front as they missed a few chances as well. In the final minute of the half disaster struck for the Tyrone lads as Dara McGonigle found the net twice inside twenty seconds to leave it 3-2 to 0-3 at the break.

Dillion opened the second half scoring with a point and in the 33^rd minute they were right back in contention when Bonamor Nammy palmed the ball to the net. Hazlett and Dillion traded points while Dungiven keeper Brandon Deeney made a good save to deny Ximenes. Ximenes then blasted to the top left hand corner of the Dungiven net and going into the final quarter the sides were level.

The winners though responded with a penalty goal from Dylan Newland and a point from Hazlett before McGonigle flicked the ball to the net to complete his Hattrick.

Ximenes then blasted in a brilliant goal and when Shea Boyle tagged on a point in the next attack it was all square at 3-4 to 2-7 going into the final quarter. Dungiven were under the cosh at this stage but they broke down the field to win a penalty which Dylan Newland converted. To their credit Dungannon battled away with points from Shea Boyle and Patrick Purvis as well as a second goal from Ximenes. With a couple of minutes to go it was still anybody’s game but Dungiven made sure of victory when Shea Millar got their sixth goal of the contest.

St.Patrick’s Dungiven: B Deeney, F McIntyre, C Devlin, E Kealey, C Deeney, S Harkin, O McAteer, C Mullan, D McGonigle (3-1), C O’Neill, E McCloskey, S Millar (1-0), C O’Hara, C Hazlett (1-4), D Newland (1-0). Subs – O Murphy for O’Neill, O Duddy for Millar

St.Patrick’s Dungannon: K Kuizinas, A Lobato, P McGuinness, C McGahan, J O’Callaghan, C Hughes, R McAshea, K Ximenes (2-1), R McIntosh (0-3), S Boyle (0-2), P Purvis (0-1), D McCann, J Field, D Hanna, B Nammy (1-1). Subs – J Dillion (0-3) for Hanna, S Gates for Field

Referee: C Forbes