Craigbane defeat Ballymaguigan to claim the Joe Brolly Cup for the second time in three years

Craigbane 1-11

Ballymaguigan 1-10

Craigbane claimed the Joe Brolly Cup for the second time in three years, defeating Ballymaguigan by the tightest of margins on Saturday afternoon.

The winners trailed by three at half-time but the introduction of club legend Lee Moore (1-2) at the break gradually turned the tide as Craigbane chipped away at deficit to take the lead almost on the hour mark. A clinically dispatched penalty by super sub Moore would prove vital as this wonderfully contested final entered injury-time. Both sides had chances to win it at the death but Craigbane just managed to get their necks over the finish line.

An immaculate pitch greeted both sets of players to Celtic park, but a very strong breeze wafting from the big stand towards the press box and the sharp, stingy pre-winter temperatures would put manners on players and supporters both. It would all add up to an intensely fought championship final clash that the Lilywhites ultimately claimed victory in.

Goal machine Ciaran McIvor’s 25th minute green flag was the key score of a tightly contested first half, however. The goal handed Ballymaguigan a 1-5 to 0-5 lead at the break and left Darren Craig’s side in pole position after the opening half an hour.

The ‘Quigan edged the early skirmishes and chiselled out a 0-3 to 0-1 lead with 8 breathless minutes zipped by in a flash. Pearse O’Neill opened the scoring in Ballymaguigan’s very first attack, with his point courtesy of an outstanding Tom Crozier catch at midfield. A free from the reliable left peg of Barry McGlone doubled that lead before a lovely Fergal Mortimer point from a near impossible angle inked in Craigbane’s opening score in the 7th minute.

A Michael Spiers point returned a two point lead to the Loughshore men before three in a row from St Joseph’s snatched the lead back after 18 minutes.

Jude McLaughlin, so good in the semi-final, ignited their response with the same player drilling a goal opportunity just wide soon after. A Fergal Mortimer free pulled the sides level and then Cahir O’Kane split the sticks to see Craigbane lead 0-4 to 0-3.

A Barry McGlone free that curled in at the last levelled matters soon after as the battle of the skyscrapers at midfield raged constantly throughout. Craigbane’s Jude Og Moore and Jacob McElhinney’s aerial dogfight with opponents Tomas Kealey and Tom Crozier built upon huge, booming kick-outs from goalkeepers Brian Cassidy and Ben O’Kane, never cooled.

With five minutes to go to half-time, St Trea’s scored their only goal of the game. Goalkeeper Ben O’Kane, with the dazzlingly bright sunshine in his eyes, dropped a tamely hit shot and ace poacher Ciaran McIvor was in the right place at the right time to guide the ball home. Late half points from Michael Spiers and then Fergal Mortimer, with his weaker left foot, left the ‘Quigan 1-5 to 0-5 ahead at the interval.

Half-time: Ballymaguigan 1-5  -  0-5 Craigbane

Manager Kevin Moore introduced his son Lee at half-time and the move would prove a match-winning one.  Experienced big guns Blain Gormley and Rory Moore would also enter the fray as Craigbane fought to turn the tide. That said, their opponents coughed up an early goal chance when Barry McGlone blasted just wide soon after the restart. After that these two well matched sides went score for score throughout the third quarter. ‘Papa’ McIvor and Pearse O’Neill would prove twin lightning rods for umpteen ‘Quigan long kick passes that were causing all sorts of mayhem. Craigbane’s attacking tactics contrasted this with a more running style game, built on very good players and superb fitness.

Shea Bradley and Cahir O’Kane – from distance – swapped scores, as did Pearse O’Neill and the returning Blain Gormley. The ubiquitous Michael Spiers notched his third point of the game only to see Lee Moore hit his first to leave the Celtic Park scoreboard reading 1-8 to 0-8 in Ballymaguigan’s favour.

But with ten minutes to go, and an unneeded shower of hailstones briefly arriving, the Lilywhites dramatically found something like their best. Craigbane accounted for five of the next six scores to prise the Joe Brolly Cup away from the hands of the holders.

Fergal Mortimer’s point was another score from the gods. But, better than that was to follow. Jude McLaughlin was close-lined in the box as he bore down on goal which resulted in Lee Moore side-footing the resulting penalty into the bottom right hand corner of the net.

Moore then assisted Cahir O’Kane’s insurance point in injury time, with Pearse O’Neill’s free leaving Ballymaguigan just one behind.

There’s was time on referee Sean Curran’s watch for one last throw of the ‘Quigan dice. However, Barry McGlone’s late, late effort from distance squirted inches wide of the post. And that was that.

What a game. Craigbane are the 2024 Derry Junior Champions.

Craigbane scorers: Lee Moore 1-2, Fergal Mortimer 0-4 (1f), Cahir O’Kane 0-3, Jude McLaughlin 0-1 (1f), Blain Gormley 0-1

Ballymaguigan scorers: Pearse O’Neill 0-4 (2f), Michael Spiers 0-3, Ciaran McIvor 1-0, Barry McGlone 0-2 (2f), Shea Bradley 0-1

Ballymaguigan: Brian Cassidy, Owen Doyle, Ruairí O’Neill, Patrick Cuskeran, Edward Bradley, Michael Speirs, Barry McGlone, Tomas Kealey, Tom Crozier, Odhrán Letters, ⁠Shea Bradley, Korey McLarnon, Tomas Brady, Cíaran McIvor, Pearse O’Neill

Subs: Padraig Martin for O Letters (40), Jack Doherty for K McLarnon (43)

Craigbane: Ben O’Kane, ⁠Eoin Coll, David Lowry, Fintan Lynch, James McLaughlin, Conor McLaughlin, Oisin O’Donnell, Jude Og Moore, ⁠Jacob McElhinney, Aaron Sharkey, Cahir O’Kane, Pierce McCloskey, Fergal Mortimer, Jude McLaughlin, Brian Rainey

Subs: Lee Moore for P McCloskey (HT), Blain Gormley for A Sharkey (40), Rory Moore for F Lynch (47)

Referee: Sean Curran (Faughanvale)