St Ciaran’s, Ballgawley claim Danske Bank Dalton Shield in dramatic decider

Danske Bank Dalton Shield final

St Ciaran’s, Ballygawley 4-8 St Joseph’s, Donaghmore 2-12

ST Ciaran’s, Ballgawley won a gripping Danske Bank Dalton Shield title at Killeeshil on Tuesday when they edged past fellow Tyrone side St Joseph’s, Donaghmore.

The winners didn’t register their first point until the 29th minute, but by that stage they had scored three goals to enable them to lead 3-1 to 1-5 at half-time.

St Ciaran’s grabbed a fourth goal at the end of the third quarter to increase their advantage to seven but credit has to go to a St Joseph’s side who took the game to their opponents, with their efforts just coming up short.

Daire Doran opened the scoring for Donaghmore, before Daniel McGuinness got the winners’ first major.

Donaghmore came roaring back when midfielder Lorcan Dobbs blasted to the net before team captain Joseph Quinn left two between the sides.

A speculative effort from James McAnenly then sailed to the net and Cahir Magill added a brilliant third to give St Ciaran’s a narrow advantage at the short whistle.

McAnenly and Quinn exchanged points on the restart, as did Daniel O’Neill and Donnachadh Daffy, before Ballygawley enjoyed a good spell. Shea Cassidy and Conor McKenna both pointed and when full-forward McAnenly got his second goal they led 4-5 to 1-7.

St Joseph’s, though, were far from finished, with Doran, O’Neill and Dobbs all registering to cut the deficit to the minimum with nine minutes left to play.

McAnenly and Daffy then traded points to set up a tense finish. Doran knocked over a Donaghmore free and in injury-time they were denied a goal when Lorcan Coleman’s shot was brilliantly saved by Darsai Quinn as St Ciaran’s held on.

St Ciaran’s J McAnenly 2-3 (0-1f); D McGuinness & C Magill 1-0 each; D Daffy 0-2; L Harte, S Cassidy & C McKenna 0-1 each

St Joseph’s L Dobbs 2-0; D O’Neill 0-4; D Doran (2f) & J Quinn (3f) 0-3 each; L Barr & R Kavanagh 0-1 each