Ballinderry 1-13 Glenswilly 2-6
BALLINDERRY WON THE Ulster club SFC title for the first time since 2001 after a high quality contest with Glenswilly in Omagh.
The Derry champions were made to fight all the way against a Michael Murphy-inspired Glenswilly, who fought back from a four point half-time deficit to briefly take the lead in the second-half.
Michael Murphy scored 1-3 from play in a brilliant individual display but the Donegal champions were outscored by six points to one in the final 20 minutes.
Glenswilly made a dream start with Michael Murphy scoring a goal after 28 seconds.
The All-Ireland winning skipper may have been going for a left-footed point, but the ball dropped over Michael Conlan’s head and into the far corner of the net.
Murphy followed it up with a successful ‘45’ conversion in the eighth minute before Ballinderry got on the scoresheet three minutes later with a Colin Devlin point.
James Conway and Dermot McGuckin added on two quality points from distance before Colin Kelly, playing up front with Murphy, landed a point for Glenswilly.
Ballinderry gradually came more into the game and Devlin and Conleith Gilligan added frees before Michael McIver grabbed a goal for Ballinderry after 26 minutes.
Ryan Bell’s shot was half blocked down and McIver bravely pounced on the rebound, fisting it to the net while getting clattered by two Glenswilly defenders in the process.
Ballinderry led by 1-6 to 1-2 at half-time.
Glenswilly were superb in the third quarter, with a 32nd minute goal by Conal Kelly, followed a brilliant point from Murphy and then Darren McGinley, saw them lead 2-5 to 1-7 eight minutes into the second-half.
Ballinderry showed great composure and the introduction of Enda Muldoon helped them take control gain.
Conleith Gilligan and subs Aaron Devlin and Darren Conway scored fine points as they took the game away from the Donegal champions.
Ballinderry: M Conlan; R Scott, C Nevin, M McIver (1-0); R Wilson, G McKinless, D Lawn; K McGuckin, J Conway (0-2); D McKinless (0-1), KM McGuckin, D McGuckin (0-2); C Devlin (0-3, 1f), R Bell, C Gilligan (0-3, 2f)
Subs: E Muldoon for KM McGuckin (34), A Devlin (0-1) for Lawn (39), D Conway (0-1) for McIver (49), R Wilkinson for Devlin (59)
Glenswilly: P O’Donnell; B McDaid, J McFadden, C Kelly (1-1); E Ward, R Crawford, JP McDaid; N Gallagher, C Bonner; C Kelly (0-1), J Gibbons, M Murphy (1-3); K McFadden, G McFadden, D McGinley (0-1)
Subs: B Farrelly for K McFadden (49)
Referee: Padraig Hughes (Armagh)