Dean Maguirc win Ulster Loch an Iúir Cup Final

Dean Maguirc C’kmore 1-15

Abbey, Donegal 3-6

Dean Maguirc College, Carrickmore have enjoyed great success in Ulster schools football in recent times and that run continued at Garvaghey  when they defeated Abbey Vocational school Donegal to win the Danske Bank Loch an Iúir Cup.

Only three points separated the sides at the final whistle but that margin didn’t reflect the performance and dominance of Dean Maguirc who were well clear of their opponents before conceding two injury time penalties at the end of the game. The Donegal lads looked physically stronger but on the day they couldn’t cope with the sheer work rate, hunger and skill of a Carrickmore side who emerged worthy winners.

Full forward Sean Donnelly got the winners up and running inside sixty seconds before the same player doubled their advantage in the sixth minute. The winners were working hard for each other and further scores came from a Vincent Gormley free and an effort from play from the same player to leave it 0-4 to 0-0 with only eight minutes played. Sixty seconds later though Abbey opened their account to get right back into the game when Daire Slevin cut in from the right wing and from a sharp angle he fired low to the net past keeper Tarlach Tracy.

A free from midfielder Tomas Carr then levelled matters but that proved to be the last time that Abbey were not trailing. Gormley knocked over a free at the end of the opening quarter for an advantage that his side were never to lose and two further points followed quickly from Micheal McCallan and half back Daniel Heagney.

Tomas Lenehan stopped the rot for Abbey with a point before he swapped frees with Gormley. In the 26th minute the winners grabbed their goal when Marcus Conway took a good catch before embarking on a thirty metre run and finding the bottom corner of the net. It was a great score but it was Abbey who responded before the break with points from Thomas McHugh and full forward Gethin Mosby to trim the deficit to 1-8 to 1-5.

The opening ten minutes of the second half saw both defences very much on top with neither side managing to get a score. In the next fifteen minutes though Dean Maguirc hit a purple patch that yielded them half a dozen points without reply to effectively win the game. Midfielder Lorcan Meenagh weighed in with a brace with Gormley and Brayden McNally on target from frees and Donnelly and Pheilm McCrory scoring from play to leave them well in control.

Abbey tried to respond but they came up against a resolute Dean defence that performed a number of fine blocks to keep their opponents at bay. It took the Donegal lads twenty seven minutes to open their account via a Lenehan free with Gormley responding at the other end of the field from a placed ball as well. A minute into injury time Carr converted a penalty and two minutes later he converted from the spot as well but they proved to be only consolation scores as the final whistle sounded to leave Dean Maguirc Carrickmore worthy champions.

Dean Maguirc Carrickmore Scorers: Vincent Gormley 0-6 (3F), Sean Donnelly 0-3, Marcus Conway 1-0, Lorcan Meenagh 0-2, Micheal McCallan 0-1, Daniel Heagney 0-1, Brayden McNally 0-1 (1F), Phelim McCrory 0-1

Abbey Vocational School Donegal Scorers: Tomas Carr 2-1 (2-0 pens, 1F), Thomas Lenehan 0-3 (2F), Daire Slevin 1-0, Thomas McHugh 0-1, Gethin Mosby 0-1

Referee: Niall McKenna, Monaghan