ULSTER SFC FINAL St Gall's 0-16 Loup 0-5ST GALL'S JUSTIFIED their status as pre-match favourites with a dominant display as they held Derry champions Loup scoreless from play in a one-sided decider at Newry yesterday.
Grit and nous had gotten an unfancied Loup side to this stage and for 20 minutes those characteristics kept them in the game. But once St Gall’s matched them for work-rate, and Aodhan Gallagher and Seán Burke took control at midfield, the Antrim champions’ superior football ability allowed them to win easing up.
The first 20 minutes were a stop-start affair, Kevin Niblock’s early point cancelled out by Loup’s Paul McVey, with Johnny McBride then giving them th Derry club the lead.
Loup’s lead was short-lived, however, as Aodhan Gallagher powered his way through for a 10th minute leveller before a Conor McGourty free edged St Gall’s in front.
The sides were level again at four apiece after 23 minutes, but St Gall’s were gaining the upper hand at midfield through Aodhan Gallagher and in the closing six minutes of the half they reeled of four unanswered scores. CJ McGourty and Rory Gallagher pointed before McGourty scored his fourth of the half from a free and, in injury-time, Burke surged forward to kick Gall’s into a four-point interval lead.
Having the wind behind them didn’t help Loup after the break, and, instead, St Gall’s put them to the sword with a flurry of early second-half scores.
With Gallagher and Burke dominating at midfield the St Gall’s forwards feasted on five-star possession. CJ McGourty got them off the mark with a free and points from play from Anto Healy, Kieran McGourty and Terry O’Neill stretched the lead out to 0-12 to 0-4 by the 39th minute. From there on it was just a case of how many St Gall’s wanted to win by.
ST GALL'S: Ronan Gallagher; P Veronica, A McClean, Colin Brady; M Kelly, A Healy (0-1), S Kelly; S Burke (0-1), A Gallagher (0-1); Kieran McGourty (0-1), Kevin McGourty, T O'Neill (0-1); CJ McGourty (0-6, five frees), Rory Gallagher (0-2, one free), K Niblock (0-2). Subs: K Stewart for Kieran McGourty (47 mins); S Kennedy for Veronica (53); S Burns (0-1) for O'Neill, D O'Hare for Kevin McGourty, C Gallagher for Niblock.
LOUP: S McGuckin; D McVey, J O'Kane, Colm McVey; B McVey, B Doyle, F Devlin; J McBride (0-1, free), A McAlynn; P McVey (0-2, two frees) P McFlynn (0-1, free), S M O'Neill; D McVey, S McFlynn, P Young. Subs: G Mallon for S M O'Neill (23 mins); C Devlin (0-1, free) for J Devlin (38 mins); C Kielt for B McVey (41 mins); S McFlynn for D McVey (48 mins); J O'Kane for Mallon (58).
Referee: P McEnaney (Monaghan).
