​Heartbreak for Dromintee as they come up short in Paul McGirr Ulster final

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Many say football is played at its purest at underage level and the 2024 Paul McGirr Ulster U16 Club Championship Final proved that case in point on Sunday afternoon at a packed Gardrum Park when Magherafelt O’Donovan Rossa survived a storming comeback from reigning champions Dromintee to claim the Ulster title.

It was an historic occasion for the Derry club as they won their club’s first ever Ulster club title, however the history makers were pushed to the pin of their collar in a pulsating second half by a Dromintee side who had trailed by 13 points at one stage.

Playing with the aid of the breeze in the opening half, Magherafelt looked sensational as they carved open the Dromintee rearguard time and again and only some stoic defending from Tomas Fox and goalkeeper Patrick Rice prevented the game being over by half-time.

Dromintee opened the scoring with a Ronan Martin free but this was the only lead they had in the game, as Magherafelt overcame early nerves to storm into the game. A great effort from the left wing by team captain Kian Maynes settled his side and shortly after he earned his side a penalty being taken down in the square, the resulting kick was brilliantly saved though by Rice. Tony O’Hagan and rampaging midfielder Ronan Conway put their side three ahead.

Lorcan Higgins was having an excellent first half - causing all kinds of trouble with his direct running – and one such run set up Daultagh Donnelly for Magherafelt’s first goal, shortly after a clever pass from Higgins found the MFC Sports Man of the Match Calum Leacock who finished superbly to the bottom corner to stretch the lead to nine.

Magherafelt added points from Conway, Maynes and Michael Lavery who had stepped up from his sweeper role which he was doing excellently before the break and one in reply from Oisin Byrne left the half-time score at 2-6 to 0-2.

At this stage the game looked all but over, Dromintee were struggling to keep tabs on the Derry champions and a third goal this time from Daultagh Donnelly on the restart certainly emphasized that fact, with Higgins once again instrumental in the build up.

However, things were to change in emphatic style with Fox, Aodhan and Jarlath O’Neill, Scott Harris and full forward Gavin O’Rourke in particular showing leadership beyond their years constantly driving at the Magherafelt rearguard as the game turned dramatically.

The evasive Ronan Martin pointed a free and then Dromintee got their first major, Jack Casey palming to the net after great work from Oisin Byne and O’Rourke. This gave the Dromintee support a lift as the noise levels in the Canon Breen stand reached a crescendo. Constant swaves of attacks reigned in on the Magherafelt goals as the 2023 champions gave their all in search of back to back titles.

Martin lofted one over from distance and then Casey powered through several tackles in blockbuster style before finding the top corner for Dromintee’s second goal, now it was really game on. The only saving grace for Magherafelt was that their highly talented forward line were always able to nick the odd score at the other end, Maynes and Tony O’Hagan points providing temporary relief as the pressure never relented.

Martin and Byrne pointed for Dromintee and then full back Fox lifted the crowd even further overturning an attack and storming the full length of the field before being upended for Bryne to convert another free. The inspirational Jarlath O’Neill knocked a point over from outside the forty five as the comeback of all comebacks looked set to take place.

With the lead reduced now to just three points Magherafelt need leaders to step up, in Leacock, Michal Higgins and Tobias Beattie they found their answers. A superbly converted O’Hagan free from the wing relieved the pressure slightly before Conway notched another score for the Armagh champions.

Magherafelt looked set to put the final nail in the coffin with Leacock going through only to be denied by a diving save from Patrick Rice, Conway knocking the rebound over the bar. Now trailing by four with time running out Dromintee needed a goal and came so close to getting it. Full forward O’Rourke gathered the ball on the ‘45 turned and drove towards goal, a dummy left two Magherafelt defenders reaching for thin air as the crowd rose to their feet but his rasping shot went just over the bar rather than under and with that Dromintee’s chances ended. Maynes and Donnelly got the insurance points in the dying seconds before Sean Hurson’s final whistle signalled unadulterated joy as the red army invaded the field.

It was a game that will be remembered for a long time, football played at its best with scores from the top drawer, there is doubt some of the talent on the field for both teams will go on to represent their counties in the near future.

It was an historic occasion for the Magherafelt club, who were deserving winners of the Paul McGirr Ulster U16 Club Championship. They will now set their sights on the St Paul’s U18 tournament in the coming weeks with six of this team featuring in the starting line-up.

MATCH STATS

Magherafelt: Conor Johnston, Ryan Martin, Tobias Beattie, Tiernan McGlone, Finn Grimes, Calum Leacock (1-0), Ronan Lennox, Michael Higgins, Ronan Conway (0-3), Tony O’Hagan (0-3, 2f), Ruairi Quinn, Lorcan Higgins, Daultagh Donnelly (2-1), Kian Maynes (0-4, 1f), Michael Lavery (0-1)

Subs: Tom Farmer for Quinn

Dromintee: Patrick Rice, Darragh Bolger, Tomas Fox, Reece Kelly, Emmett Mullen, Aodhan O’Neill, Oisin McCrink, Jarlath O’Neill (0-1), Peter Rice (0-2), Ronan Martin (0-4, 3f), Jake Mooney, Oisin Byrne (0-3, 2f), Jack Casey (2-0), Gavin O’Rourke (0-1), Scott Harris

Subs: Ollie Rice for Mooney, Oliver Kissward for Mullen, Ben McCoy for Bolger

Referee: Sean Hurson (Tyrone)